Initially, the low-FODMAP diet is very restrictive: The idea is to cut out all FODMAPs before slowly reintroducing some to determine which you can tolerate. Its important to work with your health team when making any dietary change to avoid nutritional deficiencies.

Dairy is a tricky one: Lactose intolerance can be perceived as a flare of ulcerative colitis, says Dr. Hong. One of the things we recommend is if youre feeling unwell with things youre eating, try cutting out the dairy. If that does help, then maybe get tested for lactose intolerance, which is an easy test to do and is warranted.

Even if you dont think youre lactose intolerant, theres another reason consuming dairy could make you feel sick. Lactose is a FODMAP, which might explain why it gives you G.I. symptoms. Everyone reacts to FODMAPs differently, so its worth getting tested for lactose intolerance and working through the process of elimination with your medical team.

Ulcerative colitis is not the same as celiac disease, in which gluten triggers the immune system to attack the small intestine. However, some research indicates that people with ulcerative colitis are more likely to also have celiac disease. Alternatively, you might have gluten sensitivity, meaning you dont have an immune response to gluten but find it causes symptoms including bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fatigue, all of which can also be symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

A 2014 Inflammatory Bowel Diseases study surveyed 314 people with an IBDincluding 122 people with ulcerative colitisand found that 56.5% reported less bloating while on a gluten-free diet. In addition, 42.6% reported less diarrhea, 41.5% reported less abdominal pain, and 38.3% reported that they had fewer, and less severe, flare-ups.

But dont start tossing out your favorite cereal just yet. A high-FODMAP carbohydrate called fructan is in many of the same foods as gluten. So cutting out gluten means youre eliminating many FODMAP foods too, which can be too much of a change to just take on by yourself.

As with all of these foods, its a matter of trial and error, and working with a professional can help you figure out whats going on as safely as possible. We dont recommend gluten avoidance per se, and theres no evidence that gluten worsens IBD, says Dr. Hong. If someones having symptoms, well go down the list and try avoiding gluten, try avoiding FODMAPs, and if they seem to respond, then well go down that path.

Alcohol stimulates your intestines, which can make diarrhea worse. Plus, the high sugar content in many types of alcohol could also cause diarrhea. In addition, researchers believe the additive sulfite, found in beer, wine, and lager, may worsen symptoms, rather than the alcohol itselfwhich brings us to the last item on this list.

Researchers have studied the impacts of additives on people with ulcerative colitis. Its important to mention that research on these additives is preliminarymost have been conducted on animals and the results in mice wouldnt necessarily replicate in humans. Its a big area of study because additives are so prevalent in modern foods, Dr. Hong says. But there isnt some strong evidence saying, These are absolutely out-and-out bad for you. But there are thoughts that they could be bad.

Weve already mentioned sulfites, which manufacturers often use to lengthen the shelf life of products, including burgers, soft drinks made from concentrate, sausages, canned goods, meats, fish, and dried fruit. Experts theorize sulfites damage bacteria that promote gut health.

See the original post:
The 6 Types of Foods to Avoid With Ulcerative Colitis - Self

Houston, TX Brighter Bites, a Houston-based nonprofit that provides underserved families with fresh produce and nutrition education to improve health outcomes, today announced it has received an additional $1.5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to expand programming in diverse communities throughout the country. The grant will support Brighter Bites ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic and nutrition crisis by fueling growth in Houston, Dallas, Austin, the Washington, D.C. metro area, New York City, and Florida, as well as expansion to Brighter Bites first city in California.

The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn have exacerbated the worst hunger and nutrition crisis in recent history. Health disparities in nutrition and obesity have manifested in minority groups that face hurdles to accessing healthy, affordable food experiencing disproportionate rates of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths from Covid-19.

Access to healthy food builds the foundation for good health in communities, said Eileen Hyde, director of sustainability, food systems and food access for Walmart.org. Our goal is to improve peoples ability to more consistently consume nutritious food, and were thrilled to support Brighter Bites who work every day to do just that.

