Try This

Eat This!

Few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D, but fish and mushrooms can be a good source. Below is a recipe to try if you’d like a dinner-time boost of this beneficial vitamin.

Salmon with Mushroom Sauce

(modified from thekitchn.com)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 (6 ounce) salmon filets

• 1 pound mushrooms (cremini is a good choice)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced • Fresh thyme

• 11/2 tsps kosher salt, divided

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• 2 tbsps unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Season salmon filets on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan. Add the salmon skin-side up and sear until golden-brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes.

Transfer the salmon skin-side down to a plate (it will not be cooked through). Melt butter in the pan. Add the mushrooms and begin to brown them. Add the garlic, half the thyme leaves, and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms are tender.

Reduce the heat to medium. Return the salmon skin-side down to the pan, nestling it into the mushrooms. Cover with a lid and cook the salmon to desired doneness. Sprinkle with the remaining thyme before serving.

Take This!

When an Israeli study was published in February 2022, vitamin D made headlines. “Among individuals who had severe COVID, [researchers] did find some vitamin D deficiency in those patients,” says Nancy Fuller, APRN at Norton Healthcare. “This has led to the idea that perhaps vitamin D helps immune health as much as it helps the musculoskeletal system.” In her experience, Nancy has learned that people who don’t take a multivitamin or supplement have a fairly good chance of being in the low range or even deficient for vitamin D.

When it comes to adding a vitamin D supplement to boost overall health and reduce the chance of severe COVID, the best bet is to consider your own health baseline. “If you have some comorbidities like high blood pressure or diabetes, then doing some preventive things [like vitamin D supplementation] is going to be better for you,” Nancy says.

Do This!

Do This!There is a difference between reacting to situations and responding to situations according to Dr. Mark Schirmer, director of psychological services at Norton Behavioral Health. “Reactions are more automatic and impulsive; a response is more deliberative.”

Taking the time to sit quietly and notice your thoughts can help you become more aware of your reactions, and deliberately choose to respond rather than react. People sometimes find the practice of meditation frustrating because they expect that they won’t have thoughts at all. “It is absolutely normal to have thoughts that intrude in meditation practice. Focusing on your breath or on a sound is to give you something to focus on that is happening in the present moment,” Dr. Schirmer says.

If you are interested in meditation, Norton Healthcare is offering virtual classes throughout the summer. nortonhealthcare.com/classes-and-events

By Carrie Vittitoe

Summer 2022 / TodaysTransitions.com