Health Advice with Caring For Women

DURING A PANDEMIC MENTAL WELLNESS Pregnancy and Health Advice: Ask The Expert

by Caring For Women Obstetrics & Gynecology

Pregnancy is supposed to be an exciting time. From baby showers to newborn photos, everything is geared toward celebrating your big day. However, as more information about coronavirus unfolds and plans change, there can be a wide range of thoughts, feelings and reactions.

So how can you celebrate your baby’s arrival while taking care of your physical and emotional needs during pregnancy?

Get the facts. Stay informed with the latest COVID-19 and pregnancy-specific information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keep things in perspective. Limit worry and agitation by lessening the time you spend watching or listening to upsetting media coverage. Focus on the things that are positive in your life and things you have control over.

Stay healthy. Adopt healthy habits such as frequently washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or using a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your face. Avoid contact with others who are sick and stay home as much as possible.

Maintain a healthy daily routine. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Take a shower, eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, get a good night’s sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. Try these nutrition tips to feed your mind and your body:

1. Start your day with protein

2.

Nourish your brain with fish oil

3. Don’t stop taking your prenatal supplement, especially if nursing

4.

5. Supplement with additional vitamin D

Don’t fear fat

6. Don’t skip meals

7. Avoid “naked carbs”

8. Consider making a sugar shift

9. Support your gut

10. Consider food sensitivities/allergies

Keep connected. Talk to your partner, family, or friends about how you’re feeling. Maintaining social networks can help preserve a sense of normalcy and provide valuable outlets for sharing feelings and relieving stress.

CFWDENTON.COM | OFFICES IN FRISCO • DENTON • FLOWER MOUND

JOURNEY TO DREAM

PEOPLE

ARE WILLING TO HELP

Afew months ago, Samantha Sims wasn’t sure if Journey to Dream and its homeless shelter for teenagers, Kyle’s Place, would be around to see the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

Today, they are gearing up for their biggest fundraiser of the year — and a shot at regaining normalcy.

Journey to Dream, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that has focused on helping teens avoid destructive behaviors and build healthy lives since 2004, will host the King Metal’s Invitational Golf Tournament from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 30 at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco. The organization made its announcement on April 29 that the annual event would go on as planned, and proceeds will benefit JTD and Kyle’s Place.

“A couple of months ago, everything had stopped, and everyone panicked at one time,” Sims said. She was named the JTD’s Chief Development Officer in November. “There was uncertainty, and for the first

week, I was just like everyone else. I was thinking, ‘What are we going to do now?’ But we never stopped trying.”

She added, “People are willing to help. They know that what we’ve got going at the shelter doesn’t stop.”

The golf tournament has always been a successful event for JTD, and the hope is that this year will be no exception. To ensure safety first amid coronavirus concerns while still maximizing participation, the organization will supply natural gloves, masks, and hand sanitizers to all golfers. There will also be portable hand washing stations, and Stonebriar Country Club will sanitize each cart after every use.

Registration will begin at 11:00 a.m. and Shotgun at 1:00 p.m.

“We are trying to keep all the precautions in place and still hold a fundraiser while having a good time doing it,” Sims said. “We are moving full-steam ahead and

SET TO HOST MAJOR FUNDRAISER by Steve Gamel

thinking of what else can be done.”

The King Metal’s tournament is a great way to get Journey to Dream and Kyle’s Place back to pre-coronavirus standards and help them do what they do best. JTD programs are a “safe haven” for kids challenged by destructive behaviors or feeling like they don’t fit. According to their website, an estimated 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness each year, of which 700,000 are unaccompanied minors. Most sleep in hotels, cars, parks, a friend’s sofa, or abandoned buildings.

JTD has quickly changed those statistics in Denton County. In 2009, Journey to Dream was asked by the Lewisville Independent School District to replicate its small but popular program – which founder Kim Hinkle was running at Hebron High School – in all LISD high schools. The concept exploded from there. homeless teens, including life skills training and access to community resources. From there came Kyle’s Place, a transitional living program for homeless and foster youth. Aside from giving teens a safe place to sleep and basic necessities, Kyle’s Place offers programs and the support homeless youth need to get back on their feet and succeed. Some of the services offered include a safe place to sleep, food, clothes, counseling, support groups, case management services, and more.

Long-term plans are to one day purchase a larger shelter that can serve even more kids. The current shelter is home to 14 teenagers. Sims said the new shelter could house more than 100 teenagers. Beyond the golf tournament, Sims said JTD is hard at work on several virtual fundraisers and will continue to do so in whatever way possible to give at-risk kids a place to go.

“We are going to keep moving forward,” Sims said. “Coronavirus can’t stop us. We are fighters.”

Please email Samantha Sims at samantha@ journeytodream.com for more information on this fantastic golf tournament.

WE ARE MOVING FULL-STEAM AHEAD