POST COVID:
Recapture
Your Physical and Mental Health
T
by Dr. Kevin Bartolomucci
he past year has been challenging for many reasons. Working in family medicine, we have seen people deal with stressors of the pandemic in many ways. Some people are able to harness stress toward health improvement. However, oftentimes, individual coping patterns can be harmful to one’s mental and physical health. During the lockdown, we have seen a significant decline in exercise and dietary adherence. Many individuals have struggled with time due to difficulties balancing working from home while simultaneously trying to guide their child’s online curriculum. This has made eating quick, calorie dense and nutrient poor foods the easy solution. Additionally, many people have found it easy to reach for an extra drink of alcohol to help cope with these significant stressors. As a result, weight gain has become an accepted normal consequence of the COVID pandemic. An American Psychological Association survey in February showed that 61% of US adults had undesired weight changes since the start of the pandemic. Unfortunately, these coping strategies and weight changes are the main contributors to the development of chronic health conditions, with type II diabetes being at the top of the list. The most recent information from the CDC reports 34.1 million adults aged 18 and older have diabetes. This comprises an astound-
ing 13% of all US adults. Furthermore, it is estimated that 26% of US adults over the age of 65 have diabetes. These numbers have steadily risen since the 1990s. Diabetes causes significant morbidity including end stage kidney disease, blindness, and permanent nerve damage. Additionally, diabetes is one of the biggest risk factors for the development of heart disease and stroke. Not only does this diagnosis significantly impact your physical health, but it also can damage your financial health. The total direct cost of diabetes in our country in 2017 was estimated at $237 billion per the CDC. More importantly, costs per individual were estimated at more than $9500 per year.
What can you do to reverse this trend? Control what you can! • I t is certainly frustrating that gyms are not open or require mask wearing. However, there are numerous online exercise programs that can be done from the comfort of your own home. Oftentimes, pricing for these programs will be less than what the average individual is paying for a gym membership. We are also lucky in our community to have numerous parks and walking trails. Embrace the outdoors. Don’t let the elements deter you. We live in Western Pennsylvania; put on a hat and gloves, wear a coat, grab an umbrella. This will do wonders for your mental and physical health. • M onitor your food intake. It can be very overwhelming to count calories
A family medicine practice founded by Dr. Kevin Bartolomucci and his wife, physician assistant Rebecca Bartolomucci. Kevin and Rebecca both grew up in Greensburg Pennsylvania and have been working in family medicine since 2012. In 2015, Kevin completed his residency from Excela Health Latrobe Family Medicine. Kevin and Rebecca credit their son, Armond, as a motivating factor to pursue family medicine.
bartolomuccifamilymedicine.com 724-420-5928 120 Village Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601
or journal everything that you put into your body. If you are motivated to do so, use one of the numerous apps, such as MyFitnessPal, to help you reach your goals. If you feel that this is not achievable, then just be mindful of your daily consumption. Give yourself the opportunity to succeed by shopping smart. Attempt to plan your meals for the week and grocery shop with a purpose. Keep in mind that it is hard to go wrong with healthier options when you stay to the outside aisles of the grocery store. If you know you cannot control your snack food intake, do not allow these items to get into your shopping cart. Design your meals with the goal of at least half of your plate consisting of fruit and vegetables, a protein the size of your fist, and a carb less than a ½ cup. We love pasta like everyone else, but it doesn’t need to be the entire plate. • B e mindful. Mindfulness is the concept of being present and aware of where we are, what we are doing, and how we are feeling. In the technological era, it is easy to not be present in the moment. Mindfulness attempts to bring you back to the reality around you. This concept has been shown to reduce stress, improve physical health, and interpersonal relationships. For example, pay closer attention to your surroundings. What sounds are you hearing? How are you feeling in that moment? What do you see around you? Although we have all faced adversity this past year, mindfulness will help you focus on the present instead of living in the past or worrying about the future. The next time you feel the urge to look at your phone to pass time, try to be mindful instead! As we transition to a new state of normal, we hope you can use some of these tips to focus on your health and well-being. Do not hesitate to reach out to a healthcare provider if you need more assistance.
GRAND OPENING JULY 6TH Open to patients starting on July 6th, 2021. Schedule an appointment today! www.go2goalus.com 41
