Independent Practice: Eat Lunch with a Coworker

Consider taking time today to eat lunch with a coworker, whether you ordered takeout or brought lunch from home. As you eat together, you can share specific tastes you notice in your meal, your experiences participating in the staff activities for Mental Health Awareness Week, or other activities you do to care for yourself. 

If the sense of taste is unavailable to you, you can focus on the connection with this coworker as you eat. 

Independent Practice: Tips to Stay Hydrated

Did you know that hydration as the weather gets colder is just as important as hydration in the summer? Cooler weather can contribute to dehydration due to 

• Loss of water when breathing colder air;

• Sweating when wearing multiple layers inside; and

• Decreased blood flow due to decreased thirst response.

The National Academy of Medicine recommends that women drink about nine cups of water and men drink about thirteen cups of water daily. It's important to stay hydrated even if the sense of taste is unavailable to you. Consider these ideas to help stay hydrated as the weather gets cooler:

• Make soups for meals; 

• Heat and flavor water with citrus fruits, pomegranate, ginger, or other herbs; 

• Eat your fluids through fruits and vegetables. Choose seasonal produce such as pomegranate, winter squash, and clementine oranges. Frozen fruits and vegetables are also great to use; and

• Track your water intake by using an app or a larger water bottle to monitor hydration during the day.