Are you focusing on your health and well-being? It is surprising to me that it has been 6 months since we began social distancing practices due to COVID-19. Time has flown by, and I am shocked that it is almost the first day of fall already. I have attended my fair share of zoom workshops and read more articles than I can count about how to cope during this challenging time. Even though I struggle often, I try to stay positive and focus on any tiny bit of good that can emerge out of this horrible pandemic. I created this list as a way to have concrete items I can do to increase my well-being. There is really nothing new in my list; however, I wanted to share with others the ways that I am trying to stay healthy. I do not do everything every day or even every week, but it helps me when I focus on these seven concrete areas.

1. Keep your immune system high

-Eat nutritiously

-Exercise daily

-Get enough sleep

-Don’t catch a chill/be cold

-Watch drinking alcohol

-Take vitamins

2. Practice ways to quiet your mind

-Meditate

-Do yoga

-Sit in nature

3. Keep a routine

-Get up at the same time each morning

-Take a shower and get dressed

-Stay organized

-Separate work and free time if you are working from home now

4. Do things you enjoy

-Think about hobbies you haven’t done in awhile

-Do some self care like nails and home facials

-Renew old dreams

5. Let yourself feel those emotions so you can process and release them

-Journal or write notes you throw away

-Talk to someone

6. Focus on the positive

-Keep gratitude lists

-Let go of what you miss and don’t have now

7. Keep connections

-Talk to your loved ones through text, video or phone calls

-Find groups on social media with like-minded people

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And read more positive thoughts Looking For The Good

All through my day, no matter where I go, or what I do, I am always looking for the good in people, in the world, in my life or even just in my day.

We’ve reached a new pandemic milestone. Two hundred-thousand Americans have died. Sadly, because of the way our government is handling the pandemic, it’s estimated the number will double by year’s end.

While we mourn the souls that have been lost, there is plenty of blame to go around. Here’s five who get more than their share:

#5. Brian Kemp-Governor of Georgia
Remember when the coronavirus task force set-up guidelines for the reopening of states safely? Remember when Donald Trump immediately ignored them by Tweeting “Liberate!”?

Brian Kemp took him seriously. He reopened bars, restaurants, gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys almost as soon as he heard Trump’s word. That led to other southern state governors following Kemp’s lead by reopening their own states. That led to outbreaks of Covid-19 in states which had been doing a solid job of keeping their citizens safe and healthy.

All that occurred because Brian Kemp wanted to show he could be a good little Trump flunky.

#4. Kristi Noem-Governor of South Dakota
South Dakota had a spotless record in the fight against Covid-19. The keyword is had because all that started to change when the calendar turned to July 4.

Donald Trump decided he wanted to have a rally at Mount Rushmore. Just a few thousand people gathered together with no social distancing and very few of them wearing masks. It was all good with another Trump flunky, Kristi Noem.

She doubled down by allowing the yearly Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to go on. Five hundred thousand people packed this small town for ten days, against the wishes of the communities residents. Then, they headed home to spread the virus in their own communities.But, at least they brought major bucks to Sturgis and the rest of the state. The economy ruling over health…again.

She finished up by not canceling the South Dakota State Fair.

Since these three events, South Dakota has gone from being a model example of how to operate safely during the pandemic to being on a list of states that if you’ve been in, you’ll need to quarantine for fourteen days. Thanks, Kristi!

#3. Deborah Birx-Coronavirus Task Force Chair
While Mike Pence is the leader of the task force and Dr. Anthony Fauci is the voice of reason, Dr. Birx has the title of Chair. She’s the one who was brought on as the task force coordinator.

Birx is certainly qualified for the position. She has served as the United States AIDS coordinator since 2014.

She’s counted on to give good, professional medical advice, but occasionally strays from doing that. Birx sometimes backs up Trump’s wild, bizarre and unproven theories lies. Whether she does this to keep in Trump’s good favor or to keep her job, this gives credence to Trump’s ramblings.

By doing this, Deborah Birz has cost lives.

#2. China
The whole thing started in Wuhan. That’s fine, they couldn’t help that. But, their irresponsibility in the handling of the virus and their lies caused a worldwide pandemic.

#1. Donald Trump-President of the United States
Under normal circumstances, China would clearly get the top spot. However, the the administration of Donald Trump, the only thing normal is the abnormal. Everything he does either downplays the dangers of Covid-19 or is an outright lie. His delay in acting cost thousands of lives with many more becoming seriously ill.

Then, there’s his endorsements of ridiculous remedies, the far too early reopening of the economy and now, his touting and trying to force an approval of a vaccine that will be far from ready for public usage. Now he’s back to having rallies that have no social distancing and very few of his supporters wearing masks. Lately, he’s been talking nonsense about masks and how they not only are not helping, but may be spreading the virus.

All of this to try to win re-election!

When you add it all up, he’s the clear winner for the number one spot. Congrats, Don…you’ve done it again. But, this is nothing new. Whenever something goes bad in the USA, Trump’s fingerprints can usually be found all over it.

We’ve heard projections that the numbers will double. Four hundred thousand are expected to die from Covid-19 by year’s end. I’m guessing that when we assign blame for that, Trump will remain in the top spot.

Related Post: It’s time to call it the #TrumpVirus

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I once read an article about sugar and the writer compared sugar to cocaine. I thought that was extreme. Unless you have health issues that consuming sugar will impact, I believe you can consume sugar in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men. According to this organization American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day, more than three times the recommended amount for women.

Consuming too much sugar can lead to several health issues including obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, tooth decay and certain cancers. Sugar can accelerate the skin aging process and drain your energy. Sugar can also lead to chronic inflammation.

Reducing your sugar intake will take effort on your part. It is more than watching the desserts you eat. There are several products that have hidden sugar. Read the labels to see if sugar is included in the ingredients. Look for types of sugar such as cane juice, sorghum and corn syrup. Chemical names ending in -ose indicate sugars. Products that contain sugar include bacon, ketchup, salad dressing, pasta sauce, barbecue sauce, cereal, energy bars, soda, juice and alcoholic beverages. (The good news is that some companies are starting to make these products without sugar.) Eating mostly whole unprocessed foods will help decrease your sugar intake. I stay away from artificial sweeteners because there is a debate whether they are more detrimental to health than natural sugars.

You may have to deal with sugar cravings. Instead of taking drastic steps you should take gradual steps to reduce sugar. If you like drinking soda try seltzer water instead with lemon or lime. Consider reducing your portion size. Try using a food journal where you can track how much sugar you are consuming. Search for recipes that are low in sugar. You should create a plan that meets your needs.

I know that reducing your sugar intake is not easy; however, the health benefits are worth the effort.

Last night, before dinner, I decided to take a needed break from the news. I put on the White Sox-Reds baseball game. When Nicholas Castellanos hit a mammoth home run, I grabbed my phone to check my Facebook and Twitter feed to see the reaction. It was one word over and over and over…..fuck!

I’m thinking that’s a little extreme for a single home run. It’s over the top for a 1-0 game, especially in the first inning. I decided to do a little digging. It didn’t take long to find the news.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died. The Notorious RBG was gone.

That one single word seemed appropriate. You saw it in all forms:
There was fuck. And Fuck. Then came FUCK. And my favorite, plus the one I would have used…FUCK!!!! The bold type and exclamation points captures the emotion.

All night long the word was a part of people’s social media feed. I heard one story where someone was at a dinner party with people she didn’t know. Her phone started dinging with news alerts. When she checked and saw the news, that word popped loudly out of her mouth.

Honestly, I’m not sure if the reaction is due to the sadness of her loss or if we’re worried about her replacement. Probably a lot of both! I know I’m scared shitless about the future. It’s sad that we can’t totally focus on her amazing legacy, but the politics of 2020 makes that impossible. Less than one day after her death, I’ve seen more features about the who and when of the upcoming Supreme Court replacement, than about Ginsburg herself.

