Wellness Incentives

Try Some Asparagus This Month!

2011-06-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and June is fruit and veggie month. Time to add some fruits and veggies into the mix! Why not try some Asparagus? You may not know that asparagus is viewed as symbolic for its age-and disease-fighting abilities. Asparagus is packed with healthy benefits and here are 5 reasons you should consider adding this vegetable into your diet.

◦Asparagus is packed with nutrients – it is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium. Chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin , a hormone critical to the metabolism and storage of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the body.

◦Asparagus also supplies a rich source of gluthione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. This is why consumption of asparagus can help protect against certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, larynx colon, and lung cancer.

◦Asparagus, ranking among the top fruits and vegetables for its ability to neutralize cell-damaging free radicals, is packed with antioxidants. According to some research these antioxidants may help slow the aging process.

◦Another anti-aging property of this delicious veggie is that it may help our brains fight cognitive decline. Like many other leafy greens, asparagus delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12 – found in fish, poultry, meat and dairy – to help prevent cognitive impairment.

◦One more benefit of asparagus: It contains high levels of the amino acid asparagines, which serves as a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. This is beneficial for people who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.

7 Common Food Myths

2011-06-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

Good eating habits often suffer when people accept food myths as food facts. Here are truths to help you see through 7 of today’s most common food myths.

◦Myth #1 – Calories Don’t Count
Truth: Calories definitely do count. An excessive amount of even the most nutritious of foods, if it is above and beyond your caloric requirements, will cause you gain weight.

◦Myth #2 – Skipping Meals Helps Weight Loss
Truth: Skipping meals is detrimental to weight loss. When you skip meals frequently, your body goes into a fasting mode and your metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns calories, slows down. Meal skippers are also more likely to overeat at their next meal.

◦Myth #3 – Fast Food is Junk Food
Truth: There are healthier fast food items. Most fast food restaurants, as well as many other food establishments today, provide their customers with nutrition data about the products they serve. Use this information to help you stick to your eating plan.

◦Myth #4 – Cholesterol Free = Heart Healthy
Truth: Cholesterol-free products might contain unhealthy levels of fat. Saturated and trans fats raise the level of LDL (“bad” bad cholesterol) in the body. Trans fat also lowers the level of HDL (“good” cholesterol). High LDL and low HDL are risk factors for a heart attack.

◦Myth #5 – Margarine is Better Than Butter
Truth: Margarine does not beat butter if it contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. That means the margarine contains trans fats, and trans fats should be avoided. Look for heart-healthy margarines that are free of partially hydrogenated oils.

◦Myth #6 – If You Take a Vitamin/Mineral Supplement, it doesn’t Matter What You Eat, You Will Get All Your Needed Nutrients
Truth: It isn’t possible to get all your body needs from a vitamin/mineral pill. Nutrition research consistently shows that foods with specific vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals give health benefits, not supplementation alone. Supplements are called that because they are intended to supplement foods, not replace them.

◦Myth #7 – Low-Fat, Fat-Free or Sugar-Free = 0 Calories
Truth: Products advertised as low-fat, fat –free or sugar-free probably still have calories. READ LABELS. Sometimes you’ll find that low-fat alternatives have more calories than the original product.

Outside Fun With The Family

2011-06-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Do you remember when you were a kid and all the time you spent outdoors playing with friends until your Mother called you for dinner? Maybe it was manhunt, kickball, baseball, jump rope, or riding your bike around the neighborhood with friends, whatever it was do you ever think how nice it would be to enjoy a day like that again? Wouldn’t you love to get back that enthusiasm and that energy you had as a child? Have you noticed that your own children seem to spend more time indoors, watching TV, playing video games, or spending time on the computer socializing with friends? If you answered yes to all these questions why not start making time for outside activities that you and your family can enjoy together; you can get back that feeling you had as a kid and encourage long term healthy habits for your children by keeping them active!

Now that summer is right around the corner, there are many fun activities to do outside that you and your family can take advantage of. Before picking certain activities to do make sure everyone has a positive attitude about it. You want to pick something that you all will enjoy; you never want to force your child into getting involved because that would take the fun out of it and FUN is the most important part!

We have made a list of fun ideas for you and your family, but try and to be creative and think of some of your own ideas based on where you live. There may be certain events that go on in your community that you can take advantage of; I know in my own town we have “Music Under The Stars” in our local parks throughout the summer, lots of dancing and tons of kids playing various games around the park!

◦Start simple if you enjoy power walking or jogging invite your kids along to ride their bikes, skateboard or rollerblade next to you.
◦Go to the park together, pack a lunch and make a day of it. You can play Frisbee, Catch, Tag or any game you know your family enjoys.
◦You could find out about local bike trails and go for a bike ride as a family.
◦Try a nature walk or hiking
◦Are you near the Ocean or a Lake? Take off to the beach one day; there are a ton of activities, like Volleyball and Swimming you can enjoy. No beaches by you, try a local swimming pool.
◦If you do live by the water look into activities like Kayaking or Paddle Boats for you and your family to enjoy.
◦Maybe you can all join a class together such as Tennis or Rock Climbing
◦Check out your local fun runs they could range from the100 meter dash for young kids, 1 mile family fun run or 5k.
◦Try camping, you can combine many activities in one trip
◦Or maybe a good old fashion water balloon fight

Simple Ways to Add Activity to Your Life

2011-06-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

To improve your fitness level, you don’t need to join a gym, invest in expensive equipment or run 10 miles a day. You can start by increasing your everyday activities. Here are some simple ideas:

◦Turn household chores into an exercise routine. The calories burned while you’re doing household chores can really add up. In fact, many household chores burn just as many calories as workouts do.

◦Plant a garden. Yard work offers some of the most labor intensive chores. Tasks like digging and raking the leaves not only burn a lot of calories but can help tone muscles in your arms and legs.

