New Year

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Professional Resolutions with a New Perspective

Mo Al-Khalaf, PhD

Let me add myself to the collective millions (billions?) of folks who are glad to have passed the year-end milestone and are hoping, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this coming calendar year is very different! We can finally say now “2020 is behind us!”. Many have faced personal and professional challenges that could not be foreseen. Some have had success as well, despite the difficulties on the road to personal and professional progress. Some have had success because 2020 provided them ingredients for it, and I hope that these individuals utilized this success to benefit others, and provide support to those in need.

Like many others, I use the page-flip into a new calendar year as a marker and opportunity to reflect and reset my mind. By no means is this necessary, I have had years where I was firmly anti “year-end mindset”, because a calendar switch is an arbitrary marker of time passing, and I think a lot of folks have had, or still have, this outlook, which is fine! Still, I think this year I wanted to write this blogpost about professional resolutions just as a fun exercise, and maybe (hopefully) put something out there that would benefit (inspire?!?) someone towards a path for professional advancement. This resolutions list will not contain personal goals like achieving the desired weight or reading more books. Let’s get started.

(Submitted by author, modified from CC-0 images at pixabay.com)

1) Explore and find the potential to grow your professional community.

Trainees and early career folks tend to be very focused on their individual or small team “projects”. While this is important, it could obscure the wider “community” aspect of advancement that’s needed to build and expand one’s career. In 2021, I want to continue exploring new ways to participate in professional community building (like joining committees, participating in campaigns, being active in welcoming new members at work, to give a few examples). However possible, find the potential to grow and connect with other professionals within the field.

2) Make ambitious and novel plans for professional advancement projects (with a catch).

One of the things that are very commonly mentioned about 2020 is the reduction/delay/loss of some desired professional accomplishments, which were planned or anticipated before the global health crisis materialized and became unavoidable. A lot of trainees and early career professionals spent much of 2020 trying to salvage whatever they could to complete tasks. This is understandable. Having said that, the “salvaging work” mentality is at best a temporary approach to professional advancement, and at worst, an active hindrance to progress. Making a concerted effort to plan and perform novel and ambitious projects in the new year is a way to get one’s career trajectory back on a climbing slope. The catch I alluded to earlier is vital to note here: in addition to being ambitious in planning, be forgiving of yourself as you track the progress of these new projects. The global health crisis is still ongoing, and everyone is navigating new territory with this whole career advancement reality.

3) Highlight and celebrate all successes on your career path (small or big).

There is a prevalent stream of thinking within academic, scientific, and medical spaces that orient members of these communities to only focus on the biggest accomplishments achieved. Celebrating a publication years in the making, a graduation (also years in the making), a promotion to more senior status (years in the making… do you see the trend?!), and so on. The past year has certainly reduced the number of success stories for many, especially for the early career folks. In 2021, I think it would greatly benefit us to celebrate more professional milestones, even the small ones, and to highlight and be proud of any professional success achieved. The longer we delay enjoying the journey we are on, the longer and drearier the journey will feel like, and maybe even become. The old saying “success begets more success” can be made more accurate by saying “celebrating success paves the way for more success”.

So, as we all metaphorically and collectively turn the page and start a new chapter, leaving 2020 behind us, I aim and resolve myself to advancing my professional life by connecting more, thinking of novel, fun, and ambitious new projects, and to celebrate each small or big step forward on my early career path towards a fulfilling professional journey. Have a happy and healthy new year!

“The views, opinions and positions expressed within this blog are those of the author(s) alone and do not represent those of the American Heart Association. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them. The Early Career Voice blog is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment. Only your healthcare provider can provide that. The American Heart Association recommends that you consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal health matters. If you think you are having a heart attack, stroke or another emergency, please call 911 immediately.”
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Exercise: New Year Resolutions in the Midst of the COVID Pandemic

Catherina Chang Martinez, PhD

New Year. New Resolutions. With the start of the New Year, many of us make commitments to improve our health. Some of us take on a new routine or hobby, give up or change old habits.  As the holidays go, many of us take on the resolution to engage in more exercise and lose the extra pounds gained through the indulgence during the holidays.  As we embark on the new journey to better health at the start of a new year, it is important to know that we are not alone. There are many around us that are also trying to engage in a healthy resolution to be fit. And there are many resources available to increase our physical activity and remain fit throughout the year.

