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Well said, Dr. Cohen. The healthcare system isn't perfect. But we can't go backwards from where we've been and the progress we've made in helping people get access to healthcare.
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Dr. Cohen: I'm very worried we're taking steps in the wrong direction. If your rural hospital closes, that closes for everyone - not just Medicaid patients. When vaccine programs are cut, we all get a little less healthy and a little less safe. (2/2)
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Dr. Cohen: We keep talking about how taking care of yourself means having access to healthcare - and that depends on whether you have an insurance card in your wallet. The reconciliation bill's cuts means fewer people will have insurance. Fewer people will be able to go to the doctor. (1/2)
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@rweingarten.bsky.social: I was on MSNBC not long ago with @vinguptamd.bsky.social talking about the impacts of the reconciliation bill on public health, and on Medicaid and on rural hospitals. We need to talk about what this means in real terms for families.
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Dr. Mandy Cohen (continued): I say this not just as a former director of the CDC, but as a mom. Vaccines are an important tool to keeping us healthy, and we're so lucky to live in a time where we have those tools to protect ourselves and others.
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Dr. Mandy Cohen is the former director of the Centers for Disease Control. She says "We know that vaccines are critical to keeping us protected, and we're in a moment right now with a lot of misinformation. I think these forums that AFT has put together are really important."
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The overarching advice here? Talk to your doctor! Ask questions, know your family history and risk factors, and stay on top of your health.
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@vinguptamd.bsky.social: High blood pressure is the leading cause of death worldwide, and leads to other health conditions. The number 2 cause of death is smoking.
If you want to learn more about blood pressure monitoring, visit validatebp.org.
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Good tips from Dr. Cohen on wellness choices to make:
🚫If you smoke, quit smoking
🩸Get to know your blood pressure
🏃Find a way to move your body
🍎Make more healthy choices in food
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Important point on over the counter sleep aids from Dr. Cohen. While many sleep aids (like melatonin) exist, you do want to make sure to first start good sleep hygiene habits and talk to a doctor about any potential interactions of medications.
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Here are some helpful tips on how you can make incremental changes for wellness!
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This, from @vinguptamd.bsky.social: "We can't allow perfect to be the enemy of good" when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Do the best you can, and make realistic goals you can maintain.
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Right, Dr. Cohen. Wellness is not a solo activity! Wellness is a team sport, and there are supports out there for you. There are doctors and accountability buddies and tools you can use to care for yourself.
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Dr. Mandy Cohen: The small, incremental changes you can make in your life matter. This is not about perfection, this is about picking something you think you can do and being consistent. Maybe that means a more consistent bedtime. Maybe it's finding an exercise that you enjoy.
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Great point from @vinguptamd.bsky.social. For many, healthcare coverage is either insufficient or doesn't exist, making wellness more difficult.
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100%, Sherri Dayton: You must pay attention to your needs and take care of yourself. You can't care for others if you're not taking care of yourself, and you must make yourself a priority. @afthealthcare.bsky.social
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Sherri Dayton, continued: As good healthcare providers, we always put our patients first, oftentimes at the expense of our own needs. So for me, I had to start taking baby steps for my own health. Drinking more water, taking walks after work, little things and habits that make a big difference.
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Sherri Dayton, Backus Nurses (@aftct.bsky.social): When I first started in healthcare, I had about 4 patients per nurse. But as the years rolled by, I had more patients. By the time I was an RN in the ER, it was 12 patients per nurse. And that stress takes its toll on our health, physical & mental.
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@rweingarten.bsky.social: We're constantly pushing ourselves to do more with less, and we need to make sure that we're taking care of ourselves and create more wellness in our lives.
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@rweingarten.bsky.social: As we fight to keep Medicaid and Medicare functioning, and as we fight for healthcare access for all, we're doing the best we can to handle the stresses of life. And that's why we wanted to talk about this.
To take action to protect Medicaid, visit go.aft.org/BigUglyBill.
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@rweingarten.bsky.social: Wellness is a topic that we've wanted to talk about for a long time. Everywhere we look, anxiety is high about the state of the world - and we handle a lot of this in our work. What makes this tougher is a lack of public health guidance, and a broken healthcare system.
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"No one can do everything. We all can do something."
Words to live by, @rweingarten.bsky.social 👏