1 in 3 Young Adults Suffers From Loneliness in the U.S.
A new study suggests that suffering from loneliness is common for young adults between the ages of 18-24. Even young and active adults can feel isolated.
Data from 1200 participants revealed that at least 20% felt “left out,” lonely or isolated at times and provided low ratings for mental and physical health.
Loneliness was more commonly reported in adults younger than 25 with 30%, where only 11% of adults 65 and older reported similar feelings.
The “Loneliness Epidemic” has been highlighted by many studies and supported by numerous researchers. “Last year, a study of more than 20,000 U.S. adults found that nearly half felt lonely at least sometimes. And only 53 percent said they had meaningful face-to-face interactions everyday.”
Researchers believe this is no longer just a social issue and should be considered a public health issue. Chronic loneliness is linked to an increased risk of hyptertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and other mental health issues.
“It’s possible the relationship goes in “both directions” — with loneliness and health issues feeding each other.”
The lead researcher on the study, Dr. Rebecca Mullen, talks about the difference between being lonely and having “alone time.” Alone time in many cases can be healthy and many people are happy to be alone.
“Subjective loneliness is different. It makes people feel bad. And, Maddux said, that can come with a “whole package” of issues, like poor diet, poor sleep and time spent on the couch instead of being physically active.”
Maddux dives into theories as to why a typically socially active group, ages 18 – 24, would be suffering from loneliness. In the age of smartphones, Maddux believes this may be robbing young people of face to face interactions. A number of studies support this theory stating that screen time is directly correlated with depression and loneliness.
“Young people, she added, may have a harder time keeping those social media experiences in perspective — and understanding that when other people post, they are probably trying to present their lives in the shiniest terms possible.”
It is important to address your own feelings of loneliness, but also recognize the signs in others. It is easy for someone to isolate themselves. Maddux hopes to destigmatize the issue in order to shed some light on the importance of mental health and community.
To learn more: 1 in 3 Young Adults Suffers From Loneliness in the U.S. – HealthyDay
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]Women Leaders Conference Keynote Explains Ancient Memory Strategy
Tracey Brown Makes a Lasting Impression at Women Leaders in Diabetes Conference – Join us in Florida on Dec 6th to get inspired by Ms. Brown in person.
Tracey Brown, keynote speaker and CEO of the American Diabetes Association, inspired, informed and wowed us with her presentation. She coached attendees to use storytelling infused with authenticity to help create and build memorable connections. These connections can be the spark for creating meaningful relationships and moving change forward. When we use storytelling that is authentic, even when our message is persuasive, our chance of success increases.
“People will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
As diabetes educators, a central tenant of our profession is teaching colleagues and people living with diabetes about self-management strategies and health improvement. We meet with providers and community leaders to encourage them to refer participants to our education programs. We share healthy lifestyle strategies with family and friends.
During these various teaching opportunities, do we try to get our message across by reciting a myriad of facts and figures to try and convince others to change, refer to our program, or get active? I know that I have used this strategy, with limited success. Might we have better outcomes by using an ancient strategy, that not only appeals to the brain but also the emotions?
“Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts and figures alone.” – Tracey Brown, ADA
The first step is learning how to tell a good story. A story that resonates with the listener.
Strategies to tell a good story:
- Have a goal. Be clear on why you want/need to tell this story.
- Grab attention. Why would the audience listen? Stand up for your viewpoint to stand out.
- Keep engaging. Ask yourself, why will the audience care?
- Enable action. Why would they share your story?
During your storytelling, keep your “why” authentic and frame your “ask” as something bigger than what you can offer. Make sure to tune into and acknowledge your audiences’ beliefs and disbelief.
Focus on meeting people where they are. We don’t have to use fancy language and tons of facts and figures to make an impression. We need to keep it real while engaging the listener.
Thank you Ms. Brown for sharing your story and inspiring us to use storytelling to help inspire providers, colleagues, people living with diabetes and leaders that influence access and funding for diabetes care.