Remember the movie “Network” where the newscaster. played by Peter Finch, told us to yell out our window, “I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take it anymore?” The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg may the topper of the despair most of us have felt about the year 2020. So just open your window and stick your head out. Then scream as loud as you can….

FUCK!!!!!

Related Post: Corey Crawford said Fuck

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I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2012. It was one of the worst years of my life. My family still feels the impact of the diagnosis even though I’m firmly in remission. In some ways, life after remission is harder, bringing with it depression, anxiety, and sometimes cold fear.

Because my husband had just accepted a job two hours from home, my daughter was usually my main caregiver. She was 13. No 13-year-old should have to do this, and it bit a huge hunk out of her childhood.

In the first few months after diagnosis I was occupied with doing research, going through surgeries, and beginning treatment. I spent hours on the phone with insurance trying to get a second opinion and ended up having to pay out of pocket.

Three things came together to build a bridge that carried me over. First, my next door neighbor is a cancer researcher and she introduced me to one of the top bladder cancer researcher-doctors, Dr. Gary Steinberg, from whom I got a second opinion. Second, my daughter’s Social Worker at school pointed me toward the Cancer Support Center, where I found an amazing support group. Third, through my searches on the internet I found the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network.

BCAN is the hub of most everything you need when you’re diagnosed. They fund research, provide information, connect you to an online support group, and help you become an advocate for people with the disease.

I am most moved by the women in BCAN. Its co-founder, Diane Zipursky Quale, is a widow. She and her husband built the organization in 2005 at their kitchen table because there were no existing organizations. Until a few years ago, treatments for bladder cancer hadn’t changed for 30 years. BCAN deserves much of the credit, because of their funding of research, for the huge shift that came with the discovery of immunotherapies, a big game changer for folks with advanced bladder cancer.

BCAN also sponsors a yearly Summit, bringing together patients, family, doctors, researchers, and advocates. We learn about new treatments and about advocacy projects. We are also brought together in small groups to talk with doctors about our own opinions about needed research.

The biggest impact of the Summit, for me, is to look around the room at a large gathering of people who have walked in my shoes. Of this group, it’s the widows that grab me the most. They’ve lost their partners, they’ve served as caregivers, and they continue, year after year, to volunteer their time, energy, and love to this organization.

Many of the people in the room have lost their bladders and they aren’t shy about talking about the experience. It is such a comfort to be in their midst. They have been through the worst of it and are still active and engaged.

It’s not too much to say that BCAN has changed my life for the better. I walk because they’re serious about research. I walk because they know the ins and outs of how to get funding from the federal government. I walk because they’ve been there for me. I walk because they care.

I would like to invite you to join my team for this year’s virtual walk on Saturday, October 3rd at 10 a.m. If you register ($25), you’ll also get a t-shirt. The registration fee is also a donation. But, I’d love for you to give more. You can trust that it’s going to a good place, to good people who know how to use it to improve the lives of folks with bladder cancer. You can also register for this year’s Summit, also virtual, on October 10th. Registration is free. (Scroll to the bottom for the links!)

You can read my interview with Dr. Steinberg here.

You can join my team here.

You can register for the Summit here.

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot attended a memorial for Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Saturday night at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago.

“Devastated by the passing of RBG,” Lightfoot tweeted on Friday night. “She represented the finest among lawyers in our country. A giant in her advocacy for women’s rights, civil rights and respect for the rule of law. We must honor her legacy and all her contributions to American jurisprudence. Rest in power, RBG.”

What’s up beer-wise this week? Oktoberfest specials are ongoing. Noon Whistle opens its second location in Naperville. And Red Arrow in Naperville is rebranding to a Tapville Social. Same self-pour beers, more cocktails, different menu.

Monday, September 21

Tuesday, September 22

Wednesday, September 23

Thursday, September 24