Exercise

Wellness Wednesday – Week 41

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Why Is Sleep Important?

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.

Healthy Brain Function and Emotional Well-Being

Sleep helps your brain work properly. While you’re sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. It’s forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.

Studies show that a good night’s sleep improves learning. Whether you’re learning math, how to play the piano, how to perfect your golf swing, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep also helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative.

Studies also show that sleep deficiency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you’re sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.

Children and teens who are sleep deficient may have problems getting along with others. They may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation. They also may have problems paying attention, and they may get lower grades and feel stressed.

Physical Health

Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

Sleep deficiency also increases the risk of obesity. For example, one study of teenagers showed that with each hour of sleep lost, the odds of becoming obese went up. Sleep deficiency increases the risk of obesity in other age groups as well.

Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don’t get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you’re well-rested.

Sleep also affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.

Sleep also supports healthy growth and development. Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults. Sleep also plays a role in puberty and fertility.

Your immune system relies on sleep to stay healthy. This system defends your body against foreign or harmful substances. Ongoing sleep deficiency can change the way in which your immune system responds. For example, if you’re sleep deficient, you may have trouble fighting common infections.

Daytime Performance and Safety

Getting enough quality sleep at the right times helps you function well throughout the day. People who are sleep deficient are less productive at work and school. They take longer to finish tasks, have a slower reaction time, and make more mistakes.

After several nights of losing sleep—even a loss of just 1–2 hours per night—your ability to function suffers as if you haven’t slept at all for a day or two.

Lack of sleep also may lead to microsleep. Microsleep refers to brief moments of sleep that occur when you’re normally awake.

You can’t control microsleep, and you might not be aware of it. For example, have you ever driven somewhere and then not remembered part of the trip? If so, you may have experienced microsleep.

Even if you’re not driving, microsleep can affect how you function. If you’re listening to a lecture, for example, you might miss some of the information or feel like you don’t understand the point. In reality, though, you may have slept through part of the lecture and not been aware of it.

Some people aren’t aware of the risks of sleep deficiency. In fact, they may not even realize that they’re sleep deficient. Even with limited or poor-quality sleep, they may still think that they can function well.

For example, drowsy drivers may feel capable of driving. Yet, studies show that sleep deficiency harms your driving ability as much as, or more than, being drunk. It’s estimated that driver sleepiness is a factor in about 100,000 car accidents each year, resulting in about 1,500 deaths.

Drivers aren’t the only ones affected by sleep deficiency. It can affect people in all lines of work, including health care workers, pilots, students, lawyers, mechanics, and assembly line workers.

As a result, sleep deficiency is not only harmful on a personal level, but it also can cause large-scale damage. For example, sleep deficiency has played a role in human errors linked to tragic accidents, such as nuclear reactor meltdowns, grounding of large ships, and aviation accidents.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why

Wellness Wednesday – Week 40

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How to Eat a Healthy Meal Just About Anywhere

Traveling almost always means eating on the road or in the air. And that can mean making some nutritional sacrifices. But when the only option for lunch is a random gas station, it doesn’t have to mean that a balanced meal is completely off the table. In fact, it’s possible to find nutritious food options at airports, bodegas, fast food restaurants, and yes, even gas stations.

A few basic guidelines can help you stay on track: Go crazy with the veggies whenever possible. Try to achieve a stay-full-longer balance of protein and fiber. And keep an eye on portion sizes, especially at sit-down restaurants. Still need some guidance? Here are my favorite picks to have a healthy meal wherever you are.

Fast Food – With even the major hamburger chains selling decent veggie burgers and salads these days, it’s easier than ever to find reasonably nutritious fast food. My favorite combo: a small, no-frills burger or chicken sandwich with veggie toppings like lettuce, tomato, and pickles, plus a side salad. At joints like Taco Bell, I’ll go for a bean-and-cheese burrito, and at places like Panda Express I’ll get a rice bowl with veggies and chicken. These choices have a good combination of protein and fiber to keep you full longer.

