You know exercise is good for your health, but you might be wondering—can exercise can help ward off respiratory illnesses? And should you continue exercising during a global pandemic, or should you give your immune system a rest?

As it turns out, continued physical activity can actually help boost your immune system—but just don’t overdo it.

A recent review published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that obesity and and inactivity can lower the function of the immune system, but engaging in a healthy lifestyle can help improve the immune system’s surveillance activity (when immune cells are in the bloodstream looking for infection) and may even reduce mortality rates from respiratory illnesses.

So, how can you make exercise work in your favor, and how much do you need? The review found that 30 to 60 minutes of near daily brisk walking (at least 3.5 miles per hour,  or a 17-minute mile) can improve your body’s defense against germs.

“[Exercise] improves the surveillance activity of the immune system,” review author David Nieman, Dr. PH., health professor at Appalachian State University and director of the Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus told Runner’s World.

That’s because each time you exercise, the activity increases the exchange of important white blood cells between peripheral tissues—which help with the body’s immune response—and the circulation (blood and lymph vessels). This increases the activity of immune cells in the bloodstream looking for viruses, Nieman said.

Can Running More Compromise Your Immune System?

Though hard to say without much current data specific to COVID-19, when people adopt a healthier lifestyle, especially those who were previously sedentary, it may help improve their chances of recovery from upper respiratory tract infections, Nieman explained. The same is true of those, like runners, who are currently active.

On the flip side, overtraining can lower your immune system function.

“Overtraining that leads to chronic fatigue, performance decline and mood disturbances can decrease immune function, resulting in increased odds for respiratory infections,” Nieman said.

How to Tell If You’re Running Too Much

And while overtraining looks different for everyone, Nieman cautions against pushing too hard during exercise training without adequate rest and recovery, as this can lead to chronic fatigue, performance decline, and mood disturbances, which decrease immune function.

As for increasing your mileage during marathon training or adding in more tough workouts? You’ll want to be careful you don’t push too hard.

“I recommend keeping exercise training at normal levels until this pandemic gets under control,” Nieman said.

Bottom line: If are already an avid exerciser—keep it up, but remember everything is multifactorial, Nieman says. Physical activity is just one important factor that helps the immune system do its job better. Other factors include high flavonoid intake from berries and other fruits, low mental stress, regular sleep, and a nutrient-rich diet. And if you haven’t previously been active, making healthy changes in your diet and exercise routines will be beneficial to your health, just be sure to check in with a doctor.

Everyone in the sports community is feeling the impact of COVID-19. Events and competitive seasons at all sport levels are cancelled and training facilities are closed. Athletes, coaches, parents, and sport stakeholders are scrambling to develop contingency plans. With no live events to cover, media sources are focusing on the Coronavirus pandemic, which could be further exacerbating everyone’s concerns. Fortunately, mental performance and mental health practitioners and organizations are helping to mitigate the effects of this extremely fluid situation through online support.

The emotional rollercoaster is real

In the midst of the current global crisis, it is normal to feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster; the constant influx of information, changes to daily routines, uncertainty with personal health and the health of others coupled with rapidly changing reports, is characteristic of the ups and downs of a rollercoaster. All of which is physically and emotionally draining. The first step in managing your experience is to recognize how you feel. COVID-19 is impacting everyone differently, and the impact it is having on you is completely normal and valid.

Coaches, teachers, and instructors:

• Stay connected: Keep in touch with your team collectively and individually as much as possible. Recognize that you are likely an important, valuable part of their lives, and as such, you may be one of the few people who athletes trust and are willing to talk to about their feelings, insecurities, worries, and well-being right now. As much as you can, create space for them to share what’s going on with them, listen, and ask how you can help.
• Recognize the degrees of impact: It’s important to consider that some athletes and their families may not feel much of an impact while others may not have a safe place to stay, access to food or other essentials, or a stable financial situation during this time of crisis, and everything in between. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic can take a toll on other aspects of athletes’ lives, such as motivation. Some athletes will find it challenging to train alone due to their motivation being strongly tied to feelings of community with their teammates. Some athletes are feeling a significant loss due to being unable to finish their senior season or finalize a multi-year cycle of focus and dedication. Some athletes will experience a sense of relief due to injury, burnout, or performance anxiety. All of these can impact motivation; by seeking to understand athletes individually and uncovering needs, you can provide appropriate guidance.
• Continue to be a resource: Based on the needs of your athletes, provide insights into continued training options, home-based workout suggestions via credible online programs or apps, healthy recipes to try, or opportunities to get outside and move such as hiking, walking, running, and biking. You may also consider creative ways for them to stay involved in their sport, such as sending sport-specific trivia questions for them to research, books to read, or podcast episodes to listen to.
• Remain neutral and factual: Try to remain neutral regarding any governing body’s decision to cancel or postpone events. Keep the Coronavirus pandemic in perspective to help athletes understand and rationalize any perceived unfairness or doomness. Athletes will look to you for how to respond to this crisis. Composure and resilience are key.
• Practice and model self-care: Determine methods of self-care that you want to add to your daily or weekly routines moving forward. Examples are getting enough sleep, engaging in personal hobbies, eating nutritious foods, being physically active, practicing gratitude, or journaling. Done consistently, these actions will help you to feel more control and comfort, while modeling healthy, positive behaviors that you can share with your athletes.
• Take care of yourself, too: Give yourself space to acknowledge your own feelings related to managing this pandemic. Rely on your support network, including other coaches, personal trainers to talk about how you’re doing, mitigate stress and challenges, share best practices, resources, and referrals, and troubleshoot. 

