To kick off National Nutrition Month, we're excited to bring you this week's nutritious recipe - the Blackberry Bliss Smoothie! 

Smoothies are perfect for fitting lots of nutrients into a delicious, easy treat. Blackberries are packed with Vitamin C and are high in fiber and manganese! Just one cup of blackberries contains half of your daily value of Vitamin C! This, coupled with the mood-boosting and potassium-rich benefits of the banana makes for a nutritious and delicious duo for your smoothie! Plus, it’s packed with protein and would make a filling breakfast or snack.

Blackberry Bliss Smoothie

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup blackberries
• 1 medium sized banana
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 2 tbsp oats
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 cup almond milk
• ⅛ tsp almond extract (for a sweet nougat flavor)
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp sliced almonds
• ½ tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

1. Add the banana and berry smoothie ingredients to your blender. If the blackberries are frozen, add a little less almond milk to start because they have a little more liquid in them. You can always add more almond milk to make it creamier.
2. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into your favorite glass or travel cup, garnish with additional blackberries, sliced banana, and sliced almonds, if desired, and enjoy!

 
Recipe via divinelifestyle.com https://divinelifestyle.com/blackberry-banana-smoothie-recipe/

March is National Nutrition Month! The month of March is all about making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Although National Nutrition Month is only one month out of the year, healthy habits are important to develop and integrate into your lifestyle year round. Food is fuel and nutrition can be truly transformative.

This March, we’re excited to share some of our favorite delicious and nutritious recipes with you on our Golden Horizons blog! To kick off the month, our first recipe is our Blackberry Bliss Smoothie. Smoothies are great ways to pack in a lot of nutrients and protein into a refreshing and yummy treat.

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate National Nutrition Month! Challenge yourself to incorporate as many of these tips as you can into your daily routine. 

• Include healthful foods from all food groups.
• Hydrate!
• Learn how to read Nutrition Facts Panels.
• Take time to enjoy your food.
• Choose healthful recipes to make throughout the week.
• Practice proper home food safety. Go through 
• Try new flavors and foods.
• Reduce/minimize food waste.
• Consult a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) to receive personalized nutrition advice to fit your unique nutritional needs. 

(Tips via eatright.org Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

Everybody is unique in their nutritional needs, so it can be a good idea to consult a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Talking to a RDN can be an accurate way to get advice on what your specific body needs more of and foods that you should steer clear of.

​Be sure to check back on our Golden Horizons blog for more nutrition tips and recipes throughout the month of March!

This Friday, February 19th, we celebrate National Caregivers’ Day! In honor of our caregivers and caregivers across the board, we would like to say THANK YOU!

The individuals who show our loved ones care and compassion should be celebrated all year.  However, National Caregivers’ Day is a great time to recognize the tireless efforts and hard work that caregivers put into their clients every day. National Caregivers’ Day is not only about celebrating the efforts of professional caregivers, but also the individuals such as spouses, family members, or friends who give aid regularly to loved ones with health problems or disabilities. Caregivers, in all contexts, are a gift to all of us. Make sure to thank a caregiver in your life this Friday! 

As of this Thursday, February 11th, Connecticut residents aged 65+ will be allowed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is a part of the vaccination rollout phase 1b and was put into action this week. Governor Ned Lamont said that vaccine providers can, effective immediately, begin booking people aged 65-74 and can use any extra vaccinations on people in this age group as well. 

To find available vaccination clinics throughout the state, residents can visit ct.gov/covidvaccine and enter their zip code. ​

To book a vaccine appointment, residents can register through the VAMS (Vaccine Administration Management System) system online. VAMS will show various clinics throughout the state that have available appointments and will allow residents to book them. To use VAMS to search for and book an appointment, go to: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccinations---VAMS-Support .

The next phase of vaccination rollout phase 1b will allow frontline essential workers and individuals with underlying medical conditions with increased risks for severe illnesses. There has been no date given yet as to when this will go into effect. 

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccination distribution plans in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.
​
If you are in need of assistance in making an appointment:
COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments Assistance Line at (877) 918-2224 (Monday – Sunday) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
You can also try the following:
Ledge Light Health District (877) 918-2224
The Town of Old Lyme has set up a Help Line to assist Old Lyme residents aged 65+ (860) 572-6246
The Old Saybrook Police Department is assisting Old Saybrook residents aged 65+ (860) 395-3142
The Westbrook Senior Center is assisting Westbrook residents (860) 399-3048. 

Want to stay up to date with the latest information on the Coronavirus and vaccination? Tune in to free The Coronavirus and Vaccine: Answers for Healthy Aging conference on Tuesday, February 9th 10-11:30am. RSVP at www.aoascc.org/forms/aact or visit the Agencies on Aging website for more information and resources. 

The Community Health Centers of Connecticut are offering free testing at multiple of their locations. There is a CHC office adjacent to the GHEC office building which offers testing for the next 3 weeks on Thursdays. Testing is fast and can be done through a walk-up or drive-up. After you are tested, you will receive your results in 2-3 days. You can get tested as many times as needed. The dates for the Old Saybrook CHC COVID-19 Testing are:

• Thursday November 5, 2020 9AM-1PM
• Thursday November 12, 2020 9AM-1PM
• Thursday November 19, 2020 9AM-1PM

For more information about testing, please
​ visit www.chc1.com/covid-19-testing/

​According to the World Health Organization Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women. While there are hundreds of thousands of deaths from breast cancer a year, there are approximately 3.5 million survivors in the Unites States. The death rate from breast cancer has been declining since the early 1990s largely due to the early detection and improved treatment. Women should perform self-breast examinations to detect changes as early as possible. Consult your healthcare professionals if you notice anything unusual. Most often symptoms do not mean you have breast cancer, there can be many explanations for changes. Just like there are many risk factors to getting breast cancer. Some are controllable such as alcohol intake and others such as genetic factors are uncontrollable. For more information about breast cancer, visit www.nationalbreastcancer.org.