BY SANDRA GUY

Niacin — also known as vitamin B-3 — one of the eight B vitamins, is vital to help break down nutrients into energy and maintain the body’s cells and your metabolism.

Your body uses Niacin to turn food into energy. It helps keep your skin, nervous system and digestive system healthy.

But be careful to take Niacin in proper amounts because too much of a good thing can cause serious side effects.

In fact, it’s best to get Niacin in the foods you eat. Foods rich in niacin include yeast, milk, meat, tortillas and cereal grains.

But when it’s necessary to take prescription Niacin, follow the recommended dosages.

Research on the use of Niacin as a prescription shows:

• Though Niacin can improve “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels in your bloodstream, research hasn’t shown that it can prevent strokes or death rates from heart attacks.
• Notify your doctor if you’re taking prescription Niacin and experience dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations or other unusual symptoms. Niacin can also interfere with other prescription drugs and is a no-no to take with alcohol.

If you’ve been cleared to take Niacin, or you just want to focus on eating a diet rich in Niacin, you’ll be glad to know that it acts as a powerful antioxidant, breaks down fatty acids, and can improve circulation.

Research also has shown that some people who experience depression may have a Niacin and B-vitamin deficiency. So, as the world continues to warily eye the coronavirus pandemic and wait patiently for vaccinations, discuss any feelings of sadness and hopelessness with your doctor. Help comes in many forms.

BY SANDRA GUY

Now that a COVID-19 vaccine is on the way, we newly appreciate that we’re tough, persistent and dedicated. So it’s time to focus our newfound confidence into setting New Year’s goals — and actually achieving them.

Though you’ve probably read that it takes 66 days, on average, to form a new habit, experts say it’s better to create small, specific goals — like vowing to eat no junk food for four months — and to set up a holistic environment to support your intentions.

The fact that you make, write down and prominently remind yourself of a New Year’s resolution combine to boost your chances of success.

But there’s more to it than that. While you’re writing your detailed plan for change, ask yourself why this habit fulfills some deep-seated need. If the habit didn’t fulfill a need, you wouldn’t have kept doing it. So spend time thinking about — and writing down — how you will find another habit that will fill that need just as deeply, if not moreso.

This won’t be easy. Your brain is hard-wired to feel deeply contented when you eat a chocolate soufflé, and what could possibly replace that? The new habit must be just that satisfying — if not moreso. How can you make it so? What result would give you greater satisfaction and confidence than the habit you’re going to work so hard to change?

If you can hold on even for a week to explore what could replace that wonderful feeling, give yourself a reward for staying disciplined. Take a quiet nap or sip herbal tea while vegging on a silly movie, rather than rushing out to buy a Big Mac to celebrate.

While you stay focused, keep the number of goals short. Better to meet a few resolutions and feel good about it than to set yourself up for failure.

Put your resolution out into the universe by speaking it aloud and telling trusted and supportive friends. No need to post anything on social media where a naysayer might pop up.

Try something new and run with it. No need for a retread. You will have more energy and purpose by resolving to change something unique to 2021.

BY SANDRA GUY

The coronavirus pandemic has led to such ubiquitous feelings of anxiety, irritability and depression, how do you know if you’re physically healthy?

Is your cough a sign of dehydration — or something worse? What if you start having muscle aches? Or if you feel exhausted for no reason? The mere thought of going to the doctor’s office brings on new anxiety about potential COVID-19 exposure.

Beware the effects of bad eating habits, skipping breakfast and lunch, failing to drink water regularly and turning to alcohol to soothe your mood. Lack of sleep adds to stress and the ability to fight off illness. You’re doing your adrenal glands no favors, and those glands’ health is vital to yours.

Adrenal glands are vital to your battle against stress, as well as to the health of your major organs. The adrenal glands produce cortisol, whose most important roles are to boost your immune system’s response to inflammation; maintain regular blood pressure and heart function; and balance the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for energy.

Start with the basics. Avoid overdoing the caffeine, fast food, processed foods, sugared soda, artificial sweeteners, white flour, white sugar and other bad-for-you foods. Focus instead on eating vegetables and foods high in magnesium and vitamins B-5, B-6 and C.

If you find you need extra adrenal support, consult a doctor. You may need to take a supplement with the necessary vitamins, minerals, herbal pharmaceuticals and other compounds that counteract stress’ effects.