Bodegas – Most bodegas have deli counters and can make surprisingly well- balanced sandwiches. While you may not be able to find whole-grain bread everywhere, you can generally get a full serving of veggies — just ask for a nice big handful of lettuce and tomato, plus any pickles or other vegetable toppings that look good to you. And if they don’t pile the meat and cheese too high (two to three thin deli slices and one piece of cheese is typically enough to satisfy), you won’t be OD’ing on sodium. If the best option is a baguette or long roll, I aim for about a 6- inch sandwich.

Gas Stations – While it can still sometimes be tough to find anything resembling a fruit or vegetable at some gas stations, increasing numbers of them have refrigerator cases stocked with fresh food, including some halfway decent salads. On a recent road trip, I assembled a surprisingly satisfying, high-fiber lunch from a gas station, including a single-serving hummus-and-pretzel cup, a fruit salad cup, and some not-overly-processed beef jerky. Other gas stations have nice selections of dried fruit, jarred salsa, and high-fiber multigrain chips — not to mention the usual standbys of nuts, trail mix, and granola bars.

Grocery Stores – Compared to some of the other places on this list, grocery stores are a piece of cake. Many have prepared food buffets, where you can find a variety of raw and cooked veggies, meat and vegetarian protein options, and grain-based salads. A good rule of thumb for portioning at these buffets: Fill half the container with veggies, then top with a serving of protein about the size of your palm, and a serving of grain/starch about the size of your fist. If your grocery store only has a deli counter, you can apply the same guidelines as you would in a bodega: a pile of veggies, and a few slices of meat and cheese. I also love a DIY picnic — try fresh-baked bread, a nice piece of cheese, some easy-to- eat fruit, and cut veggies with salsa or hummus for dipping.

Pharmacies – Like gas stations, many of the major pharmacy chains now also have refrigerator cases selling sandwiches and salads. Look for a balance of protein, veggies, and starch (say, for example, a salad with chicken, a colorful mix of greens and tomatoes, and a handful of croutons). If it’s breakfast time you can usually find yogurt, a fruit-and-nut bar, or a smoothie. Even pharmacies that don’t have refrigerator cases will usually still have a small grocery section where you can find nuts and other snacks as you would in gas stations and bodegas, but one unique thing about pharmacies is the nutritional supplement shakes, which are great for breakfast or a snack in a pinch. I stick to the varieties sweetened
with sugar instead of artificial sweeteners, which have been shown to alter the normal makeup of the intestinal microbiome. It’s best to keep your daily consumption of added sugars under about 25-30g, but these shakes can fit in nicely if you think of them as your main sweet treat for the day.

Fast-Casual Restaurants – Many of these types of restaurants serve portions big enough for two to three meals, and if you’re not supremely attuned to your hunger and fullness cues, it can be pretty overwhelming. But here’s an easy trick to get a good serving size for one meal: Ask for an extra plate, and serve yourself a portion of starch that’s about the size of your fist, a portion of veggies that’s twice that size, and a portion of protein that’s about the size of your palm.

Eat that extra-plate meal first, taking breaks to talk with your tablemates and sip some water, and then see how you feel. If you’re satisfied, box up the leftovers to take home; if not, serve yourself a second, smaller portion and then check in with your fullness again.

By Christy Harrison, MHP, RD, CDN

https://www.yahoo.com/food/healthy-­meals-­that-­are-­totally-­unexpected-­120747582.html

Wellness Wednesday – Week 39

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6 Healthy Eating Tips That Aren’t

Everyone is telling you which foods are good for you. Stop listening! Here are six seemingly healthy eating tips that the science just doesn’t back up.

False Tip: Fresh fruit is better than frozen.

