JoannaBe's recent activity

  1. Comment on Suggestions for updating a fitness tracker? in ~tech

    JoannaBe
    Link
    I went from a Fitbit Charge 3 to Garmin Vivosmart 5. Overall the transition was very smooth, and the new fitness tracker for me has all it needs. No it does not have GPS independent of cell phone...

    I went from a Fitbit Charge 3 to Garmin Vivosmart 5. Overall the transition was very smooth, and the new fitness tracker for me has all it needs. No it does not have GPS independent of cell phone but my understanding is that that tends to use up battery. I turned off the Pulse Ox feature because I do not need it and it also is known to drain battery faster. That said I cannot tell you how long my battery lasts because I always top off the charge while I am under the shower and that is enough charging for it. The sleep tracking people claim is more accurate with Fitbit but I find that while it is harder to get a good sleep score with garmin but when I do get a good garmin sleep score I actually feel better whereas I thought Fitbit sometimes gave me a good sleep score when I did not feel like I had gotten good enough sleep. Step counting and calorie counting and HR are similar enough. I absolutely love the Body Battery feature in the garmin that estimates how many percent of energy I have left today, whether I can spend more energy or need to rest to recharge myself. The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is a thin band much like the Fitbit Charge, and I interact with it mostly via the app on my phone.

    1 vote

  2. Comment on Where do you stand on climate change? in ~talk

    JoannaBe
    Link
    I believe in science, and thus yes, I believe that humans are responsible for global warming, and we are irresponsible not doing enough to reverse it, so that we are creating a significantly worse...

    I believe in science, and thus yes, I believe that humans are responsible for global warming, and we are irresponsible not doing enough to reverse it, so that we are creating a significantly worse world for our children.

    Like you, I know people who are smart and educated, and yet are climate change deniers and believe in conspiracy theories and not in science. I do not know how to reconcile this. My own father has a PhD in engineering and yet believes that this climate change is just like before a warming after an ice age. I think it is denial and wishful thinking, part of it is a belief in human progress and that we are right and cannot have been that wrong I think, and part of it is a weird combination of both wanting a better world for the next generation (wishful thinking) while also holding on to old fashioned values and beliefs (and denying that this can harm the next generation).

    2 votes

  3. Comment on I have severe and persistent mental illness. I now work as a public mental health professional. Ask me anything. in ~health.mental

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    Having been a mother of small kids (who are now teens) with mental health issues and a supportive husband who made all the difference, here are some thoughts: When the child is still a baby and...

    Having been a mother of small kids (who are now teens) with mental health issues and a supportive husband who made all the difference, here are some thoughts:

    When the child is still a baby and not sleeping through the night, making sure that at least one feeding and diaper change at night is handled by the father so that mother can get more uninterrupted sleep. Note this can work even when breastfeeding with pumping and bottle feeding breast milk once a night.

    Share child care duties, make sure mother is not doing all or most of the child care.

    Provide mother plenty of opportunities for me time - where father takes child for a walk or encourages mother to go out on her own to get a break.

    If mental issues get bad, seeking out professional help may be in order. therapy and/or antidepressant.

    Encourage mother to seek out her friends. Also make friends with other families with little kids ideally.

    Support network is important. For some people church can help or another community organization designed to provide peer support.

    4 votes

  4. Comment on I, like many of you came from Reddit. But what brought you to Reddit? in ~tech

    JoannaBe
    (edited )
    Link
    I started out on MicroMuse which was an object oriented text only environment built by academics mostly for students, then for a while I participated in a usenet listserv about orchids until I had...

    I started out on MicroMuse which was an object oriented text only environment built by academics mostly for students, then for a while I participated in a usenet listserv about orchids until I had kids and found that I no longer had time and enrgy for my orchid hobby, for a while I was very active on dreamviews forums about lucid dreaming and dream interpretation and even became a moderator there but left over internal politics issues among moderators, then I was quite active in an aquarium forum but left that because of very heavy handed censorship by moderating team. Before I joined Reddit I was active on The Experience Project and when EP shut down I felt lost for a while. I am still active on Reddit, in fact I am one of the moderators of the subreddit EOOD which stands for Exercise Out Of Depression and our subreddit did not participate in the blackout because we felt we needed to stay available for our users who struggle with mental health issues. I joined Tildes as a backup though because I do not want to be lost like I was when the Experience Project shut down so having additional online community that is not Reddit based seemed wise.

