Weekend of March 21-22, 2020   A5
The Dalles Chronicle
TheDallesChronicle.com
Healthy
Dalles
The
For overall wellbeing: Power 9
L
ike the rest of the world, Blue Zones Project
The Dalles is monitoring the Coronavirus situation closely.
Our team members are following CDC and local public
health department guidance as it pertains to events
and social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19.
While scheduled upcoming events have been cancelled
or postponed, community health and well-being is, and
will always be, our number one priority. While in social
isolation, we can still practice the Power 9 for overall
well-being of our families. Here are some tips:
• Family First:
— While in social isolation with your family, embark on
a new art project together, get those dusty board games off
the shelf or get some yard work done as a family. But first,
get your home ready – to protect your family from
COVID-19, see the CDC’s home checklist.
— Been a while since you spoke with relatives, get caught
up with a family phone call or use WhatsApp or FaceTime
for a more personal experience.
— Feeling healthy and want to serve? Provide daycare,
eldercare, or some child relief for families or individuals
struggling to find services so they can work, go to appoint-
ments or run errands. If you are healthy and able, offer
to watch their kids for a few hours, or arrange to sit with
home-bound seniors or individuals. Make sure you are
following the guidelines for social distancing, hand washing
and frequent cleaning.
• Downshift: This is a great time for downshifting and
de-stressing. It’s okay to relax and do nothing, the CDC and
DOH are asking you to do this. Stay home, chill and find
creative ways to de-stress. There are a few great meditation
apps or tutorials online that you could try as well.
• Purpose: We often push purpose to the side because
we’re so busy with our day-to-day lives. Take some time to
jot down your gifts and talents. What do you love doing?
What gifts were you given?
• Move Naturally: During social isolation, our dogs and
furry friends still need to be walked! Go for a quick walk to
get some fresh air, just remember to stay your distance from
other walkers. Otherwise, the internet is a great resource for
an at-home workout or living room yoga session. Cleaning
house is a pretty good way to move naturally too.
• Belong: Virtually connect (via phone, text, email) with
your faith-based group or other organizations to ensure
everyone is okay. We’re all in this together. Take time to dive
into spiritual study.
• 80% Rule: We should always be practicing this, but
when we’re under stress sometimes it's an easy Power 9 to
forget and we overeat. During meals, remind everyone to
eat until they are 80 percent full.
• Plant Slant:
— Never have time to cook? Here's a chance to sharp-
en and have fun with your culinary skills. Check out the
library of Blue Zones inspired recipes online. Try out a new
healthy recipe or experiment with your family. We have a
bunch of new, healthy instant pot recipes too, that are sure
to be crowd pleasers, even with the kids.
— Support Local Restaurants and Businesses. Local
restaurants and businesses have been severely impacted by
the new statewide COVID-19 measures. Make a point to
continue to do business with them. Call and order take-out,
delivery or curbside pickup meals from local restaurants
where available. Reach out and offer your support via
Facebook, take time for those in the community working
on the frontlines, like healthcare workers, law enforcement,
emergency response, public health.
• Friends at 5: While we shouldn’t be out and about at
our favorite happy hour spot, we can try to connect with
our Friends at 5 over FaceTime. Or why not have a virtual
Friends @ 5 with them? This also gives us an opportunity
to cook a plant-based meal and have a cup of tea with your
significant other. Cheers!
• Right Tribe:
— Haven’t called your BFF in a while? Do it! Don’t forget
that thanks to modern-day technology, we can still connect
with our buddies via calls, text or FaceTime. While we must
be physically isolated, we can still be socially connected.
— Neighbor Check-10. Feeling healthy and want to
serve? Set a goal to check-in with 10 of your neighbors or
friends every few days. Encourage others to do the same.
If we each take the time to Neighbor Check-10, we can
significantly check on most of the residents around us. If
you are able, call, text or knock (if you are healthy) on your
neighbor’s door to make sure they are doing ok. Offer to
pick up groceries, run errands or deliver a hot meal. It is
important to take care of one-another during this crisis.
#VolunteersLiveLonger
If you're feeling well and would like to find ways to serve
your community, here are a few relevant opportunities:
Donate Blood to a Red Cross Blood Bank - Severe Blood
Shortage Due to Coronavirus Outbreak
The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood
shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive
cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Healthy
individuals are needed to donate now to help patients
counting on lifesaving blood. Donating blood is a safe
process and people should not hesitate to give or receive
blood. Right now, eligible and healthy donors are strongly
urged to make an appointment to give soon.
Stay Updated; Mid-Columbia Medical Center changes
rules to stop potential virus spread.
Visitors will no longer be allowed. This policy applies
to all MCMC facilities including the main hospital and all
outpatient clinics. Patients and loved ones are encouraged
to communicate via phone and/or video calls. If you are a
caregiver, a staff member will communicate with you by
phone to coordinate care instructions and patient pick-up.
Minimal exceptions are in place for end-of-life patients,
laboring mothers, pediatric patients, and trauma and
critically ill emergency room patients.
• Patients with respiratory symptoms, such as fever,
cough, shortness of breath, should call their primary
care provider’s office. Please know that you may be asked
to visit a clinic site different than your regular care
provider’s office, or to see a provider other than your own.
As a precautionary measure, and to protect all of our
patients, those with the above symptoms will be seen at
our MCMC Family Medicine location, 1620 E. 12th Street.
Those with an appointment for a routine exam at the Family
Medicine location will be contacted by MCMC staff.
• All wellness visits—for children and adults—will be
moved to either MCMC Internal Medicine or MCMC
Pediatrics. MCMC Internal Medicine is located within
Water’s Edge at 551 Lone Pine Blvd. and MCMC Pediatrics
is located at 1935 E. 19th. St.
• Elective procedures, surgeries and some diagnostic
imaging procedures are being postponed beginning
Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Urgent and emergency s
urgeries and imaging will continue as needed.
Be well,
The Blue Zones Project The Dalles
Bryan Sanchez, 23 and Giovanni
Sanchez, 6, play with their dog,
Red, at Sorosis Park on Wednes-
day. The family was staying well
separated from others at the
park, practicing good social
distancing while getting some
excercise and having fun.
Tom Peterson photo
Healthy
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302 W. 2nd St., The Dalles
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