The Truth: Food manufacturers freeze fruit at their peak of freshness in order to preserve its quality and nutritional value. Freezing fruit is a great way to preserve it if you bought a little too much or it’s on sale. Frozen fruit is very convenient, especially when you’re super-busy with work and family, plus it lasts longer than fresh. Fresh isn’t necessarily better than frozen, and both count toward your daily recommended amount of fruit.

False Tip: Fresh vegetables are healthier than canned.

The Truth: If you think canned is the bad guy, think again. This means of preservation has been around for about 200 years. Yes, canned vegetables can have loads of salt, but you can now find many with no added salt. Additionally, canned vegetables will still retain much of their vitamins, even when stored for several months, which is a clear advantage over fresh.

False Tip: Multigrain bread is always the healthiest choice.

The Truth: Multigrain just means the bread is made from several grains — that doesn’t mean they’re whole grains, which are more plentiful in nutrients. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you want to make half your grains whole — so the next time you pick up a loaf of bread, make sure the grains named in the ingredient list include the word “whole,” such as whole rye and whole wheat.

False Tip: Bottled water is better than tap water.

The Truth: According to an investigation conducted by the Environmental Working Group, a variety of contaminants were found in tested brands of bottled water. Further, bottled water does have a larger carbon footprint than tap water, and doesn’t contain the nutrients found in tap water (such as fluoride). This may be a good excuse to purchase a few reusable water containers you can fill with tap water.

False Tip: Coconut oil is the only oil you should use.

The Truth: Advocates of coconut oil believe that its medium-chain triglycerides make it super healthy. However, several types of fat found in coconut oil, including palmitic, myristic and lauric acids, have been found to raise both your bad (LDL) and good (HDL) cholesterol as well as total cholesterol. Although the debate continues, your best bet is to include coconut oil in your healthy-oil repertoire along with other healthy oils, like sesame, olive, peanut and safflower.

False Tip: There are only a handful of superfoods.

The Truth: Although many believe that exotic-sounding foods like acai, chia seed and goji berries are the healthiest of all foods, that’s not the case. Your body needs a variety of food groups in order to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Therefore, wholesome foods like Greek yogurt, almonds, pears, broccoli, barley, eggs and avocado also achieve super status.

https://www.yahoo.com/food/6-­healthy-­eating-­tips-­that-­arent-­true-­122032158.html

Wellness Wednesday – Week 36

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Most adults’ ‘heart age’ exceeds their actual age: U.S. CDC

Three out of four U.S. adults have a predicted “heart age” that is older than they are, putting them at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes, government researchers said on Tuesday.

“Your heart may be older than you are. For most adults in the United States, it is,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the first study to provide population-level estimates of heart age nationwide.

The CDC calculates heart age based on cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

“It gives a simple risk calculation for having or dying of heart attack or stroke,” Frieden said.

For the report, CDC researchers gathered used risk factor data collected from every U.S. state as well as information from a large, ongoing heart study.

They found that nearly 69 million adults between the ages of 30 and
74 have a heart age older than their actual age.

The report also showed significant differences based on gender and other factors.

For example, the average heart age for adult men is 8 years older than their chronological age, compared to 5 years older for women.

The study found disparities between heart age and chronological age for all racial and ethnic groups, but they were highest among African- American men and women, whose heart age was 11 years older than their actual age for both genders.

The study also found geographical differences in average heart age, with individuals in the Southern United States having higher heart ages than other regions of the country.

States with the highest percentage of adults with a heart age 5 years or more older than their actual age included Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Alabama. Those with the lowest percentage of adults with heart ages that exceeded their actual age by more than
5 years included Utah, Colorado, California, Hawaii and Massachusetts.

Although individuals may be concerned to learn that their heart age was years older than their actual age, Frieden said the numbers can be improved by reducing one or two cardiovascular risk factors, such as stopping smoking or controlling high blood pressure.

“It is never too late to turn back the clock on your heart age, Frieden said.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Bernard Orr)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/01/us-­‐usa-­‐health-­‐heart-­‐study-­‐
idUSKCN0R14DT20150901

Wellness Wednesday – Week 35

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What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean

How’s your cholesterol? Time to get it checked!