It has been well established that physical activity contributes to many health benefits. Those who engage in regular exercise benefit from better sleep, growth, development, mood, and overall health.1 On the contrary, the lack of exercise and an increase in sedentary behaviors may contribute to overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity have deleterious effects in adults, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, depression, poor quality of life, and decreased life span.

As the global COVID‐19 pandemic unfolded in year 2020, over 90% of U.S. adult residents found themselves confined to their homes, with restaurants, shops, schools, and workplaces shut down to prevent the disease from spread.2 For some, it meant additional changes, including working remotely, homeschooling children, and personal changes in lifestyle behaviors. Some of these, unfortunately, have led to increased sedentary activity and decreased physical activity, known risk factors associated with overweight and obesity.

For some groups, the transition to lockdown and social distancing has resulted in increased physical activity, especially for bodyweight training, and higher adherence to a healthier diet. Some individuals have engaged in higher consumption of farmers’ produce or purchasing of organic fruits and vegetables, resulting in lower body mass index.3   However, this has not been the norm. More studies report adults experiencing five-to-ten pound increases in weight as a result of increased eating in the home environment. The increased levels of stress, combined with the lack of dietary restraint, snacking after meals, reduced physical activity, and inadequate sleep has further aggravated the risk of overweight and obesity in our population.4   Some groups report less frequent consumption of vegetables, fruit, and legumes during the quarantine, and higher adherence to meat, dairy, and fast-foods.5   Anxiety, depression, self-reported boredom, and solitude have worsened the consumption of snacks, unhealthy foods, cereals, and sweets. These have correlated with higher weight gain for many.6

Being overweight not only increases the risk of infection and complications for those categorized as obese. Recent studies also suggest that the large prevalence of obese individuals within the population might increase the chance of appearance of the more virulent viral strain, and prolong the virus shedding throughout the total population. This may further increase the overall mortality rate as a result of COVID-19. A study on previous influenza pandemics suggests losing weight with a mild caloric restriction, including AMPK activators and PPAR gamma activators in the drug treatment for obesity-associated diabetes. Practicing mild-to-moderate physical exercise may further improve our immune response. Regular physical exercise enhances levels of cytokine production mediated via TLR (toll-like receptor) signaling pathways during microbial infection, improving host resistance to pathogen invasion.7 Regular physical activity may then serve as a cornerstone measure to improve our defenses against influenza viral infection, cardiometabolic diseases, and COVID-19.

Physical activity remains one of the seven modifiable health behaviors and an important metric of The American Heart Association (AHA) Life’s Simple 7 (LS7), associated with improved cardiovascular disease survival and reduced healthcare costs.8   As we battle the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, we have to also think that these circumstances present opportunities to engage our communities in healthy lifestyle practices. Practice aimed to increase our physical activity, may contribute to improving overall health status in the midst of the COVID pandemic.

Here are some ideas on how to meet the New Year resolution to exercise and increase our levels of physical activity:

  • Move More
    • Set up a timer or alarm to move at least once every hour.
    • A good starting goal is to engage in physical activity at least 150 minutes a week. This represents three 50-minute sessions or five 30-minute sessions a week.
    • Start slowly. Gradually build up to at least 30 minutes of activity on most or all days of the week.
    • Check with your healthcare provider before beginning a physical activity program and follow their recommendations.
  • Establish a routine
    • Start with small changes.
    • Make the time.
    • Try to engage in exercising consistently at the same time every day and every week.
    • Stick to the new routine for at least a month.
    • Find a convenient time and place to do activities.
    • Be flexible. If you miss an exercise opportunity, get back on track.
    • Work physical activity or exercise session into your day in another way.
    • Keep reasonable expectations of yourself and your physical activity or exercise routines.
    • Reward or praise yourself for sticking to the changes.
    • Use non-food items to reward yourself.
  • Get support
    • Find buddies or friends who are also making the same commitment to be fit and engage in physical activity.
    • Invite others to join you on your journey.
    • It becomes more fun when you exercise or move in a company.

Start the New Year with a commitment to better health by increasing activity and engaging in regular exercise. Engage others in exercise while keeping social distancing guidelines. Celebrate the small changes. Make a commitment to a Better You!