But there’s plenty that you can do, too, even though it’s admittedly tough when you want to curl into a ball and binge-watch videos and movies. Whatever carrot-or-stick approach works for you, make a checklist of these healthy habits:

• Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, and eat regular meals throughout the day. Drink at least one glass of water in the morning with a quarter-teaspoon of Celtic sea salt, which contains minerals that nourish your adrenals.
• Walk outdoors to get fresh air.
• Soak in an Epsom salts bath at least a couple times a week.
• Eat foods rich in Magnesium, such as nuts, kale, tofu, bananas, legumes, avocado, collard greens and — best news yet — dark chocolate.

You may be surprised at how much better it feels to become a warrior against stress.

BY SANDRA GUY

Innocent family gatherings have proven to be a major source of the coronavirus spread in Chicago and in Illinois, and experts warn that ignoring precautions anywhere can have heartbreaking consequences.

“We continue to hear about birthday parties and funerals,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the city’s Department of Public Health, at a news conference. “Recognize when you are out and not being careful, even among your trusted friends and family, you do run the risk of bringing COVID back into your home and into your friends’ group.”

A Google search reveals similar incidents nationwide, including a young man who thought COVID-19 was a hoax, invited 10 family members to a mask-less get-together, and now talks openly about living with the guilt of his beloved father-in-law and his father-in-law’s mother dying of coronavirus as a result.

“How many people would have gotten sick if I’d never hosted that weekend? One? Maybe two? The grief comes in waves, but that guilt just sits,” he told The Washington Post in the Oct. 10 story titled, “What are We So Afraid Of?”

The second coronavirus surge has prompted new stay-at-home lockdowns as experts expect 35,000 more U.S. deaths in the three weeks starting Nov. 16, on top of 246,948 deaths nationwide as of Nov. 15.

That means, once again, staying away from people outside of your home, as well as gyms, salons, bars, concerts, restaurants or any activity with crowds or people in close proximity in enclosed spaces.

Experts say it’s vital to exercise — preferably both in the morning and in the evening (Google any type of exercise and start moving with the video, ride an in-home stationary bike or walk on a treadmill inside your home) — and to maintain a regimen of eating a healthy diet to boost your immune system.

If college students are returning home from in-person classes, the optimal situation is that they quarantine for two weeks at home. That’s especially true if the student is flying or taking public transportation to get home.

That means wearing a mask inside the home, using a separate bathroom and avoiding close contact with family members — especially those with high-risk health issues — until the quarantine period is over. Some families have been quoted in news stories saying that, if a college-age child tests positive, they’re prepared to have that child stay in a camper in the driveway or use hotel points to let him or her stay at a local hotel.

A COVID-19 swab test as soon as possible after the student arrives home or immediately after the quarantine period is also a good idea to ascertain the risk of close contact.

And the best advice never gets old: Wash your hands frequently, and long enough to sing “happy birthday” twice; wear a mask outside of the home; and practice social distancing with everyone outside of one’s immediate household, even if that means passing up an elevator ride or any situation involving a small enclosed space with another person.

BY SANDRA GUY

Amid a coronavirus pandemic rebound that’s led to an average of 140,984 cases per day in the week ended Nov. 14 — a 76 percent jump from the average two weeks earlier — how can you get outside for much-needed fresh air and exercise?

The answer needn’t be expensive or exhausting.

Yes, we’ve all read about wealthy families installing pizza ovens, sunken whirlpools and $1,000 fire pits in their back yards, but you can create a relaxing getaway on a simple budget.

Hardware stores report waits for back orders of heat lamps, patio heaters, outdoor lighting and even all-weather sofas as people spiff up to breathe fresh air.

But while you’re waiting for those accessories, check out the community calendar, and you just might find these outdoor activities:

• Zoo lights — Why not donate to help the zoo and enjoy the animals surrounded by dazzling festive decorations?
• Plot out long walks using ski poles, whether it’s in the local forest preserve or the woods out back.
• Build snowmen, snow women, snow children — and even an igloo.
• Find a hill and break out the sled or snowboard.
• Start decorating the outdoor tree or windows, even if you think it’s too early to turn on the lights.
• Take walks each night carrying lanterns and see how many stars and constellations you can identify.
• Chop wood for the fireplace.
• Map out local murals, statues and other outdoor artwork, and take turns visiting them. Write tour-guide narration based on your research, and read it aloud at each stop.
• Research how to ice fish, including how to dress for it, and give it a try.
• Set an itinerary for exercising at local outdoor parks or playgrounds, regardless of your age.
• Check out museum and dance company calendars for outdoor performances.

You should realize extra benefits from exercising outdoors, but first check with your doctor if you have bronchial problems or other cold-related complications.

Research shows you’ll burn more calories, stimulate your senses, improve your mood and boost your immune system.