Keeping your cholesterol levels healthy is a great way to keep your heart healthy – and lower your chances of getting heart disease or having a stroke.    But first, you have to know your cholesterol numbers. The American Heart Association recommends all adults age 20 or older have their cholesterol, and other traditional risk factors, checked every four to six years.

Your test report will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Your total cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol are among numerous factors your doctor can use to predict your lifetime or 10-year risk for a heart attack or stroke.

To determine how your cholesterol levels affect your risk of heart disease, your doctor will also take into account other risk factors such as age, family history, smoking and high blood pressure.

A complete fasting lipoprotein profile will show the following for:

Total blood (or serum) cholesterol Your total cholesterol score is calculated using the following equation: HDL + LDL + 20 percent of your triglyceride level.

HDL (good) cholesterol With HDL cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol puts you at higher risk for heart disease. People with high blood triglycerides usually also have lower HDL cholesterol. Genetic factors, type 2 diabetes, smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol.

LDL (bad) cholesterol A low LDL cholesterol level is considered good for your heart health. However, your LDL number should no longer be the main factor in guiding treatment to prevent heart attack and stroke, according to new guidelines from the American Heart Association. For patients taking statins, the guidelines say they no longer need to get LDL cholesterol levels down to a specific target number. A diet high in saturated and trans fats raises LDL cholesterol.

Triglycerides Triglyceride is the most common type of fat in the body. Normal triglyceride levels vary by age and sex. A high triglyceride level combined with low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol is associated with atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty deposits in artery walls that increases the risk for heart attack and stroke.

AHA Recommendation We recommend that all adults age 20 or older have their cholesterol and other traditional risk factors checked every four to six years, and work with their healthcare providers to determine their risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Source – http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/What-Your-Cholesterol-Levels-Mean_UCM_305562_Article.jsp

The Top 5 Cholesterol Myths

Even if you think you know everything there is to know about cholesterol, there may be a few more surprises in store. Check out these common myths about high cholesterol; find out whos most likely to have it, what types of food can cause it, and why—sometimes— cholesterol isn’t a bad word.

Myth 1: Americans have the highest cholesterol in the world
One of the world’s enduring stereotypes is the fat American with cholesterol-­‐clogged
arteries who is a Big Mac or two away from a heart attack. As a nation, we could certainly use some slimming down, but when it comes to cholesterol levels we are solidly middle-­‐of-­‐ the-­‐road.

According to 2005 World Health Organization statistics, American men rank 83rd in the world in average total cholesterol, and American women rank 81st; in both cases, the average number is 197 mg/dL, just below the Borderline-­‐High Risk category. That is very respectable compared to the top-­‐ranked countries: In Colombia the average cholesterol among men is a dangerous 244, while the women in Israel, Libya, Norway, and Uruguay are locked in a four-­‐way tie at 232.

Myth 2: Eggs are evil
It’s true that eggs have a lot of dietary cholesterol—upwards of 200 mg, which is more than
two-­‐thirds of the American Heart Association’s recommended limit of 300 mg a day. But dietary cholesterol isn’t nearly as dangerous as was once thought. Only some of the cholesterol in food ends up as cholesterol in your bloodstream, and if your dietary cholesterol intake rises, your body compensates by producing less cholesterol of its own.

While you don’t want to overdo it, eating an egg or two a few times a week isn’t dangerous.
In fact, eggs are an excellent source of protein and contain unsaturated fat, a so-­‐called good
fat.

Myth 3: Kids can’t have high cholesterol
Most people think high cholesterol is a problem that’s strictly for the middle-­‐aged. But guess what? Research has shown that atherosclerosis—the narrowing of the arteries that leads to heart attacks—can start as early as age eight. In July 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics released guidelines on kids and cholesterol that recommended that children who are overweight, have hypertension, or have a family history of heart disease have their cholesterol tested as young as two years of age.