Women Leaders Coming to Florida
If you couldn’t make the Women Leaders in Diabetes Conference this May (which was completely magical), we have great news. We will be holding a Women Leaders in Diabetes Conference on December 6, 2019 in Tampa, Florida.
Join us at the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa!
Enjoy a day of networking with other amazing women and end your weekend in Safety Harbor’s spa. Enjoy complimentary steam rooms, sauna, whirlpools, and tennis courts. Fun for the whole family!
Our Diabetes Detective Team scans the diabetes news to discover the most relevant info that Diabetes Educators need in their daily practice. We post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
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Eating more fiber-rich foods decreases depression| Happy Mindful Monday
A new meta-analysis of clinical trials has concluded that healthy eating can “significantly” reduce symptoms of depression. Many scientists have noted a strong correlation between poor diet and mental health. The origins of mental health issues are quite complex, however some scientists have suggested that “diet is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.”
In order to study the link between improving health and easing mental health symptoms, scientists examined data from over 46,000 people. The conclusions were substantial, “the analysis revealed that every kind of dietary improvement “significantly reduced depressive symptoms.” However, the dietary changes did not affect anxiety.”
Another interesting take-away was that highly-specific or specialized diets may be unnecessary for the average individual, that just making simple changes can have a big impact. “In particular, eating more nutrient-dense meals which are high in fiber and vegetables, while cutting back on fast foods and refined sugars appears to be sufficient for avoiding the potentially negative psychological effects of a ‘junk food’ diet,” said Dr. Joseph Firth.
Another study found another strong factor to reducing symptoms of depression is to incorporate exercise. Research revealed that this impacted women more than men.
Eating healthy can help reduce the risk of obesity, inflammation and fatigue all of which are closely linked to poor mental health.
To learn more: A diet rich in fiber and vegetables can relieve depression – Medical News Today
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Mindful Monday | Can an afternoon nap lower blood pressure?
A study from Greece suggests that a midday nap may help not only increase energy levels but can lower blood pressure as well.
Napping can help boost energy levels during a slump but may have other positive health outcomes. A study conducted at the Asklepieion General Hospital in Voula, Greece, reported that midday naps help lower blood pressure.
“Midday sleep appears to lower blood pressure levels at the same magnitude as other lifestyle changes. For example, salt and alcohol reduction can bring blood pressure levels down by 3 to 5 [millimeters of mercury (mmHg)],” reports Dr. Kallistratos.
The study analyzed data from 212 participants with an average blood pressure 129.9 mm Hg. The group was split into half, one group who took mid-day naps and the other who did not. The researchers measured their blood pressure with monitoring devices.
The researchers also took into account other factors that may affect blood pressure such as stress, alcohol consumption, and other lifestyle choices.
“The researchers found that people who took a daytime nap saw a 5.3 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure, which, the researchers explain, is about as much as someone could expect when taking blood pressure medication or making certain lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure.”
This study is particularly important in helping reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event. If those with high blood pressure have the luxury of taking a nap, this can help with maintaining lower blood pressure and has no cost.
This is the first time the benefits of midday napping has been researched. The scientists believe this information can be valuable and worth continued study.
“Even though both groups [of participants] were receiving the same number of medications and blood pressure was well controlled, there was still a significant decrease in blood pressure among those who slept during midday.”
To learn more: Napping may be as good as drugs on lowering blood pressure – Medical News Today
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]Women Leaders in Diabetes Conference Big Success
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
The energy and synergy were palpable. Over 160 attendees sharing a moment and a growing movement.
We learned, we shared and we re-fueled. The women leaders pushed us to create, to believe, to plan, to do and to work it.
Thank you to everyone who made this possible, including our attendees, our speakers, our volunteers and our amazing staff!
Each day this week we will post a summary of the keynote speakers presentation. You are in for a real treat!
Mindful Monday | National Nurses Week – May 6th – 12th!
We want to celebrate, recognize and appreciate the incredible nurses who do so much for our community.
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually, starting with National Nurses Day on May 6th, through Florence Nightingale’s birthday, on May 12th!
Florence Nightingale is the founder of modern nursing and a champion of left a revolutionary mark on sanitation, healthcare, and even statistics.
