BY SANDRA GUY

The holidays — and the break between quarters — is the perfect time to freshen up your room, whether you’re studying remotely or on campus.

And what better way to do it than with inexpensive essential oils?

It’s easy, and, with most essential oils selling at $12 a bottle, it won’t break the bank.

Ideas include:

• Freshen While You Vacuum

Just add a couple drops of oil to a small, cut-up piece of a  cotton ball, then vacuum up the cotton balll with your vacuum. From that point, the air moving through your vacuum will carry the scent of the oils throughout your house.

• Keep Your Garbage from Smelling Up the Apartment

The cotton ball with a few drops of lemon oil or tea tree oil comes in handy here, too. Just place it in your garbage can and keep the ugly smells from overwhelming you.

Make sure that you have a cup or so of white vinegar. Add to it a few drops of peppermint oil and use the mixture to wipe down your pantry shelves to keep the pests away.

• Keep the Microwave Clean

Everyone struggles with messy microwaves, especially if your roommate and you love pizzas and foods that splatter. Who doesn’t need hot soup? Just pour a cup of water and five drops of lemon oil into a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave it for about three minutes. When the timer goes off, use oven mitts to carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. The lemon-scented steam will have loosened up the grime inside your microwave, making it quick and easy to wipe clean.

• Lemon essential oil also pulls its weight when you add a few drops to a box of baking soda before replacing the old baking soda in your refrigerator.
• Clean your shower head by mixing an equal amount of vinegar and water in a plastic bag and wrapping it around the shower head.  Let it sit for a while, take it off, run your shower, and it should be as good as new.
• Put olive oil on a soft cloth and rub in a circular motion to buff out any dirty spots on stainless steel appliances and pots and pans.
• Who hates cleaning the bathroom? Make it a bit easier by mixing baking soda, drops of lemon and basil essential oils and dish soap. Sponge the mixture on the surface of your bathtub and bathroom sink for 10 minutes. Then rinse with water.

And best of all, enlist your friends and roommates to experience the newly freshened atmosphere while they help you clean.

BY SANDRA GUY

Mask-wearing isn’t just for Halloween — and in fact, Halloween masks don’t count as COVID-19 masks.

It’s important to continue to wear surgical masks or double-layered cloth masks that fit well to protect yourself and others.

One way to stay safe is to incorporate a COVID-19 safety mask into your costume.

The mask-wearing mandate, though admittedly a grownup thing to have to do, resulted from a Centers for Disease and Prevention mandate, even for those already vaccinated.

The agency advised that people who live in high-transmission communities wear masks in indoor public spaces, even if they’ve been vaccinated. It also recommended that vaccinated people with vulnerable household members, including young children and those who are immunocompromised, wear masks indoors in public spaces.

The agency also called for universal masking for teachers, staff members and students in schools, regardless of their vaccination status.

Illinois offers a striking example of how even a low COVID positivity rate cannot offset a mask mandate.

In March, when the first mask mandate expired, the rate was 2.8%. On Oct. 15, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported the state’s seven-day positivity rate on all tests dropped to 2.5% from 2.6% the prior week. The rolling average seven-day positivity rate for cases as a percentage of total tests also dropped to 2% from 2.1% the prior week.

Governor JB Pritzker has said some health metrics still need to improve before he could ease the state’s mask mandate.

“If you go look at the hospitalizations, new hospitalizations, as well as the ones existing in total, that they are not dropping at the rate they were dropping even a couple of weeks ago. So, I’m concerned about that,” Pritzker said.

In Illinois, about 7.1 million people — or 56.28 percent of the state’s 12.7 million people — have gotten all their COVID-19 vaccine shots, according to state data. City data shows more than 1.57 million Chicagoans — or 58.8 percent of all residents — are fully vaccinated, and 64 percent of all Chicagoans have gotten at least one shot.

BY SANDRA GUY

Diet upstages even stress and genetics in helping people with pre-diabetes maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

If you’re on your way to developing Type 2 diabetes, which in turn increases your risk of heart attack, you can act now to stop the damage.

And why not start in November — American Diabetes Month?

The first step is to stop drinking sweetened beverages such as lemonade, fruit juices, coffee drinks and alcohol, says Dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD.

Next, figure out how you might be adding hidden sugars to your diet. These could come from agave, honey, candy, syrups, baked goods, and jams and jellies.

Then cross off white foods that add no nutritional value such as crackers, pretzels, pasta, white rice and white bread.

As you swear off these foods — they’re all fattening — think of how much better you will feel when you eat wisely. Better alternatives include Farro, barley, buckwheat and yams or sweet potatoes.

“Limit your carb intake to about one cup (or two slices of bread) per meal,” Zumpano said.

Another key food source is protein, since it slows the rate that carbohydrates enter your bloodstream. It can also help you feel full.

Healthy proteins include eggs, fish, tofu, nuts and seeds, dried peas and beans, and partially skim cheese and cottage cheese.

Such major changes will require discipline, time and hard work — but they’ll be worth it.

BY SANDRA GUY

We’ve certainly heard of turmeric’s benefits for ailments ranging from achy joints to general optimal health. So what’s the news with turmeric gummies?

First, the basics. Turmeric is the powdered form of the underground stem (or rhizome) of Cucurma longa, a member of the ginger family. Like ginger, you can peel and chop the fresh root, or use it dried in spice form.

The turmeric root and rhizome contain nutrients and bioactive compounds that are believed to support ideal health.

Turmeric may also help regulate sugar levels and prevent insulin resistance.