Children with high cholesterol should be on a diet that restricts saturated fat to 7% of
calories and no more than 200 mg per day of dietary cholesterol, according to the
guidelines. Fiber supplements and more exercise are also recommended.

While the guidelines prompted a bit of an outcry from parents worried that doctors would be pushing cholesterol-­‐lowering drugs for kids, a new study suggests that less than 1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 would be considered candidates for medication.

Myth 4: Food is heart-­healthy if it says “0 mg cholesterol”
The Cholesterol portion of the nutritional label refers to dietary cholesterol, which is only one of the things found in food that can cause your cholesterol to go sky-­‐high. (A bigger contributor to elevated cholesterol? A high-­‐fat diet.) It’s also believed to be the least important. Saturated fat (found in animal foods and dairy products) and trans fats (found in packaged foods) appear to have a far greater impact on low-­‐density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-­‐called bad cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis, than dietary cholesterol.

Myth 5: Cholesterol is always a bad thing
When most people hear “cholesterol” they think “bad.” Like most things in life, the reality is more complex. High cholesterol can be dangerous, but cholesterol itself is essential to various bodily processes, from insulating nerve cells in the brain to providing structure for cell membranes. That’s why your body makes the white, waxy substance (about 75% of the cholesterol in your blood is made by the liver and cells elsewhere in your body).

The role of cholesterol in heart disease is often misunderstood. Cholesterol is carried through the bloodstream by low-­‐density and high-­‐density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL). LDL, known as bad cholesterol, and not the cholesterol it carries per se, is responsible for atherosclerosis.

http://www.health.com/health/condition-­‐article/0,,20259746_2,00.html

Wellness Wednesday – Week 34

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Cold, Flu, or Allergy?
Know the Difference for Best Treatment

You’re feeling pretty lousy. You’ve got sniffles, sneezing, and a sore throat. Is it a cold, flu, or allergies? It can be hard to tell them apart because they share so many symptoms. But understanding  the differences will help you choose the best treatment.

“If you know what you have, you won’t take medications  that you don’t need, that aren’t effective, or that might even make your symptoms worse,” says NIH’s Dr. Teresa Hauguel, an expert on infectious diseases that
affect breathing.

Cold, flu, and allergy all affect your respiratory system, which can make it hard to breathe. Each condition has key symptoms that set them apart.

Colds and flu are caused by different viruses. “As a rule of thumb, the symptoms associated with the flu are more severe,” says Hauguel. Both illnesses can lead to a runny, stuffy nose; congestion; cough; and sore throat. But the flu can also cause high fever that lasts for 3-4 days, along with a headache, fatigue, and general aches and pain. These symptoms are less common when you have a cold.

“Allergies are a little different, because they aren’t caused by a virus,” Hauguel explains. “Instead, it’s your body’s immune system reacting to a trigger, or allergen, which is something you’re allergic to.” If you have allergies and breathe in things like pollen or pet dander, the immune cells in your nose and airways may overreact to these harmless substances. Your delicate respiratory tissues may then swell, and your nose may become stuffed up or runny.

“Allergies can also cause itchy, watery eyes, which you don’t normally have with a cold or flu,” Hauguel adds.

Allergy symptoms usually last as long as you’re exposed to the allergen, which may be about 6 weeks during pollen seasons in the spring, summer, or fall. Colds and flu rarely last beyond 2 weeks.

Most people with a cold or flu recover on their own without medical care. But check with a health care provider if symptoms last beyond 10 days or if symptoms aren’t relieved by over-the-counter  medicines. For more about when to see a doctor, go to CDC’s Flu Page .

To treat colds or flu, get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. If you have the flu, pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen,  or ibuprofen can reduce fever or aches. Allergies can be treated with antihistamines or decongestants.  See the “Wise Choices” box for more details.

