The winter and holiday seasons can be stressful and wear us down, especially during the pandemic. We tend to spend more time indoors. To help out, we have some suggestions that will not only help with stress management but can also boost your immunity.

Walking outside in nature and drinking in an “oxygen cocktail” feels good, but does it benefit our immunity?

You might be familiar with the term “Forest bathing” or shinrin-yoku. In Japanese, Shinrin means “forest,” and yoku means “bath.”  Shinrin-yoku means bathing in a forest atmosphere or taking in the forest through our senses.

Research has demonstrated that trips to the forest can not only make us feel better by lowering muscle tension, boosting sleep, and reducing blood pressure. It turns out being in nature also enhances our immune systems by increasing the number and activity of our lympocytes and killer T cells.

Phytoncides are Natures Immune Boosters

When we walk among trees and plants, we breathe in airborne chemicals from plants called phytoncides.

Plants produce these chemicals to protect themselves from insects, bacterial and fungal infections. Phytoncides help plants fight disease.

When people breathe in these phytoncides, our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK.

These cells kill tumor and virus-infected cells in our bodies. In one study, increased NK activity from a 3-day, 2-night forest bathing trip lasted for more than 30 days.

Boost your immune system and state of mind.

According to Dr. Qing Li, author of the book, Forest Bathing, the key to unlocking the power of the forest is in the five senses:

• Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and feet.
• Listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees.
• Look at the different greens of the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches.
• Smell the fragrance of the forest and breathe in the natural aromatherapy of phytoncides.
• Taste the freshness of the air as you take deep breaths. Place your hands on the trunk of a tree.
• Dip your fingers or toes in a stream. Lie on the ground. Drink in the flavor of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm.
• This is your sixth sense, a state of mind. Now you have connected with nature. You have crossed the bridge to happiness.

To read more, click here.

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Surviving the Holidays – 10 Steps to Success

The holiday season can also be stressful and throw us off our normal routine. This can compromise our sleep and our overall eating habits.

To help everyone feel their best during this holiday season, we have ten strategies for you and your patients. And even if you can’t do all ten, just pick one or a few that you feel you can commit to and succeed with most of the time.

We have created a 10 Steps to Survive the Holidays PDF – a handout that includes the info below to print and share with your friends, patients, and colleagues!

COVID & Diabetes Update – Navigating a Crisis

COVID & Diabetes Update
Navigating a Crisis

Recorded & Ready for Viewing

Coach Beverly Thomassian, RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM, has completely updated this critical presentation, to bring health care professionals up-to-date on the current state of COVID and its impact on diabetes care. She summarizes key information including critical teaching points and management strategies for people with diabetes who develop a COVID-19 infection.

Topics Include:

1. Discuss the current state of diabetes in the United States.
2. Describe the relationship between COVID and health care disparities 
3. Explore the impact of COVID infection on those with pre-existing diabetes.
4. Discuss treatment strategies for COVID and diabetes, including new vaccines.
5. List critical teaching points for people with diabetes and COVID.

Join us to learn critical information about Diabetes and COVID Management

Instructor: Beverly Thomassian RN, MPH, CDCES, has been Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management for over 20 years. She is an Associate Clinical Professor at UCSF and Touro University and a nationally recognized diabetes expert.

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See Full Free Resource Catalog

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Accreditation: Diabetes Education Services is an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider 12640, and Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), Provider DI002. Since these programs are approved by the CDR it satisfies the CE requirements for the CDCES regardless of your profession.*  

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