But when it comes to using turmeric as a spice or in supplement form, keep in mind that dietary supplements aren’t meant to be cures. So the gummies are simply easier for people to consume if they have trouble swallowing pills or are concerned about over-doing the liquid turmeric.

And some people may have trouble tolerating it.

The best strategy is to eat healthy food, including turmeric spices for taste.

BY SANDRA GUY

Now that young people are returning to in-person classes, it’s the perfect time to remember that in-person bullying can return, too.

October — National Bullying Prevention Month — reminds us that families and schools can help strengthen children’s mental health by fostering connectedness.

How? The key is to create an atmosphere in which children feel supported and cared for, experts say.

Connectedness to family, peers and school is considered a protective factor for children’s and adolescents’ mental health, substance use, and bullying, according to the StopBullying.gov resource center.

“Children and adolescents who feel connected at school and home are less likely to experience negative health outcomes related to violence, substance use and mental health,” according to the website.

At the same time, experts say, though concern about it is growing, bullying isn’t an epidemic. In fact, national rates have decreased slightly in recent years; bullying does not cause suicide; it’s only one of many factors involved, and it’s important to keep in mind that each bullying incident is a complex interaction.

Experts say, if your child is bullied, you should help your child take full responsibility for his or her feelings and outlook.

Most kids do not realize that how they view a situation is ultimately how they will feel about it, too. In other words, if they dwell on the humiliation of being bullied, they will feel humiliated, according to Very Well Family.

You can also encourage your child to see if he or she can learn anything from the experience, to become a leader on behalf of other children, and to discover that they can be grateful for their friends, families and other positive aspects of their lives.

Of course, children should acknowledge and deal with their anger, so they should keep in touch with their teachers and talk with a counselor if necessary.

And you should help your child practice a plan to avoid a recurrence. You may need help from school administrators with issues such as a change in your child’s locker or schedule.

Remain proactive.

BY SANDRA GUY

Just in time to flash your brightest smile in COVID-safe environments — and to recognize October as National Dental Hygiene Month — it’s time to start whitening your teeth the natural way.

First, no need to scold yourself for needing teeth-whitening resolutions.

Sometimes teeth just look yellow because the hard enamel has eroded, revealing the dentin underneath. Dentin is a naturally yellow, bony tissue that lies underneath the enamel.

But it wouldn’t hurt to remind yourself that soda, coffee, red wine and dark berries are infamous for staining teeth.

On the other hand, calcium-rich foods, such as yogurt, sardines and broccoli may help protect your teeth from enamel erosion.

That doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid them, but you should limit the amount of time your teeth absorb them.

A diet high in sugar is problematic, too, since it can cause plaque and gingivitis. So try to brush your teeth soon after eating sugary foods.

For a natural way to keep your teeth looking their best — besides flossing, brushing and regular dental checkups — you can use turmeric powder and baking soda.

Turmeric is a well-known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial herb, but it’s also believed to help keep teeth white in its pure powder form. If turmeric tastes a bit too tangy, add a drop of spearmint or peppermint extract.

Just as you can do with baking soda, keep a bit of it in a sandwich or snack bag or a container next to your toothpaste, and pour out a bit onto your toothbrush. Brush as usual but leave the turmeric powder on your gums and teeth for at least five minutes.

Then rinse thoroughly with water and brush your teeth as you normally would.

You can also make your own turmeric toothpaste by mixing the powder with cononut oil.

Finally, you can buy toothpaste made with turmeric and curcumin, though you might want to check the amount of turmeric actually in it.

BY SANDRA GUY

DePaul’s Fall quarter coincides with a somber reminder of how stressful the COVID pandemic and its precautions continue to be. And how you can help others who need help.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has designated the week of Sept. 5-11 as National Suicide Prevention Week. And Sept. 10 marks World Suicide Prevention Day.

This year’s message is #BeThe1To Ask. That’s because research shows people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way. Findings suggest acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce rather than increase suicidal thoughts.

The message underscores how the Lifeline network and its partners are working to change the conversation from suicide to suicide prevention, and to actions that can promote healing, help and give hope.

The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources, and best practices for professionals. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

The act of asking how someone is doing isn’t easy, but it can be a lifesaving one, experts say.

That’s because depression, whether unipolar or bi-polar, can be treated successfully, and efforts are gaining traction to support suicide prevention and research.

Yet for a person considering suicide, “the energy required to negotiate the system can be a significant barrier,” Alexa James, executive director of the Chicago affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Another barrier is recognizing when someone is suicidal, since some people experience a jovial or uplifted mood and feel calm, relaxed and relieved when they decide to die by suicide, James said.

For some, suicide can be an impulsive act, while for others, it’s the result of weeks or months of consideration.

Dr. Pedro L. Dago, medical director of the psychiatric emergency department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said suicide-risk factors include history of trauma, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, unstable relationships and illnesses – especially those involving chronic pain – as well as recent losses such as with a job, a divorce or life status.

Anxiety, hopelessness and psychotic symptoms are other red flags, Dago said.

The best way to help is to stay aware of others’ cues, experts say, and that’s more important than ever as the COVID delta variant prompts widespread infection upticks.

Over the past two weeks, new coronavirus infections have risen by 148 percent in the United States, and hospitalizations have increased by 73 percent, according to data compiled by the New York Times. The surge of infections has been largely attributed to the highly contagious Delta variant and to low vaccination rates in some states.

Health officials have also expressed concern over a simultaneous rise in Delta infections and cases of a respiratory virus known as rrespiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., a highly contagious, flulike illness, that is typically more likely to affect children and older adults.