Family Times June 2020 by Family Times

JUNE 2020

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What your family needs to know about ticks Simple exercises at home, no equipment required How to budget during a crisis

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT

Make healthy smoothies with your children this summer.

HEALTH

What your family needs to know about ticks and Lyme disease.

BECAUSE I SAID SO

How COVID-19 impacted my daughter’s senior year of high school.

FITNESS

Missing the gym? These at-home exercises don’t require any equipment.

MONEY Local bogger Lauren Greutman offers some tips for budgeting during a crisis.

It’s the

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FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

CONTENTS

JUNE 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE

FAMILY FUN CALENDAR

FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

FROM THE

THE PARENTING GUIDE OF CENTRAL NEW YORK

EDITOR

Summer officially begins June 20, and I for one could not be more excited for warmer weather. But as your family spends more time outdoors, it’s important to be aware of ticks – according to the CDC, New York has a high incidence of Lyme disease. Christy Perry Tuohey tells you what you need to know about the disease and staying safe from ticks (page 8). Summer is also the perfect time for a frozen drink. Molly Morgan shows you how to make healthy smoothies with your children on page 6. Also in our digital issue: Neil Davis reflects on how his daughter’s senior year was impacted by COVID-19 (page 12); Chad Putney recommends some exercises you can do at home, no equipment required (page 14); local blogger Lauren Greutman offers seven strategies for budgeting during a crisis (page 17); and we round up some virtual events for families (page 19). Stay safe and healthy!

JUNE 2020 | ISSUE NO. 218

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INSIDE Turn to page 7 for simple smoothie recipes.

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FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

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ISTOCK ILLUSTRATIONS

Smoothie Moves You and your kids can blend some healthy beverages | BY MOLLY MORGAN

hen your kids are poking around the kitchen, point them to the produce drawer of the fridge and the blender. With a bit of supervision, they can mix fresh fruits and vegetables into delicious smoothies. Smoothies can be nutrient rich – with a combination of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, fiber and probiotics. But if you’re not paying attention, a smoothie can become a sugar bomb. Here are some tips and strategies to get the most out of a smoothie this summer and keep it healthier.

Smoothie Basics

The best part about making smoothies is that there are seemingly endless combinations of flavors and textures. While there isn’t a right and wrong combination of what to add to a smoothie, it comes down to three basic components: the liquid, the flavor and the add-ins. As a mom, one of

the things I love about smoothies for myself and our family is that they are a great way to add a boost of important nutrients; I especially like to focus on adding in probiotics to smoothies. Probiotics (aka “healthy bacteria”) can contribute to gut health and hence overall health. Our intestines are home to hundreds of types of different bacteria. You can add probiotics in the form of kefir, a drinkable yogurt-like beverage; lassi, a sweet or savory creamy drink; or even with yogurt. When adding probiotics, especially for children, focus on food or beverage sources, like the ones I’ve listed, instead of supplements. If you are considering giving your child a pure probiotic supplement, check with your pediatrician first. Have fun making smoothies with your family. It’s a great opportunity try different combinations of flavors and find your own personal favorite recipes. You may even

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT

discover each member of your family has a slightly different combination of flavors that they enjoy; in my book Drink Your Way to Gut Health (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2015) there is a smoothie recipe named after my husband and one for each of our boys because the recipe was their favorite pick from the book!

The Liquid

The liquid component is an essential part of making the smoothie come together. There are many different options. For a creamy texture try milk, kefir or lassi. For a lower-calorie option try unsweetened almond milk (only about 40 calories per cup), coconut water (about 45 calories per cup) or water. For a tropical taste try coconut milk beverage or coconut water.

The Flavor Making the focus of your smoothie the fruit + and vegetables adds fiber plus vitamins, minerals and powerful plant compounds (phytochemicals). Try these fruit and vegetable combinations. Spinach + Pineapple Cherry + Strawberry Blueberry + Strawberry Cucumber + Mint Orange + Mango Peach + Pineapple Banana + Strawberry Keep in mind, even when produce is fresh and in season, if you love an icy smoothie texture, then freeze the fruit first; you prepare fruit by removing the skin or peel (if necessary) and cutting it into cubes. Note: Vegetables like spinach and cucumbers tend to work best when they are fresh.

The Add-Ins

Enhance your smoothie with fiber, probiotics and healthy fats from things like seeds, nuts and yogurt. When it comes to choosing add-ins, adjust depending on your goals. If you are trying to keep the calories down in the smoothie, add something like chia seeds or powdered peanut butter. If you are looking for a calorie boost, add peanut butter or another nut or seed butter. Always start with a little less than you want because you can always add more.

The fresh flavors of the ingredients are often enough sweetness, although if you find you need more sweetness add small amounts of honey or agave nectar and then blend again.