BY SANDRA GUY

News headlines about a coronavirus vaccine and hopeful tests showing melatonin may fight COVID-19 are offering light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, though supreme caution remains the rule as COVID-19 cases rage once again.

The encouraging news may ease our anxiety, but first, we must battle winter’s icy winds and long dark days, as well as our deep desire to curl up into a cocoon.

That’s where seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may creep in. SAD is a type of depression that can occur in fall or winter when, in many parts of the United States, darkness falls at 4:30 in the afternoon.

How do we fight not only a clinically diagnosed condition but also our urges to throw out our scheduled walks, plant-based eating and well-planned wellness schedules?

Supplements can be powerful friends. Take, for example, a Cleveland Clinic study published in PLOS Biology and reported on Fast Company’s website Nov. 10, which showed melatonin — the hormone that helps regulate sleep — could help prevent and treat COVID-19.

Researchers leveraged Artificial Intelligence to research patient records, and found that those who were taking melatonin were nearly 30% less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, independent of risk factors like age or other diseases. Among African-Americans, the difference was even greater, with a 52% reduction.

Another potential help comes from ashwagandha—oddly, a word in Sanskrit that means smell of the horse. That’s actually a positive connotation, denoting its unique smell and ability to increase strength. The ashwagandha plant, native to India and North Africa, holds high concentrations of withanolides that have been shown to fight inflammation.

Some studies show it may also reduce blood sugar levels and possibly help reduce inflammation and cortisol levels, and it

blocked the stress pathway in the brains of rats by regulating chemical signaling in the nervous system.

Check with your doctor before taking it, and make sure you take a pure, non-GMO supplement if you decide it’s right for you.

And don’t forget natural remedies, such as exercising vigorously every day, drinking plenty of water, getting fresh air and light, and, if necessary, taking Vitamin D and getting light therapy.

Light therapy requires that you sit near a box that gives off bright light, simulating a sunny day. It works by affecting brain chemicals that influence mood and sleep.

Vitamin D deficiency is a real problem, too. Studies show 42 percent of Americans are vitamin D deficient. Blacks and Latino populations are at highest risk because high amounts of melanin pigment in skin reduce the body’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight, according to a study in Nutrition Journal.

The answer? It’s boring, but it’s affordable: Buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and make them part of your daily diet.

BY SANDRA GUY

We’ve all heard about, and perhaps even witnessed, someone having an epileptic seizure.

But other types of seizures, which may look like epileptic seizures, are more common than people realize — and they are triggered by factors outside of the brain.

In fact, low blood sugar or a change to the way the heart is working can prompt jerking movements. One in 10 people may experience a seizure at one time in their lives, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.

November — National Epilepsy Awareness Month — provides the perfect opportunity to learn more.

So what is epilepsy, and who is at risk?

It’s a neurological condition that affects the nervous system.

Epilepsy is also known as a seizure disorder. It is usually diagnosed after a person has had at least two seizures (or after one seizure with a high risk for more) that were not caused by some known medical condition.

Seizures seen in epilepsy are caused by electrical activity disturbances in the brain. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to genetics, a brain injury or an immune, brain structure or metabolic cause.

Seizures can cause uncontrolled movements, abnormal sensations and abnormal thinking or behavior. Movements can be violent, and changes in consciousness can occur. Seizures occur when clusters of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain undergo uncontrolled activation. A partial-onset seizure begins in a limited area of the brain.

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), comprising the world’s leading professionals, has grouped seizures as follows, depending on where they start in the brain (see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28276060/)

• Generalized Onset Seizures:

These seizures affect both sides of the brain or groups of cells on both sides of the brain at the same time.

• Focal Onset Seizures:

The term focal is used instead of partial to be more accurate when talking about where seizures begin. Focal seizures can start in one area or group of cells in one side of the brain.

• Focal Onset Aware Seizures:

When a person is awake and aware during a seizure, it’s called a focal aware seizure. This used to be called a simple partial seizure.

• Focal Onset Impaired Awareness:

When a person is confused or their awareness is affected in some way during a focal seizure, it’s called a focal impaired awareness seizure. This used to be called a complex partial seizure.

• Unknown Onset Seizures:

When the beginning of a seizure is not known, it’s now called an unknown onset seizure.

Seizures can be controlled for most people so that epilepsy has little or no impact on their lives. It’s important to consult a doctor to see which option best suits one’s situation.

One option is anti-epileptic drugs, including the newest, XCOPRI, or cenbamate tablets, that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved in 2019.