This summer the organization experienced a 2,000% increase in demand for services compared to the same time period last year and has been forced to pivot operations in order to safely bring its three-part program back to schools this fall.

This school year Brighter Bites will enroll nearly 30,000 underserved families in the program across 126 schools nationwide. Each week, participating families will receive specially curated boxes filled with 20-25 pounds of 8-12 different produce items, along with nutrition education materials and recipes to help families prepare healthy meals together at home.

Brighter Bites traditionally utilizes a volunteer co-op model with parent and community volunteers helping to bag the bulk produce on school campuses. However, due to safety concerns the organization is now paying distributors to pre-package the produce into individual cardboard boxes for families to receive via carpool lines. Brighter Bites is also ramping up its work with farmers to facilitate the recovery and distribution of fresh, high-quality produce that would otherwise go to waste.

Brighter Bites is incredibly grateful for the Walmart Foundations ongoing support, especially at a time when an unprecedented number of families are struggling to put fresh, immune-boosting food on the table, said Rich Dachman, Brighter Bites CEO. This grant provides the resources we need to rapidly innovate in order to safely bring our program back to schools this fall without missing a beat.

And whereas before Brighter Bites staff would distribute printed nutrition education materials to families at in-person events, this year the entire process will be streamlined with families scanning a QR code on their produce boxes to access all of the corresponding recipes, tip sheets, and materials via the new Brighter Bites Mobile App. Brighter Bites will also be conducting virtual cooking demonstrations, and engaging with families at a higher level through online channels and social media.

Through third-party research partnership with the UTHealth School of Public Health, Brighter Bites is able to demonstrate impact in terms of improving families nutrition and long-term health. A few topline statistics that UTHealth researchers reported from last school year include:

Of the families who participated in Brighter Bites over the 2019-2020 school year, 99% of parents reported their family ate more fruits and veggies during the program, while 97% reported continuing to eat more produce on their own during the summer after.

As compared to the shopping and consumption habits of families at baseline, by the end of the spring participating families reported a significant decrease in the amount of added sugars consumed, as well as a significant increase in eating produce-heavy meals together at home.

About Brighter Bites:

With the mission of creating communities of health through fresh food, Brighter Bites ultimate goal is to increase access to and sustainable consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduce health disparities among populations that are particularly vulnerable to obesity and diet-related diseases. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites hasdistributedmore than40million pounds of produce andmillionsof nutrition education materials to more than475,000 individuals (including teachers) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, and Southwest Florida. To learn more about Brighter Bites visitBrighterBites.org.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.orgworks to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visitwww.walmart.orgor find us on Twitter @walmart.org.

Read more:
Brighter Bites Receives Walmart Foundation Grant to Expand Access to Fresh Produce and Nutrition Education Across Schools this Fall - PerishableNews

As Americans brace for a winter marked by COVID-19, social distancing and the usual cold weather that spreads across much of the country, health experts are cautioning that seasonal depression could be amplified as 2020 winds to a close.

The year has already been marred by mental health hurdles, but as temperatures start dropping and sunlight begins to wane, people might have even less incentive to get out of the house safely. That presents a challenge for the roughly 5 percent of Americans that deal with seasonal depression.

Properly known as seasonal affective disorder, the type of depression is characterized by the changing of seasons and is linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain brought on by less sunlight, most commonly beginning in fall and lasting through the winter.

It is more common among women, young adults and those who live further from the equator, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Coronavirus Watch newsletter:Sign up for daily updates in your inbox

What are symptoms of seasonal depression?

Seasonal affective disorder shares many of the same symptoms of depression, per the American Psychiatric Association:

Sadness

Loss of interest in activities that one previously enjoyed

Changes in appetite or eating habits

Changes in sleep

Loss of energy

In more severe cases, thoughts of suicide

In a winter that expects to bring increased isolation and stress, those symptoms could certainly be worsened by the pandemic.