Blender Time

When it comes to combining your smoothie, first have everyone wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with warm and soapy water. Then have your children work with you to select their ingredients and add the ingredients to the blender (of course, teach them to stay away from the sharp blades!). Next, work with them to place and secure the top of the blender

and blend away. Continue blending until the smoothie is icy. Enjoy right away if you prefer the icy texture or store extras in the refrigerator or in ice pop molds in the freezer for a frozen treat. Have fun making delicious and nutrient-rich smoothies and cheers to a smoothie summer! Molly Morgan is a registered dietitian and author of three books. She lives in the Southern Tier area with her two children and husband. Visit her website at creativenutritionsolutions.com.

OWEN’S ORANGE CRUSH SERVES 2 (1 CUP EACH)

This smoothie is our oldest son’s favorite and I hope that you will enjoy this it as much as he does! Each serving has 180 percent of the immune-boosting vitamin C you need every day. • 1 fresh orange, peeled and seeded • 1 cup 100 percent orange juice • 1/2 cup low-fat or non-fat plain Greek yogurt • 4 to 5 ice cubes Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (see Note) and blend until frothy and smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to four days.

Chia seeds add fiber and omega-3 fats (1 tablespoon: 17 calories, 1 gram fiber). Peanut butter adds monounsaturated fat and protein (2 tablespoons: 190 calories, 16 grams fat, 8 grams protein). Powdered peanut butter includes fewer calories but has peanut flavor plus fiber (2 tablespoons: 45 calories, 2 grams fiber). Greek yogurt adds protein (one 6-ounce container: 150 calories, 13 grams protein). Flax meal adds healthy fats and fiber (2 tablespoons: 70 calories, 5 grams fat, 3 grams fiber).

The Ratio

A general ratio of ingredients for a single smoothie that works well is combining: 1 cup liquid, 1 cup fruit and/ or vegetables, 1 add-in (vary amount based on what it is) and 4 to 5 or more ice cubes. Note: If you are using frozen fruit you may find you can skip the ice cubes.

LARRY’S MANGO LASSI SERVES 1

Our youngest son picked this smoothie recipe as his favorite. He loves the sweet flavor of the vanilla lassi. Look for store-bought lassi or you could substitute vanilla kefir instead for a similar taste; both are available in the dairy section of the grocery store. • 1 cup vanilla lassi • 1 cup frozen cubed mango • Combine the lassi and mango in a blender and blend until smooth. • Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to four days.

FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

STAYING SAFE FROM

TICKS What your family needs to know about Lyme disease BY CHRISTY PERRY TUOHEY

he summer months are peak times for tick bites, but as early as March, when the weather was still quite cold, a tick landed on Gloria Wright. She had taken her dog Molly out for a walk along a wooded path. Along the way, Molly found something pungent to roll around in and needed a bath as soon as they got home. “I ran some water, picked her up and plopped her into the bathtub to give her a bath,” she recalled. “I don’t know for sure, but I think that’s when the tick jumped from her to me.” Gloria didn’t notice anything until the next morning. “I woke up and my neck itched a little bit,” she said, “And then when I scratched, I felt a little lump.” She called her doctor right away, pulled the tick off with tweezers and put it in a Ziploc bag, which she took to her appointment. Because it was so early in the season, Wright didn’t wear the herbal repellent she usually puts on before going out, plus her dog is on an oral tick medication year-round. Even though she had removed the tick, her doctor found the mouth was still under her skin and, after cutting it out, gave her two doses of doxycycline. “I took the antibiotic right away and have had no ill effects since, that I know of,” she said. “And I didn’t get the little bullseye,” referring to the concentric circular red rash that some Lyme disease victims develop after being bitten. Her doctor told her it could have been worse had she not discovered the tick so quickly. According to the most recently available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, New York was in the high Lyme disease incidence category, with 2,446 confirmed cases in 2018 and 1,192 probable ones. Dr. Heidi Puc, a local physician who is an expert in Lyme and related infectious disease treatment, said Lyme disease is especially prevalent in our area. “You can walk out your door and a tick can latch on,” she said, and in fact recently found a tick crawling on her own leg while doing yard work.

ISTOCK PHOTO

She said ticks like to hang out on grass blades, in borders between lawns and forests, woodpiles, stone walls, thick dense branches or anyplace that is shady and moist. When the disease was first diagnosed in Lyme, Connecticut in 1975, transmission was discovered in blacklegged or so-called deer ticks, so deer were the animals most associated with carrying them. In addition to deer and pets, though, ticks commonly hitch rides on small animals like chipmunks, mice and shrews. Birds can also carry ticks.

HEALTH

BULLSEYE RASH

In comparison, IDSA Lyme prevention guidelines recommend a single dose of doxycycline for adult patients (200 mg dose) and for children eight years old and older (4 mg up to 200 mg). Puc serves on the board of the Central New York Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Alliance; in that organization, both approaches are discussed and evaluated. Tick Labs

Symptoms of Lyme Disease The bullseye rash Gloria mentioned is only one sign that a person may have contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite. Other symptoms include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes. According to the CDC, the rash occurs in approximately 7080% of infected individuals. Information from the Connecticut Department of Public Health shows that the first people reporting symptoms in the 1970s were thought to have uncommon types of arthritis. The bacterium that causes the illness, Borrelia burgdorferi, was discovered by scientist Willy Burgdorfer and named after him in 1982. Puc said that there are “cousins” of the bacterium, including borrelia miyamotoi which came from Japan, and tick-borne relapsing fever. Although Lyme is the most common disease spread by blood-feeding insects and arachnids, there are other illnesses and organisms that can be present in ticks. Co-infectors that can reside along with Lyme in the same tick include organisms like anaplasma, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis. Different Medical Approaches to Treatment There are two different medical approaches to Lyme disease treatment, represented by two different organizations, The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). Both have published guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and their methods vary, such as length of time for antibiotic treatment. Puc follows ILADS guidelines in her practice, Integrative Medicine of Central New York. She treats any case of tick attachment with antibiotics. “We treat for at least 20 days, so three weeks to four weeks, even up to six weeks is typical,” she explained. “ILADS data is that if one is treated with at least 20 days’ worth of doxy (doxycycline), there is an approximately 85- 90% chance that you can prevent Lyme disease from happening.”

Months ago, you could send ticks to be examined at the Thangamani Lab at SUNY Upstate Medical School. However, Saravanan Thangamani, M.S., Ph.D., the lab’s principal investigator, said that his team’s free tick testing is on hold right now. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted medical supply chains and the lab cannot access the supplies at this time, including reagents, that they need to do the work. Thangamani suggests that if you are bitten by a tick during their temporary closure, you should, as Gloria did, put the tick into a completely sealed plastic bag with a piece of moist tissue paper or paper towel and put it in a freezer until testing resumes. You can find instructions on how to mail the tick to the lab on their website, thangamani-lab.com/tick-submission-updates. Thangamani asks that you include as many details as possible with your submission, such as where the tick was acquired and where on the body you were bitten. The CDC states that tick testing labs in general are not required to follow rigorous quality control standards used by clinical diagnostic laboratories, and that positive results showing the tick contained an infectious organism do not necessarily mean that you have been infected. It also warns that false negatives can occur, which Puc concurs is a problem. “There are many false negatives,” she said. “Even with tick testing, it’s not 100%” Tickreport.com, which is a project of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s College of Natural Sciences, accepts ticks for testing. The cost is $50 per tick, but they also have more comprehensive test packages available for up to $200. Local Lyme Disease Resources If you have found a tick embedded in your skin and are concerned about Lyme or other diseases, the first step is to call a medical professional. The CNY Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Alliance has a list of local resources and links to infectious disease organizations on its Resources webpage: cnylymealliance.org/resources. Christy Perry Tuohey is an author, journalist and freelance writer living in Syracuse.

Tick Prevention

There are several ways you can help keep yourself tick-free. These prevention tips are recommended by Heidi Puc, MD, FACP, ABIHM. • If you’re going out for a hike or know you’re going to be among blades of grass or in wooded areas, try to wear as much clothing as possible: long sleeves, long pants which you can tuck into socks and closed shoes. Also cover your head whenever possible. • Be vigilant about wearing repellent. Many common brands of tick repellent contain DEET, which is a chemical not recommended for babies younger than two months old. Puc is leery about putting a chemical like DEET directly on the body, because it can be absorbed through the skin. However, when coupled with essential oils, it can be used in smaller quantities. • Essential oils that can be used as tick repellents include lavender, cedarwood, lemon eucalyptus, lemongrass, citronella, geranium and pennyroyal. Even used on its own, citronella can be effective. If you are using essential oils as tick repellent, be sure to reapply often. • After being outside, throw your clothes into the dryer on a very high setting for 10 or 15 minutes. Simply washing the clothes in a washing machine will not kill ticks. • Inspect your body after going out, paying close attention to areas like the groin area, behind the ears, armpits, the folds of your elbows and backs of the knees. • Inspect your pets who have been outside. continued on page 10 FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

continued from page 9

NEW TYPES OF DANGEROUS TICKS DISCOVERED IN CENTRAL NEW YORK

tick that once was found only in the southern United States has made its way to New York. Dr. Saravanan Thangamani, director of the SUNY Center for Environmental Health and Medicine, and Vector Biology Laboratories, and his team have identified four Lone Star ticks in Central New York since June 2019. Lone Star ticks, so named for the white dots found on females’ backs that resemble the star on the Texas flag, are more aggressive than the common black-legged or deer tick. “We call it a hunter tick,” Thangamani said. “They like to walk on leaf litter or grasses and they are much faster because they have long legs. So, they are capable of actually chasing humans.” Thangamani believes deer are the primary carriers of Lone Star ticks, but they can also latch onto both wild animals, like foxes, and domestic ones. Your pet dog could be bitten or transmit a Lone Star tick to humans.