References:

  1. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Physical Activity Basics. Reviewed 2020 Nov 18. Accessed 2021 Jan 13. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/index.htm
  2. Bhutani S, Cooper JA. COVID-19-Related Home Confinement in Adults: Weight Gain Risks and Opportunities. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020;28(9):1576-1577. doi:10.1002/oby.22904
  3. Di Renzo L, Gualtieri P, Pivari F, et al. Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: an Italian survey. J Transl Med. 2020;18(1):229. Published 2020 Jun 8. doi:10.1186/s12967-020-02399-5
  4. Zachary Z, Brianna F, Brianna L, et al. Self-quarantine and weight gain related risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2020;14(3):210-216. doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2020.05.004
  5. Sidor A, Rzymski P. Dietary Choices and Habits during COVID-19 Lockdown: Experience from Poland. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1657. Published 2020 Jun 3. doi:10.3390/nu12061657
  6. Pellegrini M, Ponzo V, Rosato R, et al. Changes in Weight and Nutritional Habits in Adults with Obesity during the “Lockdown” Period Caused by the COVID-19 Virus Emergency. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2016. Published 2020 Jul 7. doi:10.3390/nu12072016
  7. Luzi L, Radaelli MG. Influenza and obesity: its odd relationship and the lessons for COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Diabetol. 2020;57(6):759-764. doi:10.1007/s00592-020-01522-8
  8. Garg PK, O’Neal WT, Mok Y, Heiss G, Coresh J, Matsushita K. Life’s Simple 7 and Peripheral Artery Disease Risk: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Am J Prev Med. 2018;55(5):642-649. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2018.06.021

“The views, opinions and positions expressed within this blog are those of the author(s) alone and do not represent those of the American Heart Association. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them. The Early Career Voice blog is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment. Only your healthcare provider can provide that. The American Heart Association recommends that you consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal health matters. If you think you are having a heart attack, stroke or another emergency, please call 911 immediately.”
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Hopes for 2021

Lina Ya'qoub, MD

As 2020 concluded with all of the unprecedented events, with the tragedies people had to suffer and are still suffering from, with all the good and bad, we enter the New Year of 2021 with some hope; hoping for better health, better strategies to combat what we are dealing with in this pandemic, and being more responsible for each other.

COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live our lives, and the impact of this pandemic will likely last at least a few years, if not more after the pandemic is over. There are a lot of “unknowns” about COVID-19 infection, including the long-term effects of this infection and the effectiveness of some medications, that we will get to encounter and manage in the next several years.

COVID-19 Vaccine

With multiple effective vaccines discovered recently, healthcare workers were given priority to get the vaccine, followed by more vulnerable patients, including the elderly and those with significant comorbidities. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website provides helpful information on the currently available vaccines in the United States (US), Pfizer, and Moderna, including their storage, preparation, and expected side effects (Link is provided below) [1].  The hope is that by the Spring of 2021, 75% of the population in the United States will be vaccinated.  Moreover, efforts by international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to distribute the vaccine to all countries are ongoing [2].

COVID-19 New Strains

We have seen the discovery of new strains of COVID-19 infection in the United Kingdom and, most recently, the US. These new mutant strains of COVID-19 may not be covered by the available vaccines, as such, the vaccine is an additional layer of protection, with the other protection measures, including social distancing, masks, and hygiene, which may be the most important way to prevent the spread of these new strains at this point of time.

With all that being said, our hopes for a “normal 2021” depend on how we handle the COVID-19 pandemic, we may not see everything going back to normal in 2021, but we can work on making the initial right steps now so that we have less grief, less “loss,” fewer travel restrictions, with healthier and happier upcoming years!!

Special thank you to my sister, Rawan Ya’acoub, an assistant professor of Doctor of Pharmacy/Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan, who helped me write this blog, and for all of her support.

 

References

  • S. COVID-19 Vaccine Product Information: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/index.html
  • COVID-19 vaccines: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines

 

“The views, opinions and positions expressed within this blog are those of the author(s) alone and do not represent those of the American Heart Association. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them. The Early Career Voice blog is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment. Only your healthcare provider can provide that. The American Heart Association recommends that you consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal health matters. If you think you are having a heart attack, stroke or another emergency, please call 911 immediately.”