Theres less activity, theres less socialization, there are less mastery activities, there are less pleasurable activities, so in general there is an increase in depression, not to mention job losses and losses of people, said Dr. Lata McGinn, professor of psychology at Yeshiva University and co-founder of Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants. A combination of all those things, I think, would put us more at risk this winter.

Chilly temps, dark skies could mean 'a further reduction in activities'

Of course, emotional challenges are nothing new to 2020. The pandemic has already yielded an increase in mental health issues and the ongoing presidential election cycle offers little reprieve.

But some of the safer ways for Americans to escape the house like having a socially distanced gathering in a park or going on a hike could soon fall victim to chilly temperatures and dark skies.

"The concern is that feeling of isolation potentially heightening during the winter months," Dr. Adam Borland, a clinical psychologist with the Cleveland Clinic.

That lack of physical mobility, compounded by the stress and unpredictability of the pandemic, expects to be another hurdle in the final months of 2020.

We know that anxiety increases with uncertainty, so you already are anxious, McGinn said. Combine that with the upcoming reduction in activities one experiences in the winter. Combined with that theres now the threat of the pandemic, which not only increases anxiety, but also might create less of a desire to do things It could be a further reduction in activities.

Some social behaviors and mastery activities activities that involve the usage and development of skills and talents, like working out at a gym have already been changed or stopped altogether.

Coping with seasonal depression: Support systems, 'activity diet' are key

It's important to find ways to stay social and active throughout the winter, experts say.

It might mean several more months of video chats and phone calls, but maintaining a strong support system with friends, family or a spouse can be a key coping tool as we trudge through the winter, Borland said.

The same goes for staying active and exercising. For those residing in colder climates, Borland said it's best to get into an exercise routine now, before the cold really starts to settle in.

And whether they are physical exercises or not, McGinn suggests making a concerted effort to keep up a healthy "activity diet," which can build upon skills and yield a sense of accomplishment.

"If your (COVID-19) risk ratio makes you uncomfortable and you have a hard time doing that, then make sure you create enough activities that would help you go outside the house, even if it is winter, and go out in the daylight as much as possible," McGinn said.

Another treatment option promoted by psychologists is light therapy, which uses a machine that mimics sunlight in an indoor setting like an office or a bedroom. The therapy is said to ease symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic.

When to seek help

Much like other mental health issues, it's important not to self-diagnose seasonal affective disorder, but if you're beginning to feel symptoms, at what point should you reach out for help?

When you begin to recognize that the symptoms that youre dealing with negatively affect your day-to-day functioning," Borland said. "Whether its relationships, whether its work, but you notice OK, this has gone from something being just minor to something potentially more significant."

A diagnosis for seasonal affective disorder is not necessary until symptoms are experienced in two consecutive years, per the National Institute of Health, but help is still available for those who need it.

This year, given everything that weve been dealing with, were a bit more encouraging of people reaching out," he said.

The American Psychiatric Association encourages anyone feeling severe symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts to contact a doctor immediately or seek help at the closest emergency room. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 800-273-TALK (8255) or via online chat.

Excerpt from:
Seasonal depression may hit a new low in 2020, experts say. Heres how to handle it. - Fall River Herald News

Water experts at the UK's University of Birmingham say they have designed a low-energy and high-efficiency means of purifying water for Indias rural farming communities, which could allow farmers to safely use high-saline groundwater and wastewater to grow crops.

Working in Gujarat, scientists in the Birmingham-led India-H2O project have used emerging membrane technologies that allow saline groundwater and domestic/industrial wastewaters to be safely and efficiently recycled.

Based on fieldwork in the village of Lodhwa, which confirmed the poor quality and availability of water in the region, scientists believe they have now designed a system that can recover 80 per cent of the unusable groundwater-fed into it producing usable water with low energy consumption.