Parents and guardians:

• Maintain awareness and initiate action: Utilize COVID-19 updates to determine how the pandemic will continue to impact you and your family. Respect and support the decisions made by various governing bodies about sport and performance events that align with current Coronavirus recommendations. As new information or changes arise, use that as an opportunity to initiate or continue conversations with your family about facts, expectations, and feelings.
• Be a positive role model: No matter how young or old your children are, they will likely look up to you to determine how to respond under these circumstances. This is an opportunity to show them how to productively express emotions while managing stress and uncertainty. Show them resilience, rather than panic and despair. Help your children keep the pandemic in perspective instead of fueling any negative emotions over sport-specific decisions and updates. Be open and available to talk to, listen, and support your children. Be “all in” during these moments to help them feel valued and heard.
• Encourage self-care, creativity, and meaning-making: Check with your children about where they need dedicated support from you (i.e., with schoolwork). Outside of distance learning and perhaps training guidance from their coach, they likely have a lot of extra time on their hands; it’s important to help them find productive, positive, meaningful ways to spend that time, rather than logging hours and hours of screen time. You could help brainstorm alternative ways to engage in hobbies or activities, provide suggestions for self-care, or offer to help them stay active by playing games, throwing a baseball in the yard, or working on dribbling skills in the driveway, for example. Staying busy helps them to avoid focusing all of their attention on negative ramifications of the pandemic such as event cancellations, school closures, and social isolation. Not being able to compete could be a potential identity crisis for some athletes. While it is important to let your children process such feelings if this is what they are experiencing, helping them find ways to be productive and take care of themselves physically and mentally can help ease the pain and confusion they might be feeling.
• Take care of yourself, too: Establish your own self-care routine so that you are able to effectively manage stress and regulate your emotions while supporting your family. Virtually stay in touch with other parents, particularly ones who have children with similar ages and/or parents from your kids’ teams, to support each other, normalize your feelings, and problem solve.
• Reach out for help if needed: If your child is struggling and would benefit from additional support, look to your local community for resource recommendations. You may also consider searching for a mental health professional who can provide online services during this stressful period.

In this time of uncertainty, focus on what you can control, even when it feels as if there is little you can control. Utilize your networks and these tips to take it one day at a time. As we keep moving forward, remember that kindness is always free and we will get through this by supporting each other.

https://appliedsportpsych.org/blog/2020/03/the-covid-19-pandemic-tips-for-athletes-coaches-parents-and-the-sport-community/

Not sure how much we will be able to extend our bubbles by late June, this likely isn’t going to be a typical Father’s Day.

There won’t be any neighborhood gatherings or big family parties June 21, but there’s no reason that we all can’t make the special men in our lives feel loved and appreciated.

The first thing to do is make a list of Dad’s interests, figure out what is open and safe, and take advantage of the resources available. For example, if your dad is a golfer and the courses are open in your area, a little time on the greens would likely bring a smile to his face. Alternatively, your special guy might enjoy a day of hiking, biking, paddling or fishing.

If you are sticking close to home, you may need to use a little imagination. A dad who can’t go camping because the parks are closed might really enjoy a backyard campout. Pitch a tent, stock up on barbecue supplies and s’mores, and get the fire pit ready. If the weather isn’t good, you can always put some sleeping bags in the living room and string up some twinkle lights.

Dads that are movie buffs might be disappointed with the theaters closed, but that shouldn’t stop him from enjoying a good film on his special day. Gather around the TV or hang a sheet in the living room (or in the backyard if the weather is good) and project his favorite movie onto the big screen.

You’ll also need a Dad-inspired concession stand for your movie night. You can serve popcorn labelled “You are the best POP in the world”, doughnuts labelled “We DOUGHNUT know what we’d do without you”, nuts labelled “We are NUTS about you”, and Reeses Pieces labelled “We love you to PIECES”. Dads will enjoy the treats… and the fun puns/dad jokes.

Foodie dads will also appreciate having food prepared for them. Breakfast in bed is always a safe bet, and you can show your affection by spelling out “LOVE” with the food. An “L” can be made from bacon, a donut makes a perfect “O”, a heart-shaped pancake can be a “V”, and you can make an “E” out of berries.

You could also set up a “Dad Café” for lunch or dinner. The kids can decorate the house to look like a restaurant and then they can craft some menus and take Dad’s order. Set the table with fancy dishes and get cooking!

If cooking isn’t your thing, many restaurants are offering take out. Grabbing Dad’s favorites and taking them to the park for a picnic would be fun.

Entertaining Dad at home is another way to show him how special you think he is. The kids could perform a talent show, the whole family could take turns singing karaoke, or the kids could set up a family games night.

Keep in mind, dads aren’t overly hard to please. In the end, they really just want to feel appreciated and to spend time with the people they love. Happy Father’s Day, and enjoy this special time together!

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents all over the country somehow managed to homeschool their children these last few months, and many were hoping for some relief over the summer. Unfortunately, many summer camps have already cancelled their programs, and families now face a new challenge—figuring out what to do with their kids over the summer.

Erika Coles, clinical director at the FIU Center for Children & Families, shares some tips on how parents can survive the summer with their kids while staying home. And two infectious disease experts also disclose how to have coronavirus-free fun at your favorite waterfronts. Here’s their advice for a sunny, safer summer.

Maintain a routine. When kids don’t have a routine they can follow, they tend to misbehave more and have more anxiety. For the summer, involve your kids in the process of creating their schedule for the day. It will make them feel empowered, and they will more likely follow the schedule, since they helped to create it. Find some fun activities they can do throughout the day and have them choose which ones they want to do. While the schedule for the day doesn’t have to be jam-packed with activities, make sure that bedtimes and mealtimes are as consistent as possible.

Reward positive behavior. Kids need and crave attention. Reward your child with positive praise when you catch them being good by saying things like, “I am so proud of you for cleaning up your room all by yourself.” You should also leverage everyday things like screen time as a reward or give them a small prize for their positive behavior to continue to motivate them. 

Limit screen time. All kids have been exposed to significantly more screen time since being in quarantine. Make sure you plan some fun outdoor activities they can do such as bike riding and soccer, and include some creative activities like family game nights, painting, or working on a complex puzzle or Lego set. 

Stay connected. Take the time to continue to stay connected with others (both your children with their friends and you with other parents, family and friends). You can schedule virtual play dates or do a drive-by visit to friends and family. 

Incorporate academic time. Help prevent summer learning loss by infusing some fun academic activities like reading and online activities from local museums.

Get help. The last few months have been a whirlwind for most families, and everyone has been doing their best to stay afloat. Most families haven’t processed how the coronavirus has impacted their mental health and will continue to do so. Take some time over the summer to check in on your mental health and seek support for you and your child if you need it. It could be anything from helping you to manage your child’s behavior at home to helping manage your child’s worries and fears.

If you are planning to venture out this summer, the risk of infection is thought to be lower outside. But like anything in the age of coronavirus, there’s risk in recreation, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and longtime adviser to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “You can do all these things, you just have to keep yourself distant.”

Find out the pool or beach’s safety protocol. Is the pool or beach restricting the number of people who have access at one time? Some facilities may ask patrons to leave after their allotted time is up to limit capacity.

Come prepared. Shared lawn chairs or pool toys may not be disinfected between visitor rotations. You can bring your own disinfectant wipes to clean your seat when you arrive. You should also pack a cloth face mask (or two, in case one gets wet) to wear out of the water.

In the water

Coronavirus is not likely to spread in water, the CDC says. Disinfecting chemicals such as chlorine and bromine can “inactivate” the virus in the water. The CDC doesn’t specify how long it takes the virus to inactivate, though.

The same guidance doesn’t exist for saltwater or freshwater. There’s still a lot we don’t know about Covid-19, so the safest thing to do is maintain ample distance from others.

Don’t wear a mask in the water. It’s just not practical! A wet mask can be dangerous if it obstructs your breathing. Save the mask for when you’re back on land.

Keep your distance. Remember, people spread coronavirus, not water. Don’t swim close enough to other people that you’ll come in contact with their spit or breath.

