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There are three things that I did this past week that I would like to share with you.

First, I voted – It was the first time that I took advantage of early voting. A friend of mine told me it was easy and she was correct. The process took 25 minutes. I was initially going to do a mail-in ballot but I was nervous that my ballot would be discarded.  Once I made the decision to vote early, I did the following:

• I confirmed what identification was needed to vote – you can find this at your local board of election website.
• I brought my daughter – she needed to vote and I was not sure how long the lines would be. If the lines were long, it would give us a chance to talk. We also brought reading material.
• I wore a coat. I do not like to be cold standing on line.
• We chose to go mid-afternoon.
• I wore a mask and had hand sanitizer in my pockets just in case.
• I maintained social distancing.

If there is an opportunity to vote early where you live, please go and vote.

Second, I got my flu vaccine – Over the past few weeks, I have been recommending the flu vaccine to my patients. I explain why it is important. When they refuse, I simply document that they refused. I felt very uncomfortable insisting on anyone getting the flu vaccine since I had not received mine yet. Now, I am insisting – get your flu shot. It will not cause you to be sick and I already know it does not work 100 % of the time, but I would rather have something that works 60 % of the time than not have it at all. Getting the flu vaccine does not mean we stop doing the things we need to do to protect ourselves – I will wash my hands, I will wipe down the surfaces around me, I will take my multivitamins and I will get enough sleep.

Thirdly, I bought a 64 ounce stainless steel water bottle. I realized that I just have not been drinking as much water as I should especially the days when I am at work.  Part of the reason I was not drinking that much water at work is because I hated getting up to use the bathroom, but I do not care about that anymore. My body needs water. Our bodies depend on water. Every cell, tissue and organ in our body needs water to work properly. For example, water:

• Keeps our temperature normal
• Lubricates and cushions our joints
• Protects our spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
• Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements

Some other interesting facts:

• Among U.S. youth, plain water intake is lower in younger children, non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican-American.
• U.S. adolescents who drink less water tended to drink less milk, eat less fruits and vegetables, drink more sugar- sweetened beverages, eat more fast food and get less physical activity,
• Among U.S. adults, plain water intake is lower in older adults, lower-income adults, and those with lower education.

More information from the CDC:

Get the Facts: Drinking Water and Intake.

Water and Nutrition Basics

Think about what you are drinking. Consider water as a healthy option. Drink water.