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The viruses Lone Star ticks carry are newly emerging as well. Two new tick-borne viruses that can pass into a person’s bloodstream from a Lone Star bite include the Heartland virus and the Bourbon virus, both of which were first identified in Kansas. The Heartland virus is related to a tick-borne virus discovered in China about a decade ago. “It’s a pretty dangerous, nasty virus, and because it is a close cousin of this virus, in small animals and in human cases, we have found this disease kind of mimics what is really happening with the other virus in China,” Thangamani said. People who have been bitten by Lone Star ticks may experience fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, headache, nausea or diarrhea. Thangamani said that some also develop an allergy to red meat, a condition known as alpha-gal syndrome, which may also accompany hives, itching or scaly skin; swelling of body parts including lips, face, tongue and throat; shortness of breath; runny nose or sneezing; headaches; or abdominal pain. Lone Star ticks and another type of emerging tick, the Asian Longhorn, appear to be most widespread in New York’s tri-state region. The Asian Longhorn, first discovered in New Jersey a few years ago, is prolific; the female can, without a male mate, lay about five to ten thousand eggs at a time. The Asian Longhorn has not been reported yet in upstate New York, but Dr. Thangamani said “it is just a matter of time that we will start to see this and other ticks that might cause dangerous diseases.” Repellents that contain DEET or essential oils like lemon eucalyptus will protect you from the Lone Star tick. However, Thangamani stressed that you should always read the label on any tick repellent and find out how many hours of protection one spray will provide. He also suggests that you can keep a designated set of clothes for outdoor activities that can be sprayed with the insecticide permethrin. He uses this method and said that the permethrin will last through 100 machine washings, which would cover you for an entire season. Permethrin is available online and in stores that carry pesticides. You can find more information on tick prevention and protective chemicals on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website: cdc.gov/ticks. Christy Perry Tuohey 10

HEALTH

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FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

A SENIOR YEAR LOST

How my daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final months of high school were impacted by COVID-19 BY NEIL DAVIS JR.

ISTOCK ILLUSTRATION

he photos popped up on my phone during a basketball game. I was on my couch watching the Syracuse University menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team steal a rare comeback win and calculating their odds of making the NCAA Tournament. My daughter was trying on ball gowns at Boom Babies, texting me pictures of any dress that was a potential slam-dunk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the one!â&#x20AC;? Sadie captioned over a shot of her in a shimmering full-length sheath of amber. She looked beautiful. I agreed it wasÂ the one, despite the fact that the price tag suggested it was at least three. The dress went home with her to hang in the closet and await its big night.

BECAUSE I SAID SO

That was the third week of February, before the world got flipped upside-down. Only a handful of COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in the U.S. Schools were still in session, March Madness was looming and humanity had not yet begun its self-imposed hibernation. We could still breathe publicly.

thought I had asked her to drive around and determine which ice cream shop has the best soft-serve. The Class of 2020 should be resilient. They grew up in an era of political terrorism, and practiced active shooter drills in their classrooms. They learned the word recession before they learned to ride a bike, watching their parents struggle financially through the housing market crash.

By mid-March, life as we knew it began to dismantle. Restaurants served up restrictions on their dining rooms. Hair salons trimmed their hours to nothing. Even gyms exercised the New York State on Pause executive order, which forced unnecessary businesses to close. We all redefined the word “essential” to include dry cleaning but not golf. Who knew?

When they became enamored with Stranger Things, it made perfect sense. They had spent so much time preparing for catastrophe, it was natural for them to fear the consequences of government experiments that open portals to alternate dimensions. If Eggo waffles showed up in your freezer, that was just your teen stocking up for the apocalypse.

