Hepatitis A Information

I live in Louisville, Kentucky. We are currently experiencing an outbreak of Hepatitis A and we are about to have quite large numbers of people visiting (click for Official Kentucky Derby Festival Page for all the fun and excitement). I have looked on the CDC, NIH and NCBI websites to read quite a bit of information on Hep A, its prevention, transmission routes, symptoms and treatments (link posted at end of blog) and what I can surmise is this: Hepatitis A is, generally speaking, preventable, it can take almost a month to show up (incubation period), symptoms are fairly common, it can severely impact the liver and we should all use common sense to contain this outbreak.

I am NOT going to get into the pro vaccination vs. anti vaccination conversation, though according to the CDC Hep A diagnosis decreased by 95% since the vaccination was first introduced and only in the last five years (give or take) have we seen an uptick. Hmmm

But I want to share some links to help keep you and your loved ones safe, in keeping your family safe you're also keeping other families safe. So please consider the following simple steps to help contain, minimize and eradicate this Hep A outbreak:

• Wash your hands: Vigorously, soap and warm/hot water, 30 seconds. Before eating. After eating. ALWAYS before using or touching ANYTHING in the restroom. Close the toilet lid before flushing to prevent minute fecal matter particles from exploding everywhere (y'all know that's a thing, right). 
• If you're sick--STAY HOME. Some of the symptoms are simple cold and flu like symptoms, still nobody wants that either. Stay. Home. 
• Get vaccinated: It's a two-parter and your full vaccination is not complete until parts 1 and 2 are administered and they must be at least six months apart. Getting your shot once today may only slightly decrease your chances, but the full double dose increases likelihood of being safeguarded against the disease. 

For visual folks, I lifted this from the Louisville Department of Public Health & Wellness

Some links for more info: 

Louisville Department of Public Health & Wellness

Informacion in Espanol

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Hep A FAQ

So go out, enjoy the festivities and be safe. Find bathrooms to wash your hands frequently (hand sanitizer does not wash the fecal matter off your hands (gross to think about, but it is the #1 way Hep A is spread!) so WASH VIGOROUSLY and OFTEN. 

That's all for today. 

Cave into the Crave, With Moderation

Ok, I went to the gym today to get a 30 minute walk in and decided to go ahead and weigh myself. I can *feel* that I have gained some fat back in the way my stomach feels, my sleep patterns, and how my clothes feel. And I was right. I've gained a couple pounds back. Sigh.

I kicked off 2018 with getting my coffee shop stops under control in January. I am focusing February on getting my bill-paying organization...well....organized and I am also devoting mental energy to curbing the cravings I have for all things sweet, be it candy, cookies, cake, I crave it all ! And I crave it all the time. Like right now, for instance, as I type this blog post. I really want a ding dong (man those are so delish!) But today, I am balancing my craving and my resistance in the following way:

Fruit smoothie with half tablespoon of chocolate chips!

Yes, that's right. I am actually caving to my craving by adding a smidge of chocolate chips to my smoothie but also curbing the craving by not getting that ding dong cupcake. I also use dark chocolate chips which are slightly healthier (although...).

I topped this with whipped cream and
a frozen peach slice.

So here is my recipe to help when I have a sweet tooth I just can't seem to quiet:
Liquid of choice (apple juice, orange juice, etc. + milk to make it creamy)
Greek yogurt (I actually omitted this today) which gives it an ice cream texture
Fresh fruit of choice (today: Half banana, Handful blueberries)
Frozen fruit to desired texture/thickness
1 teaspoon--1 Tablespoon chocolate chips
1/2 " -- 1" finger of ginger (trust me)

I use a Ninja Blender and I do not, for a second, regret spending the extra money to get a nice one.

Blend liquids and fresh fruit (note: if you use OJ or another acidic juice you'l want to blend that and the fruit first, then add the frozen fruit THEN the milk or else it'll curdle. I usually use apple to avoid).

Then add the ginger, chocolate chips and frozen fruit a little at a time to get desired thickness. you will want to blend it longer than you think necessary to ensure all frozen chunks are blended and blending a little extra just gives it that extra creamy texture like a milkshake!

That's it. A fresh (frozen) fruit smoothie, less than $2 and I get my chocolate fix while also getting in a large portion of my RDA of fruit and tons of vitamins! If you want to take the health consideration up a notch, try adding a small amount of spinach or kale. Start with just a little until your taste buds adjust. Trust me, you won't even notice it after a few and your body will really thank you!

Next time I make mine, I will try to measure more accurately.

So begins February and a recommitment to myself and my well being. Or, rather, an on going and evolutionary commitment to myself and my well being.

Weekly Savings Challenge, Remix!

Weekly Savings Challenge

Many of us have seen that weekly savings challenge. On week 1, you save $1, week 2 you save $2, and so on. And several of my friends have tried it. I have started it three times and successfully completed it once. One. Single. Time.

That was the last time I attempted it and I want to share what worked for me. I didn’t stick with “the plan” as outlined! I admit, I am not the most organized, stringent, to-do list oriented person. I probably wouldn’t even remember to put into my retirement account if it weren’t for auto-transfer! And yet I also realize the importance of saving on a routine basis (again, thank you auto transfer !!). This envelope system, though, is a great way to become more disciplined in saving and can help with holiday spending, too! So here is what I did:

I gave myself permission to skip around. Face it, come November, few people have an extra $48 to save but maybe you do the week you get your tax refund? So put your $48 in the week you have an extra $48. And color the box in! What box? You may be asking…simple, I created the grid below, cut it out and taped it to a brown envelope. As I put the weekly savings of my choice in, I colored the box in. This way, when you need a smaller dollar amount to save—you can STILL stay on track to intentionally save. More important than that, to me, was getting in the habit of saving SOMETHING each week, the discipline of saying, “ I am going to look at my budget and put something into savings.” Then the behavior side of savings comes into play. I mean, I am pretty sure most of us are aware that saving money is probably a good thing to do. So why don’t we? In the two failed attempts, when I had to skip a week, I felt like I had fallen off the plan and failed. So it was less likely for me to put in the next week. Which created this downward spiral. By giving yourself permission to save the amount you can, you allow yourself to continue to be rewarded and keep at it the following week. Plus, I will admit, it was pretty gratifying to see my grid get colored in solid!

This year, I created a few extra squares—a bonus square and some partial squares. I have a son now and I have NO clue what extra expenses may come up throughout the year. There may come a week when I’ve already put my $1 in and I don’t have enough to put a full amount. So I will put in a partial amount, color that square in and keep at it! The point is to get into the habit of saving weekly.

I hope this helps you save for whatever financial goal(s) you may wish to achieve. I plan to stop the savings in December this year and apply it towards my Christmas spending. Because that is my plan, I give myself permission to deviate from this system. What will you do with the extra money you save?

Weekly Savings Challenge

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50
51	52	Partial:	Partial:	Partial:	Bonus:	Bonus:	Bonus:	Bonus:	Total: