HEALTH AND WEALTH

Thursday, November 5, 2020

COVID-19 Safety Protocols Will Also Protect You from Colds, Flu

Experts say the safety protocols used to reduce risk during the COVID-19 pandemic can help protect you from colds and flu this fall and winter.
They explain that colds, flu, and COVID-19 are all spread by droplet transmission.
They say that’s why mask-wearing and physical distancing work against these illnesses.

All data and statistics are based on publicly available data at the time of publication. Some information may be out of date. Visit our coronavirus hub and follow our live updates page for the most recent information on the COVID-19 outbreak.

The same precautions taken to avoid COVID-19 will also help guard against colds and the flu.

As health authorities brace for a cold and flu season that will coincide with COVID-19, experts are encouraging the public to continue practicing good hand hygiene, physical distancing, and mask-wearing to not only prevent COVID-19 but also colds and influenza.

“Cold and flu, COVID-19 — they’re all respiratory viruses. There are nuances between them, but basically, they are all transmitted in the same way,” Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, told Healthline.

The transmission of respiratory illnesses is divided into two categories: droplet transmission and airborne transmission.

“The idea is that respiratory spread via droplet transmission is from larger, heavier droplets, heavier particle size, and they don’t travel very long,” Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California Davis, told Healthline. “They don’t stay suspended in the air for very long because gravity takes over and they fall to the ground, and that’s why we have all those recommendations relating to social distancing 6 feet or farther away from people.”

“Respiratory spread from airborne transmission refers to viruses and other infections that are suspended in smaller particles in the air,” Blumberg said. “These are smaller and lighter particles so they can remain floating around in the air and carried around by air currents for minutes to even hours.”

When it comes to respiratory droplets, size matters.

“Normal respiratory droplets that carry things like the common cold, SARS-COV-2, or influenza are large and typically cause infection by direct contact or through a contaminated surface where it has landed,” Dr. Jaime Friedman, a pediatrician in San Diego, told Healthline.

The common cold and influenza are both believed to be transmitted through larger droplets.

And although there is still much to learn about COVID-19, it is believed to be spread in the same way.

“With COVID-19, probably at least two-thirds of transmission is from the respiratory route via droplets,” Blumberg said.

Why masks are important

Experts say the droplet transmission is why mask-wearing is so important.

“Within that zone, that breathing zone, of 3 to 6 feet, that’s where the virus is transmitted most efficiently and, of course, since people without symptoms can be shedding the virus, quite as abundantly as people with symptoms, that’s the whole rationale for wearing masks,” Blumberg said.

Masks act as a barrier that stops larger droplets from being transmitted to others once exhaled, minimizing the risk of spread.

“They protect against the outgoing. They’re really excellent at that. They’re OK at protecting against the incoming, what it is that you inhale. But they really are very effective at protecting against the outgoing,” he said. “Think about surgeons. The reason they wear facial masks are so that the germs in their mouths and nose don’t drop into the surgical wound. So if everyone wears masks they are protecting themselves, but even more, so they’re protecting everyone else around them and if we all did that then the ability of this virus to be transmitted, would not drop to zero, but it would be very substantially curtailed.”

Experts are hopeful mask-wearing and other COVID-19 prevention measures will also help reduce the number of influenza cases this winter.

“The same considerations apply between influenza and COVID-19. Wearing a mask and social distancing are the two most important things… to prevent influenza and if people follow that for COVID-19 we may get a break and see less influenza this year,” Blumberg said.

How to wear a mask

Experts say an effective mask is one that has two or more layers, such as surgical masks that are multi-layered.

The way a mask is worn also matters.

“The best mask… is the one that is worn correctly over the nose and mouth and for the entire duration that person is in a public space,” Friedman said.

Masks should also fit snugly around the cheeks and down under the chin.

Schaffner says mask-wearing should become more commonplace in the United States to guard not only against COVID-19 but many other infections.

“I think it’s past time that we begin to adopt those practices here in the U.S. and in the Western world generally,” he said. “Of course, it helps to keep socially distant. Lots of good hand hygiene also helps. In addition, there’s one other thing that we can do against flu which is of course to get vaccinated.”

The Southern Hemisphere is just emerging from their flu season, and Blumberg said the patterns seen there are indicative of the widespread benefits of COVID-19 measures such as mask-wearing.

“In Taiwan, there was a 75 percent decrease in influenza… related to the masking and social distancing guidelines. You can see decreases in many different infections by following these guidelines for masking and social distancing,” he said.

As well as getting the flu shot, experts are urging the public to maintain infection prevention measures as cold and flu season begins.

“Continue social distancing when in public, continue to wear a mask, continue to wash your hands and sanitize frequently touched surfaces, continue to avoid large indoor gatherings,” Friedman said.

Schaffner says if people embrace mask-wearing, the benefits to public health and the healthcare system would be significant.

“We would diminish very substantially if we did this consistently,” he said. “That would spare a lot of us from annoying illnesses, the relatively small minority would be spared very serious disease and of course the burden on the healthcare system would be substantially less and we’d save literally millions of dollars.”

But Schaffner says that as well as mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and physical distancing all have a role to play in avoiding the cold, flu and COVID-19.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2020

I’m a Dietitian with Diabetes. Here Are My 9 Favorite Foods — and What I Make with Them!

Avocado is your friend (hello, good fats) and hummus is a fiber-protein health bomb. Find out what else this dietitian shops to nurture her love of food and her type 1 diabetes.