Most impactful to my daughter and thousands of other students, schools across the state closed their doors. Liverpool announced a closing date but then shut down prematurely when the first positive case of coronavirus popped up in Onondaga County. Suddenly, the fate of Sadie’s senior year was put in jeopardy. I understood how the risk of spreading the virus outweighed any potential fallout from an incomplete education. I’m an alumnus of Liverpool High School, and some of my former teachers would attest to the perceived threat that my younger self found in homework, with or without a pandemic. “Differential calculus is a plague in itself,” I would have argued. But my daughter loves school. She ranks in the top 2% of her class, always striving to excel. For her and her classmates, senior year marks a chance to celebrate the accomplishments for which they have worked so hard. The final semester is the culmination of the journey they have shared, feeling that sense of freedom that swells in the halls, experiencing the collective euphoria of knowing that together they survived every dull lecture, questionable cafeteria lunch and lap around the gym. “Twelve years,” Sadie lamented, “and now we’re missing the best three months.” There have been, of course, much worse effects from this crisis rippling through our world. Healthcare workers fought the illness on the front lines. Elderly relatives went unvisited. Weddings were postponed, holidays and birthdays spent in relative isolation. Our economy was decimated, with unemployment skyrocketing. To put everything else in perspective, some families suffered the ultimate loss, watching a loved one succumb to this disease.

One way or another, we have all persevered. Many worked from home, sharing their cat’s commute from bed to the couch. Others have continued to drive in each day, adapting to challenging new workplace restrictions. Some of us hummed songs while washing our hands. Some learned how to sew masks. We all learned how to use Zoom. For students, the change was one mostly of restraint. Teens who previously dreaded the confinement of their classrooms discovered their homes to be even more limiting. Suddenly, they lost the independence they had only recently gained, while Senior Skip Day lost all meaning. My daughter initially took the lockdown in stride. She appreciates routine, so she made herself a schedule of exercise, online classes, schoolwork and chores. Her quaran-team was furry and four-legged. Together, she and her dogs coped by posting TikTok videos, FaceTiming friends and calculating when their supply of toilet paper might run out. By week three, she had exhausted her interest in Netflix, realizing that distractions are scarce without any new movies, sports, concerts and nearly every other entertainment outlet. Her cabin fever became evident when I texted to ask if she could pick up her contacts from the optometrist.

Our real-life science fiction has somehow felt even more surreal, especially for these seniors. Social distancing is devastating at an age when being social defines so much of your identity. Family cannot always substitute for the bonds made during lacrosse practice or Biology lab. And nothing can substitute for the year-end events that mark the end of high school. Sure, schools will find a way to host graduation. But that rite of passage cannot amend the memories lost. Those final hugs in the hallway. A chance to say goodbye. The tears to which only friends or teachers can relate. My heart aches for my daughter, my niece Carlie and every other graduate who had this year stolen. My advice is to learn from this moment. Tragedy can often define a generation, but the effects can be positive. As your forge your next life adventure, embrace the challenge the world is facing. Allow it to further shape the resolve you have demonstrated in the face of an uncertain future. For my daughter, two things remain clear. Sadie will attend Binghamton University in the fall. And, with or without a Senior Ball, she will find a way to wear that gown. If you see a young woman in Target or Wegmans dressed in heels and evening wear, that’s just my daughter, searching for closure, tacking an end onto an adolescence that didn’t get one. Neil Davis works at Bristol-Myers Squibb and lives in Liverpool with his daughter, Sadie.

“I can do that!” she answered with misguided enthusiasm. You would have

FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

ISTOCK PHOTOS

FITNESS at HOME

A father and his two daughters exercise at home during COVID-19.

These exercises don’t require any equipment and will help improve your overall health BY CHAD PUTNEY

s I sit down to write this article, gyms have been closed for weeks with no real end in sight. If we’re being honest with ourselves, and closely monitoring reopening plans, it would appear as if they will be one of the last amenities permitted to reopen. For many, the “Quarantine 15” is real and has us feeling a bit uncomfortable in our bodies as summer rapidly approaches. Millions of families have experienced job loss and a reduction in household income, which has forced them to cut discretionary spending. Even for families that are positioned to purchase home fitness equipment, the stock is depleted at many stores. This may sound dire, but there are many ways to work out from home that will torch calories, help you shed pounds, increase your strength and endurance, boost your mood and improve your overall health.

FITNESS

One of the most efficient and effective ways to exercise is with a total body HIIT workout. If you’re unfamiliar with HIIT, it is an acronym that stands for High Intensity Interval Training. During a HIIT workout, you cycle through different exercises, targeting various muscle groups for 20-60 second bursts with rest stations of 5-15 seconds. Some of the benefits of a HIIT workout versus a more traditional, moderate intensity workout are that you can burn a large number of calories in a short amount of time, expedite fat loss and the workouts can be completed in as few as 10-30 minutes. To get the most of your HIIT workout, try incorporating exercises that target a number of different muscle groups. To get started, here is a sample of the numerous exercises that you can do at home that require absolutely no equipment:

• LEGS: Lunges (front, reverse, side), wall

LADY LUCK

• ABS: Crunches, planks (high, low, side),

For this workout, I like to choose 11 different exercises (try to vary them) and assign a number of repetitions to each, usually between 10-25 and in increments of five. I set a timer for 30 minutes, roll two dice and complete the exercise as indicated.

sits, mountain climbers, spider jumps and calf raises.

flutter kicks, situps, penguins.

