Our Favorite Resolutions
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2021

Our Favorite Resolutions

Still searching for your New Year’s resolution? Our medical staff contributed their ideas for the most useful resolutions and offered their ideas about how to make them a part of your life. 

Moving more. We all know exercise is good for us. Taking the first step can be difficult. Lisa Downing-Forget, MD, of SVMC Internal Medicine, reminds her patients, “exercise, which releases stress, is not the same as work, which creates stress, so remember to move just for you—not just because you have to!” Begin by carving out a specific time for exercise and just put on your sneakers at that time. That’s step one. “Once you’ve gotten into that habit,” she explains, “choose your movement.”  It could be dancing to your favorite music or flipping on an easy beginner workout video. (There are many free options available. Try fitnessblender.com, if you don’t know where to begin.) If you have hesitation or questions about activities that you should or should not be doing, ask your health care provider. “As you gain confidence, change up your movement and explore all of the really good feelings that come with moving regularly.”

More fruits and veggies. Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great resolution. “Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, water, and valuable nutrients. They are also really satisfying and can help you feel fuller longer,” said Registered Dietitian Kristin Irace. “Once you get used to eating more healthy foods, you might also find it easier to give up processed foods, which can be harmful when consumed in large quantities,” she continued. “If you don’t eat any fruit or vegetables now, aim for one serving a day. If you eat some, focus on finding new vegetable-oriented recipes to try.”

Preparing meals at home. Cooking more of your own meals, rather than eating out, comes with impressive health, quality of life, and financial benefits. “Most restaurant meals are not designed with health in mind,” Irace explains. Cooking your meals at home allows you to control exactly what is going into your dish. “The most delicious and flavorful home-cooked meals are bound to have more healthy ingredients and fewer of those that require caution, like saturated fat and salt, than those cooked out.” Plus, cooking is fun and provides great quality time with those you love. “Plus,” Irace says, “you will save money too.”

Avoiding sweet beverages. A lot of people drink tons of unnecessary calories in the form of sugary coffee, energy drinks, or soda. “If you drink more than one sweetened beverage each day, begin by cutting back,” Irace recommends. “If you drink one per day or less, what about making your sugary drink a Friday treat?” She continues, “aim for 30ml of water per kilogram of your body weight per day.”  This healthy step can help you maintain a healthy weight and cut your risk of obesity, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.

A better sleep routine. “Sound sleep is so important to good health,” says Dr. Downing-Forget. In fact, it’s fundamental. “Developing a really good sleep routine could be the important first step to improve your health and your satisfaction with life, because a good night’s sleep has the power to drive other positive changes.” Many people turn to medications for better sleep, but medications often work for just a short time or don’t get to the root of the problem. “Medications are not the only answer. Ask your provider about ways to get better sleep without medications.” Getting better sleep is one of the more complex resolutions, because it could require a lot of other changes to your lifestyle, but with great challenges come the possibility of great rewards!

Enjoying the outdoors. Kim Fodor, MD, of SVMC Internal Medicine, recommends making a weekly date with nature. Just 2 hours a week in the outdoors has the potential to increase your health and wellbeing. “You are likely to feel more calm and notice an increased ability to concentrate,” Fodor says. “Nature time can also reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, irritability, blood pressure, and feelings of isolation.”

Be sure to ask for help when you need it. Regardless of which resolution you are approaching this year, your primary care provider is ready to help you obtain the information you need to meet your goal and attain greater wellness and life satisfaction.

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COVID-19 Scams

Scams are almost as old as time. They always take advantage of our vulnerabilities and fears. So in times of mass panic, like has been caused by COVID-19, opportunities for scammers increase, said Southwestern Vermont Health Care's Information Technology Security Engineer Geoffrey Mazanec.

IT experts noted a 667 percent increase in malicious phishing e-mails as of the end of last month. Security firm Barracuda Networks identified 137 coronavirus-related phishing emails in January, 1,188 in February, and more than 9,000 in March. 

There are most likely several reasons for the increase.

  • First, many scams exploit our fears. As fear increases, so to opportunities for scammers. Many scams have been tweaked to include a reference to COVID-19, which may cause people to react more quickly and without thinking.
  • Scammers also exploit our desires to be good people—to pay our bills on time and follow directions—which could also be heightened during a crisis.
  • During COVID-19, everyone is conducting more business remotely. In the effort to keep all of our online activities straight, we may lose track of who is on the other end of the phone line or e-mail.
  • Mazanec notes that, with so many people out of work, scammers may have taken what had been a part-time swindling gig full time.

These startling statistics and our increased vulnerability make it a great time for a refresher about how scammers attack and how to avoid getting caught in a scheme.

Phishing. The most common way scammers operate is by phishing. They call or e-mail, usually posing to be a company or organization that you trust: the IRS, Medicare or Medicaid, or a company that you have done business with before. And they are crafty. They can even make it look as if they are calling from a business you recognize. They are counting on your thinking that they are the real thing.

"Lots of people, looking for protective equipment, for instance, are purchasing from companies that they have not dealt with in the past," Mazanec said. "Scammers want you to believe that you have purchased from them, when you have not."

They might send you an "invoice due" message with a .pdf attachment, or they might provide a link for you to click and log in. They want you to do one of two things: (1) Give up your personal information, either over the phone or by logging in to a fake sign-in page or (2) click on a .pdf or website that will infect your system.

So what can you do? Mazanec recommends not clicking. "If you don’t recognize it, don't open it. Instead, always question whether it is legitimate. And, no matter who it is, don't give anyone usernames or passwords."

Disconnect the call or delete the e-mail and call the company directly. If you don't have their number on hand, you can find it using a Google search. If you ask them whether they just called or e-mailed you, you will likely find that they have not. Congratulations. You’ve just avoided a scam.

Too good to be true. Some scammers are also selling fake products. For instance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued warnings to seven companies selling fraudulent products that claim to test for, prevent, or treat COVID-19. Some even claimed to be approved by the FDA! Other companies are taking personal information in exchange for being added to a fake list for early access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

There is no valid at-home test for COVID-19 and no viable at-home treatments, unless you count rest and plenty of fluids for mild cases. Consult with your local healthcare provider before taking any testing or treatment action, as some can be harmful or even deadly.

To avoid scams like this one, read, watch, and listen to reputable news sources. If there is a legitimate at-home test, treatment, or vaccine, you will hear reports about it from your state's department of health and other official organizations.

More information about scams related to COVID-19 can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/media/phishing.html and https://www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams-consumer-advice.

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