Raise your hand if you like grocery shopping… anyone? I’m one of those rare people who loves roaming the aisles of the grocery store. This goes back to my childhood when I became very aware of food at an early age.

As a child with type 1 diabetes, I grew up trained by dietitians and educators, so I knew better than others the foods that helped stabilize my blood sugars. That knowledge carried me into adulthood and became my passion.

I entered graduate school to become a dietitian and could carb count blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back (okay, not really, but you get the idea).

But maybe you’re not like me. Maybe your diabetes diagnosis is new, or maybe food and/or the mere thought of the grocery store stresses you out. Don’t worry — if that’s you, you’re definitely not alone.

I hear this from friends and clients all the time. And it’s usually followed by some sort of request to have me grocery shop with them.

So, this is the next best thing! I’m sharing the nine foods I always have on my grocery list, and why they’re my go-tos.

1. Avocados. As a diabetic, I learned a long time ago that fat was my friend. Not only does it help stabilize blood sugars after meals, but it also adds flavor and great texture to dishes. Avocados are great sliced up on rice crackers or chopped in salads — or try this Avocado Cacao Mousse or these Avocado Banana Cookies for healthier versions of desserts.

How to Pick the Perfect Avocado

2. Organic pasture-raised eggs. I try as best I can (and as our budget allows) to buy animal products that are organic. Organic eggs are at less risk for salmonella due to better living conditions, and one study found that eggs from pasture-raised hens were higher in vitamins A and E as well as omega-3 fatty acids! Try adding a fried egg to high-fiber toast in the morning. A classic “breakfast for dinner” with scrambled eggs is always a hit too.

3. Grass-fed ground beef. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines grass-fed animals as those that have been fed only “grass and forage, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning.” To be certified, the animals “cannot be fed grain or grain by-products and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.”

The diet that a cow eats has a direct impact on the nutrients and fat found in its meat. Grass-fed beef typically has less fat overall and a higher percentage of that fat is anti-inflammatory fat. It also has more antioxidants and greater amounts of conjugated linoleic acid (which may reduce your risk for heart disease and cancer). My absolute favorite way to use ground beef is this Cheesy Beef & Kale Pasta Bake!

4. Cucumbers. When you look at vitamin and mineral content, cucumbers don’t offer much. But they do have a decent amount of fiber and a lot of water, which makes them a great way to stay full and satisfied as part of a larger meal. And if you remember your first-ever diabetes education appointment, they probably talked to you about “free foods” (foods that don’t require insulin and don’t contain any significant amount of carbohydrates). Well, cucumbers are pretty much the poster child for free foods. They’re great for adding crunch to a salad or sandwich and for dipping into hummus, which leads me to…

5. Hummus. I always tell my clients that to avoid a blood sugar spike or drop, there are three things you need your meal or snack should have: fiber, fat, and protein. And hummus has all three! I like to use it in place of dressing on a salad and as a spread on sandwiches, or just to eat on its own with a spoon for an afternoon energy boost.

6. Fresh or frozen berries. I love all berries, but raspberries and blueberries are my two favorites. In the late spring and summer, I buy them fresh every week, but as fall and winter roll along, I’m always so thankful that frozen berries are so easy to find (and affordable). Berries are a great way to add sweetness without using added sugar. They’re loaded with fiber and antioxidants too. Raspberries have one of the lowest percentages of sugar of any berry. And blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese (which plays a role in bone development and helps our bodies use the nutrients in the foods we eat). Use berries to make your own no-added-sugar jam or homemade “frozen” yogurt.

7. Plain whole-milk yogurt. Both milk and yogurt contain a naturally occurring sugar called lactose. But most dairy products on the market also contain added sugar (and usually quite a lot). Most people are so surprised by just how delicious plain yogurt and fruit can be if paired correctly. As a type 1 diabetic, I am super in tune with how things raise my blood sugars. If I were to eat a container of fat-free yogurt, the carbohydrate (lactose) would get absorbed very quickly, potentially resulting in a blood sugar spike. But if I have whole-milk yogurt, the fat acts as a potential buffer to the blood sugar spike. It also delays the absorption of the carbohydrate, resulting in sustained energy. So, fat not only adds flavor but also keeps you fuller longer and gives you prolonged energy without blood sugar spikes. Try it on toast or in a yogurt bowl!

8. Whole-grain bread. Hopefully, by now, you’ve caught on that whole-grain bread is better than the refined white bread a lot of us grew up with. Whole-grain bread is made with just that — the whole grain. This means we get to reap the benefits of the antioxidants, fat, and fiber found in the outer layers of the grain that are discarded when making white bread. Whole grains also offer B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron, and ﬁber. Try loading up your whole-grain bread with all the goods, like this peaches ‘n’ cream toast.

9. Unsweetened all-natural nut butter. I have a serious obsession with all kinds of nut butter… and that seems to have been passed on to my kids as well. You’ll often find them taking any spoon they can find to the peanut butter jar, and I don’t have a problem with it at all. I always buy nut butter with no added sugar and no added oils, so I know they’re getting a quality source of plant-based protein and fat. And believe it or not, you don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy all-natural nut butter. You can make your own (like this homemade cashew butter) or buy some affordable store-bought brands. One of my favorite brands is Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter (they also sell almond and cashew butter).

There are so many other foods I could list too, but these nine are an amazing way to revamp your grocery list. Focus on minimizing added sugars and on not being afraid to add some quality sources of fat to your diet!