• GLUTES: Supermans, reverse leg lift, glute bridge, squats, donkey kicks.

• BICEPS AND TRICEPS: Pushups,

plank shoulder tap, high-low plank, bodyweight tricep dip, inchworm with a pushup.

• CHEST AND BACK: T pushups, swimmers, elbow lifts, alternating arm/leg plank, wide grip pushups.

• CARDIO: High knees, jumping jacks, line jumps, burpees, cross jacks.

It is worth noting that many of these exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time, such as squats (legs and glutes), planks (abs, back and shoulders) and pushups (chest, back, shoulders and abs), so incorporating even a few from different categories can result in a great full body workout. If you are unfamiliar with any of these exercises, a quick Google search will produce images, videos and a detailed description of how to properly perform the moves. Additionally, there are numerous other exercises you can incorporate into your home routines with little or no equipment based on your searches. Armed with a plethora of ideas, you may now be wondering how to put them all together to create an effective, efficient and fun workout. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

An example would look like this:

12: 20 lunges (10 on each leg) 11: 25 flutter kicks 10: 15 squats 9: 10 pushups 8: 25 high knees 7: 20 swimmers 6: 25 calf raises 5: 20 penguins 4: 10 donkey kicks 3: 20 plank shoulder taps 2: 10 burpees This workout is particularly enjoyable due to its ever-changing nature and limited rest periods. That being said, if you need to build in a rest between exercises, by all means give yourself 10 seconds or so before moving on.

FINAL COUNTDOWN In this workout, I choose 10 exercises, starting with 100 repetitions, and cycle through them until I get to the end of the 30-minute timer. An example of a Final Countdown workout would look like this:

100 mountain climbers 90 crunches 80 glute bridges 70 jumping jacks 60 second plank 50 line jumps 40 situps 30-second wall sit 20 inchworm pushups 10 wide grip pushups When designing a Final Countdown-themed workout for yourself, be mindful of the number of repetitions that you are pushing yourself to complete. For example, if you struggle to complete pushups or burpees, you want to avoid placing those moves at a higher frequency. Thirty minutes struggling to complete 100 burpees will be counterproductive and leave you with a sense of defeat rather than strength. Push yourself to improve, but also start where you’re at. continued on page 16 FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

continued from page 15

HEADS OR TAILS This is a new twist on an old classic. For Heads or Tails, simply choose two exercises from each category and a desired number of repetitions, then set your timer. A Heads or Tails workout could look like this: HEADS TAILS Spider jumps 15 Mountain climbers Leg raises 25 Situps Supermans 20 Reverse leg lifts High/low plank 10 Bodyweight tricep dip High knees 25 Cross jacks T pushups 10 Elbow lifts Any of these workouts could be varied in endless combinations. There are also endless at-home workout videos, blogs and Facebook groups available right now to help you work towards your health and fitness goals while we wait to be able to safely return to the gyms. Whether you’re just starting to work out or are working hard to maintain your current fitness level, what is most important is to keep moving forward.

FITNESS

Chad Putney is a Spanish teacher and fitness enthusiast who lives with his family in North Syracuse. He blogs at: getfitby40.com.

ISTOCK PHOTOS

How to Budget During a Crisis These seven steps will help lessen the impact on your finances | BY LAUREN GREUTMAN This article originally appeared on laurengreutman.com/how-to-budgetduring-a-crisis.

n a perfect world, you’d have enough money to cover your bills and have plenty of cash in your emergency fund. What if a crisis happens? Today I am going to talk about how to budget during a crisis in seven easy steps. But life isn’t perfect. Sometimes a crisis hits, and money gets tight. You might lose your job, take a pay cut or experience a health emergency. Suddenly, there isn’t enough money to go around. In times like this, learning how to budget better is more important than ever. You can take action to lessen the impact of a crisis on your finances. STEP 1: Take Stock of Your Situation

Look at your bank accounts to see how far your emergency fund will carry you. If your emergency savings comes up short, you’re not alone. Less than half of all Americans could cover a $1,000 emergency. To help you get by, check into unemployment benefits or other sources of income you might qualify for. STEP 2: Start Hoarding Cash When you’re in crisis mode, every dollar counts. You might not know how long this situation will last, but one thing is for sure: You will need all the cash you can get to carry you through. Paying off debt is important, but it’s time to stop your debt snowball.