Be careful to avoid “drug overlap” when taking medicines that list 2 or more active ingredients on the label. For example, if you take 2 different drugs that contain acetaminophen—one for a stuffy nose and the other for headache—you  may be getting too much acetaminophen.

“Read medicine labels carefully—the warnings, side effects, dosages. If you have questions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you have children who are sick,” Hauguel says. “You don’t want to overmedicate, and you don’t want to risk taking a medication that may interact with another.”

Cold Flu Allergy-3

http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/oct2014/feature2

Wellness Wednesday – Week 33

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String May Work Better Than BMI In Determining Body Fat, Health Risks

May 12, 2015

By Anthony Rivas

More research is beginning to show BMI isn’t as accurate at determining health as we once thought. String may work better.

For over a century, doctors have been improving on the body mass index (BMI), their go-to method for determining whether a person has an unhealthy amount of body fat. Still, few changes have been made over the last few decades, even as medical knowledge improves. Scientists are beginning to realize body mass index may not be the best indicator of a person’s fat level or the best predictor of their risk for health problems like heart disease. Instead of using BMI, a group of researchers from the UK say string will do just fine.

You read that right. String. And it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds, either. BMI is a calculation of a person’s weight status based on their weight and height, which then categorizes a person as either underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. However, such a basic measurement fails to account for where in the body the fat is located, and that’s important when we consider that there are two kinds of fat: brown, the good fat that insulates us, and white, which stores energy and contributes to obesity. With BMI, all of this fat is considered equal.

In their new study, researchers from Oxford Brookes University suggested a new method that’s been gaining acceptance of late: waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). They found that measuring a person’s height with string, then folding the string in half and seeing if it’ll fit around a person’s waist comfortably could be a better indicator of whether a person is overweight, Yahoo Health reported. This is because white fat tends to preside mostly in the abdomen, whereas brown fat hangs out elsewhere in the body. Having too much white fat around the abdomen has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.

For the study, researchers looked at data from the Health Survey for England
2009, which looked at the health of nearly 3,000 people. They found that

“12 percent of the total population would be missed by BMI screening, and over a third of those classified as ‘normal’ by BMI would have a WHtR exceeding 0.5” — anything over that and the patient is at a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, a press release said. “These could be called non- overweight ‘apples,’ who have a lot of fat around the waist but not a high BMI.”

Arguing in favor of the string method, lead researcher Margaret Ashwell told Yahoo Health: “The science about the limitations of BMI and the superiority of waist-to-height ratio has been growing in leaps and bounds recently.” One study from 2013, for example, found that larger waistlines correlated with lower life expectancies. With BMI being the “convention,” however, researchers said it will take time and more research before doctors begin adopting a new method.

In the press release, the researchers said, “We would like to show that WHtR is not only superior to BMI in first stage screening for the health risks of obesity, but it is also more efficient in practice and can be done by personnel with minimal training and resources.”

Source: Ashwell M, Gibson S. A proposal for a primary screening tool:
‘Keep your waist circumference to less than half your height.’ BMC Medicine. 2015.

http://www.medicaldaily.com/string-­‐may-­‐work-­‐better-­‐bmi-­‐determining-­‐body-­‐fat-­‐
health-­‐risks-­‐333060

Wellness Wednesday – Week 32

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Negative Consequences of Obesity

Did you know that…

Obesity has more negative health consequences than smoking?

67% of the U.S. population is overweight/obese?

An overweight or obese employee’s health care costs are more than one third higher each year than the health care costs of a healthy weight individual?

This information came from Weight Watchers and that’s why the STARS Employee Healthcare Program would like to offer Weight Watcher classes to all TRC employees.  Depending on interest, we would like to offer either a 12 or 17 week class both in Jamestown and Dunkirk.  Employees can pay for this by payroll deduction, cash, check, or credit card.  This cost can be reimbursed using FSA monies with written documentation from a Doctor.  A discount for this class will be applied to any STARS enrolled employee, amount to be determined.