India-H2O is developing, designing and demonstrating low-cost water treatment systems for saline groundwater and for domestic and industrial wastewaters in Gujarat, where over-extraction and pollution of groundwater makes it more and more difficult to access clean water, said Philip Davies, Professor of Water Technology at the University of Birmingham.

Combining novel engineering solutions with new reverse- and forward-osmosis membrane technologies should substantially reduce energy consumption allowing efficient operation of these systems in rural India using solar energy. They should increase the amount of drinking water extracted from groundwater by 50 per cent, he said.

His team is also developing ways of growing special crops using the brine solution produced as a result of desalination, as well as progressing plant-based treatments to recycle domestic wastewater and developing solar-energy to break down pollutants in industrial wastewater.

The new technology should enable cultivation of halophytic crops salt-tolerant plants usually found in areas such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs and seashores. Some of these species are high yield and nutritious, with important potential to supplement diet, the university said.

Novel use of halophytic plants in an integrated water management system to eliminate harmful brine discharges and produce commercial crops will represent significant progress in water management in India. Such crops are rarely commercialised in India and little is known about the native species and their potential for use with desalination brines, added Prof. Davies.

Groundwater is the major source of water across India, with 85 per cent of the population dependent on it. Much of this groundwater, however, is of poor quality and water below 60 per cent of Indias countryside is too saline for human consumption or conventional agriculture. Over-extraction and pollution of groundwater are also making it more difficult to access clean water.

Over the next decade, the number of people affected by severe water shortages is expected to increase fourfold. Of the 2,700 billion m3 hike in water demand forecast for 2030, some 468 billion m3 (17 per cent) is expected to occur in India.

Desalination of brackish water and recycling of wastewater hold potential to fill the widening gap, but the cost of energy and the investment in equipment required for desalination and recycling has limited implementation of these technologies so far, the university experts note.

The India-H2O consortium comprises 18 participating organisations from across the European Union (EU) and India, including universities, research institutes, industries and NGOs.

Consortium members have been working in teams, each dedicated to a specific work package for example groundwater desalination, phytoremediation, industrial systems, control systems, water governance, and business development.

Continued here:
UK university research offers water purification solutions for Indian farmers - Deccan Herald

IF you're looking to lose weight without having to cut down your portion sizes then you might want to try Slimming World.

The popular diet lets you have the occasional treat - and doesn't promote calorie counting. So how does it work?

4

The Slimming World diet is run by a Derbyshire-based weight loss company created by Margaret Miles-Bramwell in 1969.

It focuses on a diet of Food Optimising, where members are given a list of Syn Free food, that can be eaten in unlimited amounts.

Syns are short for synergy as the Free Foods, Healthy Extras and Syns all add up to effective weight loss.

The programme encourages dieters to swap high-fat foods for low-fat foods that are naturally filling.

You can get support from fellow slimmers at weekly group meetings and follow an exercise plan to become gradually more active through their Body Magic initiative.

The Slimming World diet is designed to help you lose about 1-2 pounds a week and currently has around 900,000 members attending each week.

4

The Slimming World diet involves dieters choosing food from a list of low-fat foods theycall Free Foods, such as fruit, vegetables, pasta, potatoes, rice, lean meat, fish and eggs.

These foods can be eaten in unlimited amounts.

Theres no calorie counting, no foods are banned, and youre still allowed the occasional treat.

While no foods are off limits, some of the restricted, known as Syns, have values attached.

Many of the Syns (also known as synergy) items are treat items, but some can be Healthy Extras allowing you to increase portion sizes.

Users get a total number of daily Syns they can consume, which can be calculated through specific weight loss plans.

Mostly this ranges from around five to 15 a day.

Examples of Syns are a glass of wine of a piece of chocolate.

Healthy Extras include milk and cheese for calcium, wholemeal bread and breakfast cereals for fibre and other essential minerals, and nuts and seeds for healthy oils.