Surgeries can be another possibility, with different surgeries aimed at varying types of epilepsy. Among the options is surgery to remove a small part of the brain that’s causing the seizures. Another procedure involves puting a small electrical device inside the body that can help control seizures.

People have also found relief in a ketogenic diet that’s been around since the 1920s. It’s a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, controlled protein diet. With this diet, the body mostly uses ketones — chemicals made when the body uses fat for energy — rather than glucose for its energy source. In other words, instead of the body using glucose from carbs such as bread, pasta and candy, it’s forced to use fat instead.

Cannabis has started to grab headlines as another natural relief, but right now, the FDA has approved only EPIDIOLEX to treat seizures associated with two epilepsy syndromes — Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome — in people age 2 and older.

BY SANDRA GUY

Diabetes has a new, sobering risk: Its link to heart disease has long been established, and now it’s become a risk for dying of COVID-19, health experts say.

A person’s risk of dying from COVID19 is up to 50 percent higher in people with diabetes — a disease that happens when your blood sugar is too high — than in those without, according to reports from hospitals, health centers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

That’s a sobering hazard, on top of the fact that, over time, diabetics’ erratic blood sugar levels can eventually wear out their hearts’ blood vessels.

A blood sugar level less than 100 grams per liter is normal; from 100 to 125 is considered pre-diabetic and 126 or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes.

The American Heart Association says at least 68 percent of people 65 or older will die from some type of heart disease, and adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes.

November — National Diabetes Month — offers the perfect opportunity to take steps to avoid diabetes or overcome pre-diabetes as much as possible, given that genetics often plays a role.

People who’ve lost as much as 100 pounds and reversed their pre-diabetic conditions say anyone who is overweight, who has a family history of diabetes or who simply believes he or she is at risk should get a baseline screening as soon as possible, and prepare for a long but ultimately fulfilling journey.

They offer these tips:

• Put movement, nutrition and recovery at the center of your new lifestyle. This isn’t about dieting and exercise. It’s about how you live.
• Find a support system, including a doctor you trust, an exercise or lifestyle coach, and/or a motivational group.
• Start reading food labels and measuring the amounts of starch, sugar, calories and other ingredients you’re consuming.
• Replace high-carb foods such as pasta, bread and tortillas with high-fiber lentils and vegetables, and substitute fish, chicken and black beans for red meat.
• Lose the soda pop and, as much as possible, beer and alcohol.
• Drink lots of water. Make it more palatable by adding lime, cucumbers, strawberries or sparkling water.

Healthy people with diabetes should also remain vigilant about masks and social distancing, health experts say.

BY SANDRA GUY

What could possibly tempt Thanksgiving celebrants to eat a low-calorie, healthy dish, especially when surrounded by gluttonous dishes and peer pressure?

Stealthily.

Take cauliflower rice. It’s already packed with fiber, folate and vitamins B, C and K. You can use bone broth to cook the cauliflower, per https://dontmesswithmama.com/cauliflower-rice-recipe/ to add even greater nutritional value.

Why bone broth? Its gelatin may just help your gut and your joints — two key aspects of health, especially as we age

You can also use bone broth as a healthy ingredient in your side dishes: Gravy, stuffing and mashed potatoes

After the Thanksgiving meal, you can capture turkey bone broth, too, and use it for a variety of leftovers.

These include putting the bone broth in stews, in dips, to steam and saute vegetables, and as a flavoring in poached or scrambled eggs.

And finally, you can sip heated bone broth as you would a cup of tea or coffee. Add a bit of flavor if you find plain broth too dull: Try celery salt, lime or lemon juice, even garlic and basil. Or any of your favorites.

If you’re really up for a challenge, you can make your own bone broth. These directions and more details can be found at https://wholefully.com/bone-broth/

1. If using raw bones, preheat oven to 425°F. Layout bones in one layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Stovetop:

1. In a large soup pan or Dutch oven, place the bones, apple cider vinegar, carrots, onions, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt.
2. Fill pot with filtered water until it covers the bones by about an inch. Let mixture rest for 30 minutes.
3. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to as low as your stove will go. You want it to just be barely bubbling. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 24 hours for poultry bones and 48 hours for red meat bones. If cooking overnight on the stove makes you nervous, you can place the whole pot (covered) in the fridge overnight, and restart the cooking time in the morning.
4. When cooking time is up, strain through a fine mesh sieve, and transfer to jars for storing in the fridge or freezer.
5. Once chilled, the broth should be jiggly and have a layer of fat on top. Scrape off the fat and use it for other purposes, if desired.