Welcome to Family Health Matters, Your Guide to Well-Being!

In this issue you will read about keeping your family healthy as we see upticks in Covid-19 cases in multiple states, along with new variants of the virus. The good news is the expanding rollout of highly efficacious Covid-19 vaccines. It’s important to continue to follow health guidelines and recommendations, to protect our loved ones and the most vulnerable people in our communities.

If you and your family are spending more time at home these days, why not relish the opportunity to have everyone in your household together in one place for a change, by focusing on healthy nutrition and keeping fit.

Eating Mediterranean-style is a delicious, healthy way to keep everyone’s diet on track — with fresh fruits and vegetables, energy-boosting proteins and healthy fats (“That Looks Delicious”). Turn your kitchen into a family-gathering place with everyone engaged in meal prep and getting the culinary creativity flowing.

Get everyone off the couch. Encourage your family to postpone social media and binge-watching long enough to work in some fun, heart-healthy moves, to help negate the effects of way too much sedentary time (“Make the Right Moves”). Exercise at home or outdoors (following the appropriate mask-wearing and social-distancing guidelines).

Also read about new options for healthcare visits with your provider (“The New Medicine”), finding out if you have Covid-19 (“Testing, Testing …”) and ways to take charge of your health (“A Healthy New Reality”).

Keep abreast of Covid-19 vaccine deployment, get your shot when the vaccine becomes available to you (“Shots of Hope”), and take the safety of your family and community into account as you consider spring and summer travel plans (“Travel on Your Mind?”).

Stay well, and enjoy your times with your loved ones.