  5. Comment on What are some antiquated things that most people still do out of a force of habit, or that are now unnecessary but have lasted culturally? in ~talk

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    Are you a sibling I did not know I had LOL. My mother is like that too.

    Are you a sibling I did not know I had LOL. My mother is like that too.

    1 vote

  6. Comment on Heat sensitivity/intolerance in ~health

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    Yup, the mosquitos not being bad yet is certainly a plus :). And you are right the humidity really makes the problem much worse.

    Yup, the mosquitos not being bad yet is certainly a plus :). And you are right the humidity really makes the problem much worse.

  7. Comment on Heat sensitivity/intolerance in ~health

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    This year I had many medical tests done, and thus am confident that I am not diabetic luckily. Good thought though to get checkup done - in my case though I have been overanalyzed by doctors this...

    This year I had many medical tests done, and thus am confident that I am not diabetic luckily. Good thought though to get checkup done - in my case though I have been overanalyzed by doctors this year so far and it was established that I am not diabetic, that my heart is strong, that my brain looks fine on a CT scan and an EEG showed no concerns either. The only issues they found were high blood pressure (now on meds for it), high cholesterol (now reduced a lot through combination of statin and nutritional improvements and exercise and weight loss - though I was never overweight technically but now I am about 10lbs less than in early April), depression and anxiety, mild sleep apnea (now on CPAP), plus as I said I am perimenopausal which may actually be related to almost everything else.

    4 votes

  8. Comment on Heat sensitivity/intolerance in ~health

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    Well, I am 5’7” and currently weigh 141lbs which is well within normal for my height but I am calorie counting and my goal weight is 135lbs — somehow though I doubt that loosing those last 6lbs...

    Well, I am 5’7” and currently weigh 141lbs which is well within normal for my height but I am calorie counting and my goal weight is 135lbs — somehow though I doubt that loosing those last 6lbs will make that much difference in how well I handle heat but I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

    6 votes

  9. Comment on Heat sensitivity/intolerance in ~health

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    Oh yes, 80 fahernheit is also not all that hot here as well which is why I was surprised by how much it affected me. Thanks for several good ideas. Yes, I have cut my hair short recently. And I...

    Oh yes, 80 fahernheit is also not all that hot here as well which is why I was surprised by how much it affected me.

    Thanks for several good ideas. Yes, I have cut my hair short recently. And I restarted meditating yesterday because my anxiety has been high but it takes a while for meditation to start to help so I need to keep it up. Good idea about watermelon, too, I will go to buy it soon.

    2 votes

  10. Comment on Heat sensitivity/intolerance in ~health

    JoannaBe
    Link Parent
    That is a good point, and yes it is humid here in the DC area

    That is a good point, and yes it is humid here in the DC area

    5 votes

  11. Heat sensitivity/intolerance

    ~health Ask
    So it is 80 degrees fahrenheit here today which usually would not be an issue for me but today I was too hot and sweaty. I am perimenopausal (49 years old) and I knew that could mess with heat...

    So it is 80 degrees fahrenheit here today which usually would not be an issue for me but today I was too hot and sweaty. I am perimenopausal (49 years old) and I knew that could mess with heat tolerance. What I had not realized until today is that heat intolerance is also a side effect of many blood pressure medicines, antidepressants and allergy meds. And I am on all of those now.

    I have just ordered some gadget that is a fan that goes around my neck and can be recharged via USB which seemed worth trying. And of course I will drink plenty of water, and try to stay in air conditioning whenever I can. Any other advice on how to deal with increased sensitivity to heat / higher heat intolerance? It is still early enough in the summer that the worst summer heat here is yet to come, so having some more tips might help me. Thanks!

    26 votes