Before you make a plan, you’ve got to know where you stand. Think about your situation. Did you lose your job entirely? Did your hours get cut? Or are you facing a layoff or short-term medical leave?

If you’re saving money for Christmas, stop doing that, too.

Those questions will help you know what income, if any, you can expect over the next few weeks or months.

Now might be an excellent time to pick up a side hustle to bring in some extra income. Delivering takeout with Door-

MONEY

Keep that cash in your checking account, or transfer it to your emergency savings instead.

Dash or teaching English online are good options to do from home. STEP 3: Prioritize Your Bills Prioritizing your bills and focusing on your essential expenses is the next step. The bills you absolutely must pay can include: • Mortgage or rent • Utilities • Food and groceries • Healthcare costs • Insurance premiums • Debt payments Make sure you pay your mortgage, utilities, and buy groceries before you put money toward your other debts. Healthcare costs and insurance premiums may also be a high priority, especially if you’re facing a medical or health crisis. STEP 4: Reduce Your Spending During a crisis, you’ve got to stabilize your budget. And that means reducing your spending. continued on page 18 FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

continued from page 17 Adjust the thermostat a few degrees to lower your heating and cooling costs, check out how to save on electric bill.

STEP 6: Consider Hitting Pause on Autopay

You might also cancel your gym membership and streaming services to make some room in your budget. You can also stop buying bottled water, skip expensive entertainment, and start using apps to save money on groceries.

It can help you avoid late fees and sometimes get you a discount on your bill. But when money is tight, autopay can cause more trouble than it’s worth.

Removing comfort items from your budget isn’t fun. Just remember that your situation is temporary. You don’t have to be in crisis mode forever. To help you save money, download a free meal plan at laurengreutman.com/free-meal-plan – this will help you save 50% off your groceries this week. STEP 5: Lower Your Debt Payments Depending on your situation, you might not have enough cash left after covering your necessary bills for credit card or loan payments. If that’s the case, don’t panic. You have a few options. Contact your credit card companies and ask for a lower interest rate. You could also look into balance transfer cards to take advantage of a 0% introductory interest rate. If you have student loans, contact your loan servicer or log into your online account to lower your payments. An income-driven repayment plan will have a monthly payment based on your income. If you lost your income, your student loan payment could be reduced or eliminated.

Autopay has so many advantages!

Think about this: In a crisis, your bank account balance isn’t as stable as you’re used to. When your cell phone company tries to take money out of your account to pay your monthly bill, you might not have enough cash to cover it. Then what? You end up with bank fees to pay on top of everything else. It’s better to stop autopay until things are back to normal. STEP 7: Take It One Day at a Time A crisis can leave you feeling out of control. Until your situation calms down, take it one day at a time. Check in on your finances regularly. Once a day is smart, but review your budget at least once a week to make sure you’re on track. Evaluate your expenses and only spend when it’s absolutely necessary. You may miss out on shopping trips, subscription boxes, and Netflix, but that’s okay. You won’t be facing a crisis forever. Eventually, your situation will improve, and you’ll feel like you can breathe again. Lauren Greutman is a nationally known Debt Free Life Coach. She is a mom of six and regular guest on the Rachael Ray and Today Show. Visit her website at laurengreutman.com.

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JUNE

Please note: This calendar was up-to-date at

the time of publication. Please call the sponsoring organization’s phone number or visit the website to confirm event details.

MONDAY, JUNE 1 Virtual Toddler Storytime. 9-9:30 a.m.;

repeats every Monday and Wednesday through June 29. Join Miss Karen for stories. Manlius Public Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Ave., Manlius. Free. (315) 682-6400. manliuslibrary.org.

Jigglebugs Online. 10-10:30 a.m. This class for

preschoolers features singing and dancing. Visit the library’s Facebook page for more information. Manlius Public Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Ave., Manlius. Free. (315) 682-6400. manliuslibrary.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 2 Virtual Preschool Storytime. 9-10 a.m.; re-

peats every Tuesday and Thursday through June 30. Join Miss Karen for stories. Manlius Public Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Ave., Manlius. Free. (315) 6826400. manliuslibrary.org.

CALENDAR

Vidcode Virtual Coding Club. 3 p.m.; also

June 9 & 16. Children ages 10 and up can learn how to code video games and more. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St., Liverpool. Free. (315) 4570310. lpl.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3 See Digital Resources

THURSDAY, JUNE 4 OCPL Presents: Shakespeare Unstaged.

2 p.m.; also June 11, 18 & 25. Presented in partnership with Syracuse Shakespeare in the Park, families can enjoy scenes, monologues and more. Free. facebook.com/OnondagaCountyPublicLibraries.