To join a Slimming World group, dieters have to pay.

There are special offers for new members including half price membership when you join a real-life group.

Then pay just 9.95 on week one and 4.95 per week after that.

There are also discounts for senior citizens, who pay just 4.65.

If you join a group with four of your friends or family members and you all get your first week free, then it's5 on week one and 4.95 per week after that.

Teenagers aged 11-15 also get free Slimming World membership when theyre accompanied by a fee-paying parent/guardian.

There are alternative plans available for those who wish to follow online instead of group sessions.

4

The BDA says that while the meal plans may lack some flexibility, they are generally balanced.

The group meetings encourage members to share successes, ideas and recipes with each other, but they may not appeal to everyone.

However, without learning about calories and portion sizes, you may struggle to make healthy choices once youve left the programme.

No foods are banned, so meals offer balance and variety and are family-friendly.

The portion size from each food group will vary depending on which plan you follow.

The short answer is yes, but only to follow a healthy diet and to stay physically active, rather than for weight loss.

Slimming World says it doesn't advise women change their weight during pregnancy.

As part of their policy, it says that ant member who wishes to continue to follow the programme during their pregnancy is required to gain the support of their midwife.

Consultants are also asked to support pregnant members in maintaining a healthy balanced diet to manage their weight safely, as advised by her midwife.

Slimming World hasworked in collaboration with the Royal College of Midwives to develop their policy on the best way to support our members in managing their weight during pregnancy.

4

Slimming World groups were forced to close in mid-March due to the coronavirus lockdown and moved to emergency virtual groups.

But the doors reopened in August and members were invited back to 'real-life groups' with extra safety measures.

A maximum of 25-30 members were allowed in each group with sessions lasting around 45 minutes.

To help maintain social distancing, members are asked to let their consultant know which sessions they will be attending.

There are also one-way systems to move around the room, hand sanitisers and wipes, as well as markers on the floor.

'Sneeze screens' were introduced to keep people at a safe distance on the scales, while seats are placed at 1m apart.

Members are also asked to wear a face covering and bring their own drink and pen.

Shoes must be kept on while at the scales, with members advised to stick to wearing the same pair for now.

Consultants and members are also asked to wipe down their own chair at the end of each meeting.

According to Slimming World, members lose eight per cent of their body weight in six months, and 13 per cent in a year.

Former Casualty actress Rebecca Wheatley was named Slimming World's Woman of the Year in 2005, after losing more than half her weight.

The 5ft 11in star lost a whopping12 stone, droppingfrom a size 32 to a size 12 in two years following being ashamed of how she looked at her wedding.

A mother of two who feared she would not live to see her children grow up because she was so heavy has lost more than half her body weight in just ten months.

Another mum, June Adams, lost 6st after a spa snap of herself reminded her of Shreks Princess Fiona.

Determined to beat the bulge, she saw an advert for Slimming World and signed up straight away and 18 months later dropped six dress sizes and lost an incredible 6st 7.5lbs.

And a size 18 woman dropped five stone in time for her wedding day, and has since shown off her dramatic transformation.

In September 2018, dieters on the Slimming World programme were left outraged after the company scrapped Muller yogurts from their list of Syn Free foods.

It's now rated as 1 Syn per pot, meaning that followers of the diet aren't able to snack on as many as they want.

In 2018, Slimming World introduced a raft of changes to its food valuing system.

Dieters were told they get an additional Healthy Extra "A" choice each day on the Extra Easy plan, as well as an increase in the amount of whole cow's milk.

But dairy-free drinks like rice and almond milk were decreased to 400ml, while reduced-fat/light soft cheese and soft goats cheese were no longer be classed as Healthy Extras.

And due to new nutritional information, a handful of Free Foods that were previously labelled as P (or protein-rich), such as baked beans, broad beans, mung beans and all varieties of peas (except split peas), were longer marked in this way.

However, these foods were still classed as Free, meaning they can be enjoyed without weighing, counting or measuring.

