Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a lot of talk about “the quarantine 15” – that unwanted weight so many people put on due to lack of activity, stress eating and other hazards of life in lockdown.
As it turns out, though, the average weight gain for many people was considerably more than 15 pounds. In fact, two in five people surveyed by the American Psychological Association said they gained more weight than they intended in the past year, with the average increase being 29 pounds. One in 10 said they gained 50 pounds.
Given that April is National Public Health Month, St. Tammany Health System’s Dr. Christopher Foret of the St. Tammany Physicians Network clinic in Folsom, recently went on The Lake 94.7-FM to offer tips on getting back into healthy habits now that people are getting vaccinated and things are starting to open up.
“Public health really does begin with the individual,” Dr. Foret said. “It is what we do every day as individuals, as healthier individuals (that will make) the public and our community be healthier. There are a multitude of things that we can do that don’t entail physician intervention.”
Below are six tips offered by Dr. Foret for those looking to rediscover their pre-quarantine shape:
Walk this way. Well, you knew exercise would be high up on the list, didn’t you? Like it or not, it’s the best way to stay in shape or lose weight. The good news is that you don’t have to run a marathon or swim Lake Pontchartrain to enjoy the benefits of exercise.
According to Dr. Foret, recent studies of death rates showed that the mortality reduction from walking was the same as running. So, just get out there and put your muscles to work regularly.
As a bonus, it’s worth noting that the benefits are not limited to your physical health.
“Mental health professionals recommend 20 minutes of exercise every day for people who suffer from anxiety or depression,” Dr. Foret said. “What I compare exercise to for my patients is, it is like turning a valve and releasing pressure.”
Reach for the sky. Walking isn’t the only thing you can do for your physical health. Dr. Foret said the simple act of stretching, while often overlooked, can pay major dividends.
“Stretching is as important as running,” he said. “And that is one thing we do not do as a society. (We) don’t engage in enough flexibility exercises. It doesn’t have to be yoga. It can be stretching five minutes a day. As we do that we build muscle mass.”
“It doesn’t take much to do just a Warrior 1 pose and a Warrior 2 pose in yoga, a cat-to-camel pose – look those up – sphinx, pharaoh and other things.”
While stretching might be difficult at first, Dr. Foret recommended starting small and gradually building your flexibility. Your body will thank you for it.
Eat smart. This one’s simple, even if nobody really wants to hear it: Stop eating mindlessly. Consider what you’re putting in your body and focus on the foods we all know are good for us – as opposed to the ones that are deep-fried or cheese-covered.
“Eat in a healthy manner,” Dr. Foret said. “All these wonderful foods we have in South Louisiana don’t necessarily make us healthy. In fact, they contribute to our lack of good health. So, try to eat in a healthier manner.”
Just relax. As important as it is to care for your body, it’s also important to care for your soul through meditation, quiet time and relaxation breathing, according to Dr. Foret.
“When one takes a deep breath and pushes out their abdominal muscles, those things are of paramount importance to us,” he said.
Don’t be a stranger. As the pandemic was raging last year, many people decided to stay home and forgo their regular doctor’s visits. The time for that to end is now, Dr. Foret said.
“Let’s get our immunizations. Let’s do our colonoscopies on time. Let’s do our mammograms on time. Let’s take control of our individual healthcare,” he said. “Because as we do this, we will become a healthier society. That will help reduce the cost and strain on our healthcare system. We want people to be healthy. We don’t want to take care of heart attacks. We want to prevent them.”
Roll up your sleeve. If you haven’t already, Dr. Foret said you should call today to make an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccine.
It has been proven to be enormously effective in preventing those who get it from contracting the virus. At the same time, Dr. Foret said there’s a psychological benefit from knowing you’re protected.
“To be a vaccinated person at least gives you some semblance of safety,” he said. “And as more become vaccinated, more become immune to this, we will be able to assimilate more and be the social creatures we were meant to be.”
St. Tammany Health System is currently administering COVID vaccines at multiple sites across western St. Tammany Parish. Appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and should be made via the free MyChart app. Those experiencing difficulty with the app can make an appointment by calling (985)898-4001, which is answered 24/7, although anticipated heavy call volumes may result in a longer-than-usual wait during peak hours.