Practice good hygiene. Please, don’t blow your nose or spit in the pool or near another person. If you can, exit the water and use a tissue to cough or sneeze, then wash your hands. Frequent hand washing is a must, too, even if you’re swimming. Odds are you’ll come near other people, anyway.

On dry land

Infectious disease experts are “guardedly optimistic” that people can enjoy the outdoors this summer without infection if they do it right, said Dr. Thomas Feteke, chair of the Department of Medicine at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and infectious disease specialist.

Keep your distance. Keep at least six feet of distance from other people out of the water, too. In its guidelines for recreational water facilities, the CDC recommends facilities space out deck chairs at least six feet apart on decks so patrons don’t breathe on each other.

Know when it’s too crowded to stay. Everyone’s got the same idea to beat the heat — go where the water is. If you arrive when it’s too crowded to get some space, it may be best to turn around, Feteke said.

Wear a mask. Whether you’re in a public restroom, the parking lot or a food stand, it’s smart to wear a mask whenever you’re out of the water since you may come in contact with others, Schaffner said.

With other people

You’re safe to explore public waterfronts with people you’ve been isolating with for over a week, Feteke said. But if you’ll be around strangers or friends you haven’t seen in some time, know that your risk is upped.

And remember, Schaffner said — the larger the group, the greater your risk.

Stay home if you’re vulnerable. The people most at risk — older adults and people with chronic illnesses — should be wary that if they become infected, they’re more likely to become severely ill from coronavirus. Whether that’s enough to stay home is up to them.

Wear a mask. If you’re hungry for companionship again, Fekete suggested you wear a mask if you can (so, not while swimming). Schaffner said that goes for people on boats and other aquatic vehicles, too.

Impose a time limit. The length of your exposure to another person heightens your risk of infection. It’s best not to linger too long, so set an end time to the fun and stick to it.

Keep your circle small. If you’ve stuck to the CDC’s “no more than 10 people” rule for your isolation crew, great. Otherwise, politely decline an invitation to mid-pandemic parties or any gatherings that will put you in the middle of a crowd, even if they are at a beach.

In the heat

Scientists are eager to see whether the virus weakens in the summer, and one experiment showed UV light and bleach may kill coronavirus on a park bench. Still, hedging your bets on summer weather to protect you is unwise, Schaffner said. “There may be something to that, but it doesn’t make you bulletproof,” he said.

Keep up the hygiene. Sunlight won’t clean your hands. Wash them frequently when you’re around other people in public.

Don’t forget sunscreen. A mask only protects the bottom half of your face, after all! Remember to apply regularly when you’re out in the sun, but have a member of your isolation squad apply it if you’re having trouble — minimizing contact with strangers is still key.

We get it — you’ve been cooped up for so long that you’re itching to swim in the sun again. Your risk of infection won’t be zero if you go, but you can whittle it down if you’re careful. Oh, and don’t forget to try to relax and enjoy!

One of the best excuses to drink green beer in the middle of the day is quickly approaching and we’ve got some fun green recipes to help you celebrate!  St. Patrick’s Day is basically the first big holiday before all the beautiful spring weather comes, and for a lot of people it’s an excuse to eat a whole bunch of finger food and pig out on pub grub.

That said, not all St Patrick’s Day recipes are desserts or alcoholic beverages – some can be healthier like the Salsa Verde Chicken and Healthy Shamrock Shake you’ll see below. If you just want an excuse to eat or drink something green this St Paddy’s Day, you don’t have to settle for salad or green food coloring in your beer. There are so many ways to get creative and whip up something delicious to celebrate!

Traditionally, when you think of Irish food you may think of cabbage rolls, anything with potatoes and corned beef. If you’re looking for that traditional Irish dinner, this Slow Cooker Corned Beef dinner will be right up your alley.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, this collection of green dinners, desserts, drinks and snacks are perfect for the occasion – let me know what you’re going to make!

This Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert Dip via The Busy Baker is such a fun idea!

Healthy Matcha Green Tea Pancakes via Killing Thyme for a healthy breakfast win!

Kiwi and Mint Mojitos with or without rum!

This Avocado Pesto by Salt & Lavender looks seriously delicious and like the most perfect healthy appetizer!

This Thai Green Curry Vermicelli Bowls will surely rock your world for a healthy St. Paddy’s Day dinner!

Green Bloody Marys via Platings and Pairings should be your signature cocktail!

Salsa Verde Chicken one pot meal for your instant pot!

This Healthy Shamrock Shake is SO festive!

Green Goddess Grilled Cheeses to the rescue!

Spinach Pesto Penne with Shrimp is the new ultimate Pesto – move over basil!