To further boost the weight loss of those slimmers following the Extra Easy SP plan, the maximum number of Syns was slashed from 15 a day to just ten.

Dieters were rocked by claims the popular "low fat" sausageswere nine timesworse for them than initially thought.

Slimming World said Porky Lights should be counted as 4.5 Syn points each instead of just 0.5 meaning thousands of dieters have been unknowingly breaking their strict diets.

The healthy banger was a massive hit among the900,000 members of the diet clubdue to claims they only contained 2.5g of fat.

These aren't the only Slimming World controversies to dominate the headlines.

The popular dieting brandtook legal action when Asda launched Slimzone ready meals which could be eaten "when following the Slimming World Extra Easy Plan".

The supermarket giant has since removed the meals from the shelves.

Read more here:
How does Slimming World work and how much is it to join? - The Scottish Sun

Continuing to try to stay safely distanced from others but also stay engaged and involved in activities that harvest joy, Daniel Island resident Jacqueline Gowe has taken her affinity with gardening and her strong sense of stewardship to the environment and has tied the two loves together with a colorful artistic creation.

Gowe was inspired early on in the pandemic to take out her embroidery needle and start a project of embroidering small vignettes of the many flowers growing in her own backyard.

I love all needle work from crocheting to knitting to sewing, but embroidery, to me, is the most fulfilling because it allows me to harness my creative energy. It is like painting with thread, Gowe said. I love to decide on a subject, draw what it is I want to embroider, choose the palette and the materials to repurpose. I find the process very satisfying. Since I get bored easily, the choice of embroidering small images of flowers allows me the gratification of seeing the project come to fruition quickly.

The inspiration for Gowes flowers comes from the garden shes cultivated over the years, which is all organic, so they pair nicely with the recycled canvas: repurposed denim from her kids outgrown jeans. From her rain barrels and composting bins to her no-plastic living, her all-organic diet to her hybrid vehicle, Gowe is a true environmentalist with admirable habits of reducing, reusing and recycling as a lifestyle.

Gowe embroiders on denim because it was what was on hand during the pandemic.

I had lots of jeans that my children had grown out of stashed away in a closet. I was going to donate them but, in the end, I found that I love working on denim, it is a perfect material, she said. Each piece of denim is unique due to the different washes the different colors of denim add interest.

First, Gowe sketches her flowers directly on the denim in pencil from a photo she has taken, she goes over the sketch and draws a more definitive motif in ink. Thus far, Gowes collection of flowers includes echinacea, Jewel of Opar, crocosmia, rudbeckia or black-eyed Susans, sunflowers, and stokes aster as well as some annuals such as zinnia and cosmos.

Gowes garden is as abundant as it is colorful lots of vegetables, tomatoes, basil and cucumbers fill the area of the garden the Gowe family affectionately call la fattorina the little farm.

The farm kept me busy all spring and into the summer. I love growing things to eat but I also love flowers, especially native flowers and my garden is filled with them, Gowe said.

Gowes gardening doesnt end as we head into the fall months. Shes excited to be planting fall crops of tomato, broccoli rabe, fall squashes and of course more beautiful flowers to serve as her muse.

Eventually, she said, the denim squares embroidered with flowers will be sewn together, to make a flowers of the garden during the pandemic quilt to serve as reminder of the days that turned into weeks and months spent alone with my family, each of us doing our best to remain positive and find ways to use our time well.

Originally posted here:
Sewing the seeds of a beautiful garden - Daniel Island News

If you feel that your winter slump is actually turning into seasonal depression, heres how you can find out. Susana Victoria Perez (@susana_vp) has more.

As Americans brace for a winter marked by COVID-19, social distancing and the usual cold weather that spreads across much of the country, health experts are cautioning that seasonal depression could be amplified as 2020 winds to a close.