If interested in attending Weight Watchers, please email or call Donna Trusso, STARS Project Manager, at 661-4795 at your earliest convenience.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Stay well!

Wellness Wednesday – Week 31

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Computer & Desk Stretches

Basic recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine suggest that adults engage in flexibility exercises at least two to three days a week to help improve range of motion, performance, and activities of daily living.

Here are some stretches that can help you follow this recommendation while at work. Stretching can help reduce pain and stiffness caused by sitting at a desk for long periods of time.
Print this worksheet and keep a copy in your drawer, or bookmark this website and add to your favorites for ease of return. These stretches can be done regularly throughout the day about every 30 minutes. In addition it is helpful to take time to get up and walk around regularly.

Sitting Stretch for Upper Body:

Sit upright in your chair and straighten your arms out in front of you with you fingers laced.
You should feel this stretch in your arms and your upper back. Hold stretch for 20 seconds, do at least twice.

Arms/Shoulders/Upper Back Stretch

Interlace your fingers and raise your arms above your head with your palms facing up. To feel the stretch, try to push your arms up and back. You should feel this stretch in your arms, shoulders, and upper back . Hold for 15 seconds. Try to breathe deeply and do not hold your breath.

Shoulder and Side Stretch

Bend your right elbow placing your arm behind your head. Hold right elbow with your left hand. To stretch armpit/shoulder area, move back of head against right arm until mild stretch is felt. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Do both sides. To extend stretch further down your side
and into your hip, bend knees slightly and gently pull your elbow behind your head as you bend
from your hips to the side. Hold for 10 seconds.

Shoulder Blade Pinch

Sit up straight in your chair and relax your shoulders. Place your hands behind head, interlace your fingers, and pull your shoulder blades together. Hold for 4-5 seconds. You should feel this stretch in your shoulders, upper back, and even a little in the pectoral (chest) muscles as your chest moves upwards when you work to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Repeat 3-4 times.

Shoulder Shrug

Start with shoulders relaxed and arms hang-ing to the side. Shrug shoulders up as high as possible without bend-ing your elbows. You should feel slight tension in your neck and shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds. Then, relax your shoulders back down. Repeat 2 – 3 times.

Neck Stretch

With hands behind your back, grab your left wrist with your right hand. Tilt your head to the side to-ward your right shoulder as your right hand pulls your left arm down and across. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Do both sides.

Wrist Flexor Stretch

Similar to previ-ous stretch. Start with arms down in front of you and your palms together with fingers pointing down. Slowly bend elbows bringing your hands upward. Go until you feel a mild stretch in your wrists and fore-arms. Keep your elbows up and even. Hold for 5-8 seconds.

Reaching Upper Body Stretch

Reach in opposite directions with your arms while sitting. Hold for 10 seconds each side. Keep your jaw relaxed and breathe rhythmically. This stretches the sides of the upper body, shoulders, and arms.

Wrist Flexor Stretch

Place your hands together in front of you with fingers up and elbows out. Then, push your hands together and down, keeping your palms together, until you feel a mild stretch in your wrist and forearms. Keep your el-bows up and even. Hold for 5-8 seconds.

Hand Shakes

Shake your arms and hands at your side for 10-12 sec-onds. Keep your jaw re-laxed and let your shoul-ders hang downward as you shake out tension.

Back Extension Stretch

Sitting on the edge of your chair, place your palms on your lower back just above your hips, fingers pointed downward. Gently push your palms forward to create an extension in the lower back. This stretches the lower back and stretch can also be felt in the chest and shoulder area. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat twice. Use this stretch after sitting for an extended period of time. Do not hold your breath.

Lower Back and Side Hip Stretch

In a sitting position cross your left leg over the outside of your right knee. Turn your shoulders to your left using your right hand to push against your left knee while your left hand pushes against the back of your chair. Exhale slowly and turn your head to look over your left shoulder. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Do both sides.