SUNDAY, JUNE 7 See Digital Resources

MONDAY, JUNE 8 Physically Preparing for Labor. 6-7:30 p.m. Discuss

how to prepare your body for labor. Presented by CNY Doula Connection. CNY Healing Arts, 195 Intrepid Lane, Syracuse. Free. Registration is recommended. (315) 707-8097.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9 ONLINE Process Art. 10-11 a.m.; also June 23.

See Digital Resources

Learn how to turn household items into a one-ofa-kind piece of art. Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. CLDandJ.org. (315) 446-3578.

SATURDAY, JUNE 6

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

See Digital Resources

FRIDAY, JUNE 5

FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

THURSDAY, JUNE 11

SUNDAY, JUNE 21

DIGITAL RESOURCES

See Digital Resources

LOCAL

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 See Digital Resources

SATURDAY, JUNE 13

See Digital Resources

Baltimore Woods Nature Center

MONDAY, JUNE 22

Corning Museum of Glass

Website: baltimorewoods.org/nature-in-yourhands-at-home. Website: visit.cmog.org/resources.

See Digital Resources

Erie Canal Museum

Website: eriecanalmuseum.org/exhibitions/ digital-exhibits.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23

SUNDAY, JUNE 14

Everson Museum of Art

See Digital Resources

Website: everson.org/virtual-programming.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24

MONDAY, JUNE 15 Homeschooling 101 for Parents (Virtual).

7-8:30 p.m. This month’s session is a Q&A with a homeschool veteran. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St., Liverpool. Free. (315) 457-0310. lpl.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 16 See Digital Resources

See Digital Resources

Liverpool Public Library

Website: lpl.org/research/online-resources/ to-take-your-mind-off-corona-virus.

Maxwell Memorial Library

Website: maxwellmemoriallibrary.org/covid-19.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25 See Digital Resources

Museum of Science and Technology (MOST)

FRIDAY, JUNE 26

NOPL

Website: most.org/learn/at-home-learningresources.

See Digital Resources

Website: nopl.org/free-fun-things-to-do-onlineduring-coronavirus.

Onondaga County Parks

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 See Digital Resources

SATURDAY, JUNE 27

Website: onondagacountyparks.com/about/ family-fun.

See Digital Resources

Onondaga County Public Libraries Website: onlib.org/while-youre-home.

THURSDAY, JUNE 18 See Digital Resources

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

SUNDAY, JUNE 28

Redhouse Arts Center

See Digital Resources

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

MONDAY, JUNE 29

See Digital Resources

Website: theredhouse.org/virtual-redhouse. Website: syracusezooevents.org/education/ learn-at-home.

Salina Free Library

Website: salinalibrary.org/kidsites.

Symphoria

SATURDAY, JUNE 20 FIRST DAY OF SUMMER See Digital Resources

TUESDAY, JUNE 30

Website: experiencesymphoria.org/media.

See Digital Resources

Website: sciencenter.org/programs.

The Sciencenter

The Strong Museum of Play

Website: museumofplay.org/education/ play-at-home-activities.

Utica Zoo

Website: uticazoo.org/kazoo.

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NATIONAL America’s Test Kitchen Kids

Website: americastestkitchen.com/kids/home.

FACEBOOK Captain Jack for Hire

Facebook page: facebook.com/captainjackcny.

Khan Academy

Jeff the Magic Man

Museum tours

Lincoln Center

Website: khanacademy.org. Website: artsandculture.google.com/partner.

PGA Tour Links to Learning

Calendar listings are

FREE!

Facebook page: facebook.com/jeffthemagicman1.

Send information about your familyfriendly event to: courtneyk@family timescny.com.

Facebook page: facebook.com/pg/ LincolnCenterNYC.

Website: pgatour.com/links-to-learning.html.

Storyline Online

Website: storylineonline.net.

LISTINGS ARE DUE BY JUNE 5 FOR THE JULY ISSUE.

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North Syracuse Central School District

Early Education Program

NOW ENROLLING FOR THE SUMMER & 2020/2021 SCHOOL YEAR!

Let’s talk about your child’s future! While tours of our school are not able to happen until social distancing protocols are lifted, our Admissions team is ready to meet with you online via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype or Facetime. We can also just talk on the phone. Visit our website to request a meeting:

www.faithheritageschool.org Now Enrolling grades PreK—12 Space is limited! 315-469-7777

• Focus on Kindergarten readiness skills & social emotional development • Healthy snack served daily Teachers & Teaching • Indoor and Outdoor Assistants. On-site RN & Motor Areas LPN staff. • Integrated Preschool for 3 & 4 year olds • Full & Half Day Classes Available 205 S. Main St., N. Syracuse • 315-218-2222 • www.nscsd.org/main.cfm FAMILY TIMES JUNE 2020

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