The year has already been marred by mental health hurdles, but as temperatures start dropping and sunlight begins to wane, people might have even less incentive to get out of the house safely. That presents a challenge for the roughly 5 percent of Americanswho deal with seasonal depression.

Properly known as seasonal affective disorder, the type of depression is characterized by the changing of seasons and is linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain brought on by less sunlight,most commonly beginning in fall and lasting through the winter.

Itis more common among women, young adults and those who live further from the equator, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Coronavirus Watch newsletter: Sign up for daily updates in your inbox

Seasonal affective disordershares many of the same symptoms of depression, per the American Psychiatric Association:

In a winter that is expectedto bring increased isolation and stress, those symptoms could certainly be worsened by the pandemic.

Theres less activity, theres less socialization, there are less mastery activities, there are less pleasurable activities, so in general there is an increase in depression, not to mention job losses and losses of people, said Dr. Lata McGinn, professor of psychology at Yeshiva University and co-founder of Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants. A combination of all those things, I think, would put us more at risk this winter.

Preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role

Of course, emotional challenges are nothing new to 2020. The pandemic has already yielded an increase in mental health issues,and the ongoingpresidential election cycle offers little reprieve.

But some of the safer ways for Americans to escape the houselike having a socially distanced gathering in a park or going on a hike could soon fall victim to chilly weather and dark skies.

"The concern is that feeling of isolation potentially heightening during the winter months," said Dr. Adam Borland, a clinical psychologist with the Cleveland Clinic.

Thatlack of physical mobility, compounded by the stress and unpredictability of the pandemic, is expectedto be another hurdle in the final months of 2020.

We know that anxiety increases with uncertainty, so you already are anxious, McGinn said. Combine that with the upcoming reduction in activities one experiences in the winter. Combined with that theres now the threat of the pandemic, which not only increases anxiety, but also might create less of a desire to do things It could be a further reduction in activities.

Some social behaviors and mastery activities activities that involve the usage and development of skills and talents,like working out at agym have already been changed or stopped altogether.

It's important to find ways to stay social and active throughout the winter, experts say.

It might mean several more months of video chats and phone calls, but maintaining a strong support system with friends, family or a spouse can be a key coping tool as we trudge through the winter, Borland said.

The same goes for staying active and exercising. For those residing in colder climates, Borland said it's best to get into an exercise routine now, before the cold really starts to settle in.

And whether they are physical exercises or not, McGinn suggests making a concerted effort to keep up a healthy "activity diet," which can build upon skills and yield a sense of accomplishment.

"If your (COVID-19) risk ratio makes you uncomfortable and you have a hard time doing that, then make sure you create enough activities that would help you go outside the house, even if it is winter, and go out in the daylight as much as possible," McGinn said.

Another treatment option promoted by psychologists is light therapy, which uses a machine that mimics sunlight in an indoor setting like an office or a bedroom. The therapy is said to ease symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Much like other mental health issues, it's important not to self-diagnose seasonal affective disorder, but if you're beginning to feel symptoms, at what point should you reach out for help?

When you begin to recognize that the symptoms that youre dealing with negatively affect your day-to-day functioning," Borland said. "Whether its relationships, whether its work, but you notice OK, this has gone from something being just minor to something potentially more significant."

A diagnosis for seasonal affective disorder is not necessary until symptoms are experienced in two consecutive years, per the National Institute of Health, but help is still available for those who need it.

This year, given everything that weve been dealing with, were a bit more encouraging of people reaching out," he said.

The American Psychiatric Association encourages anyone feeling severe symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts to contact a doctor immediately or seek help at the closest emergency room. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at800-273-TALK (8255) or via online chat.

Study: Air pollution could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or other neurological disorders

House hunting?Home prices are held down by COVID-19 in big cities while climbing sharply in less crowded areas

Follow Jay Cannon of USA TODAY on Twitter: @JayTCannon

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Seasonal depression could be amplified in 2020, experts say. Here's how to handle it. - USA TODAY