“It would not be possible to praises nurses too highly.”
– Stephen Ambrose
“Nurses dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even a prescription.”
– Val Saintsbury
“Nurses—one of the few blessings of being ill.”
– Sara Moss-Wolfe
The American Nurses Association has put together materials to help you promote and celebrate National Nurses Week 2019!
“From large banners that let you scream your nurse pride to individual resources like thank-you cards and certificates, use this free toolkit to celebrate National Nurses Week in your hospital, practice, or organization. Give your nurses the recognition they deserve.”
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]Mindful Monday | Lift the Sheets and Look at the Feets
April is National Foot Awareness Month, and we want to spread the word about the importance of daily foot care for people living with diabetes. Simple foot assessment, care, and education saves limbs and improves quality of life.
Foot care education is essential when providing care to people with Diabetes. By encouraging individual to engage in a daily foot care routine, we can help prevent foot complications and improve quality of life.
5 Critical Education Points for Lower Extremities
- Inspect feet everyday for blisters, cuts, redness, sore or anything that doesn’t look right. Contact provider right away.
- If there are red marks on the foot after a person takes off their shoes, chances are, the shoes are too tight. Too tight of shoes are the leading cause of new ulcerations. There should be room in the toe box for the toes to wiggle.
- Dry feet can lead to skin cracks and infection. Apply non-perfumed lotion daily to top and bottom of feet.
- Evaluate the person’s ability to safely cut nails, especially if there is toenail fungus. Remind them to cut straight across and not to close to the quick. To soften nails, apply petroleum jelly 5 minutes before clipping or clip after a shower.
- Evaluate foot sensitivity and nerve health with a monofilament. You can request your monofilaments here.
- There are so many more tips that can save limbs. Please see the resource below for more detailed info and strategies.
Foot Care for a Lifetime – Educational brochure
Foot Assessment Form – from Lower Extremity Amputation Prevention Program (LEAP)
To learn more, you can purchase and view our Lower Extremity Webinar which details lower extremity assessment and teaching strategies.
We also offer the ADA Diabetes Foot Examination PocketChart!
This laminated six fold brochure is a compact, but complete pocketchart that lists the major steps in diabetic foot examination.
Includes risk classification plus strategies for treating infections in the diabetic foot, foot ulcer classification, indications for different dressings, and a guide for footwear prescription.
Also contains foot deformity diagrams and visual instructions for the monofilament test and ABI calculation.
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]Mindful Monday | Happy Earth Day
Happy Earth Day from Diabetes Education Services. To celebrate, we are addressing the issue of food packaging and it’s impact on the environment. We plan to address this urgent issue more over the coming year.
“Meal Kits Have Smaller Carbon Footprint Than Grocery Shopping, Study Says”
Meal kits like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh provide the convenience of fresh, delivered ingredients straight to your doorstep! However, many are concerned with the environmental impact they may have since the contents of the box are often wrapped in plastic.
A study was released that says despite the packaging, the meal kits have a lower carbon footprint than buying the items at a grocery store and preparing them at home.
“The study, published Monday in the scientific journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling, examines the whole life-cycle — from farm to garbage can — of meal kits and their grocery store equivalents, and finds that, on average, grocery store meals produce 33% more greenhouse gas emissions than their equivalents from Blue Apron.”
The decrease in emissions comes from less food waste and a streamlined supply chain. Although there may be unnecessary packaging, the overall footprint is affected by the amount of food waste at the end of the meal.
Since the food kits offer a recipe and all the necessary ingredients, people tend to utilize everything in the box, rather than throwing away old produce.
“According to a U.N. report, if food waste were a country, its production, processing and distribution would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, just behind the U.S. and China.”
A study performed by the USDA In 2010, found that 31% of food produced in the United States is wasted.
Despite the plastic packaging of the meal kits, they may be an excellent option to help aid in portion control and environmental impact.
Happy Earth Day!
To learn more: Meal Kits Have Smaller Carbon Footprint Than Grocery Shopping, Study Says – NPR
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