◦Parking your car far away from your destination and walking the distance are not a replacement for a good aerobic workout, but they do burn calories and, in some cases, help tone muscles.

◦For short trips, try bicycling instead of driving will burn calories and also help the environment!

◦Take the stairs when you can instead of an elevator or escalator.

◦Plan family activities Even something as simple as playtime outdoors with the family can help you lose some pounds and stay healthy. Whether it’s running, Frisbee, or playing tag together, just having fun with the family can give you some much needed activity.

◦Dancing is another great way to burn off mega calories while you have a great time. If you do not have the money to take a class you can buy a DVD for a reasonable price and practice at home.

◦Another great way to get active and improve your health is to start walking with friends. Meet during the week to take a brisk walk together, either in the morning before your day begins, during lunch, or in the evening after work. If you have a pet dog they would make an excellent walking partner as well!

◦Hate commercials use that time to do simple exercises, check out “5 Exercises You Can do During Commercials”

◦One great idea for losing weight the fun way is to play group sports. Next time, instead of dragging yourself to the gym and those dreaded machines, check out the recreation center in your area. Start playing soccer, softball, volleyball, or basketball. With these activities, you’ll be burning off the calories while having fun at the same time!

Simple Steps To Relieve Some Stress

2011-04-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

First things first; what is Stress? Stress is defined by your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. The events that provoke stress are called stressors, and they cover a whole range of situations — everything from outright physical danger to making deadlines at work.When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by producing more of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol and release them into the bloodstream. These hormones speed up heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. This causes people to have more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.

Or

“Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness.” ~Richard Carlson

I love this quote because it couldn’t be any closer to the truth. Everyone experiences stress in their life and there is no way of eliminating it; only reducing it. I have read various articles on ways to reduce stress. Some suggested big lifestyle changes and others were a little simpler. I figure since we are dealing with the topic of stress; simple sounds fair. Here are some basic and simple tips I found to help to relieve stress.

Sleep – You need it! While you sleep your body gets a chance to restore itself. A good night's sleep can help lower blood pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones, which are more common in today's fast paced lifestyle. The amount of sleep every individual needs varies, but for most adults anywhere between 7-9 hours is an appropriate amount of sleep time. Are you having trouble sleeping? Try these tips:

o Keep your bedroom dark
o Avoid day time napping
o Avoid caffeine later in the day
o Try and keep things peaceful and quiet right before sleep
o Reserve your bedroom for sleep, don’t try and finish work in bed
o Keep the noise level down, falling asleep to the television is not a good idea, if you need some noise try playing soothing sounds such as waves on the beach
o Avoid eating big meals before bed
o Make sure your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature

• Take Care of Your Self – Eating healthy and exercising regularly can relieve stress, mostly because one of the major reasons people feel stressed is poor health. A healthy immune system depends on a nutrient-rich diet and being well-nourished is one of the best defenses against the common cold, particularly during times of ongoing stress. Exercising or regular physical activity, according to the American Council on Exercise, reduces anxiety and relaxes you even 90 to 120 minutes after your workout.

• Positive People – Think about who you interact with, do your friends lift you up or bring you down? Ideal friendships provide support when you’re down, fun when you’re up, and wisdom when you’re lost. To relieve stress surround yourself with people who bring positive energy into your life, and limit your time with those who don’t.

• Let It Out – Stress will happen so having a healthy outlet will help to manage it and keep it in control. This outlet may vary for everyone; you need to find what works for you. Drinking is not a healthy outlet, you do not want your outlet to cause you more stress. You may want to try, baking or cooking, bike riding, walking or jogging, reading, hiking, sewing, take a dance class or yoga class. Think of something that interests you and use that as your form of release.

• RELAX – Learn how to relax. Everyone needs down time; whether its listening to relaxing music, taking a hot bath, or getting a massage, whatever it may be; embrace it and make time for it. You are priority number one so make sure you set time aside for yourself.

We all deal with stress, but how we deal with it is what matters most. Remember you may not be able to change what or who is causing your stress, but you can change how you handle it.

Play It Safe

2009-02-17T07:27:00.001-08:00

Regardless of your specific organization or business, safety is sure to be a concern. Conduct a meeting that covers workplace safety hazards in your building. Note that people’s backs are particularly vulnerable to injury, even in an office setting. Provide “Backache Prevention & Care” Slideguides. Throughout the months after the safety training, surprise employees one at a time with “Don’t Twist Your Back–Lift Safely!” Twizzlers as a reminder.

Importance Of Preparedness

2009-02-17T07:26:00.002-08:00

By providing your employees with first aid training, they may be able to handle non-life-threatening medical situations themselves and avoid the need for urgent care. Arrange a first aid class for your company. Make sure it is very hands-on to keep participants’ attention and allow them to practice. At the class, distribute “Emergency And First Aid” Handbooks, which are extremely useful guides. Thank everyone for attending by giving out Travel First Aid Kits.

Winning With Fitness

2009-02-17T07:26:00.001-08:00

Fitness has its own rewards in terms of health benefits. Yet your employees may need the motivation of a prize for completing a walking or other physical activity challenge. See if you can get stores to sponsor your challenge and supply you with gift cards for the winners. At the end of the challenge, hold an awards ceremony in which you present the gift cards and medals from the Victory Medals Assortment Pack. Give everyone who participated an Embroidered Washed Cap, personalized with the name of your challenge.

Mission: Good Nutrition

2009-02-17T07:25:00.002-08:00

Your wellness program may include lunchtime seminars. Organize a seminar about lunch itself! Have someone talk about healthy foods that make great lunch components. Explain the increased control your employees have over their nutrition when they bring food from home instead of ordering “fast food.” Pass out “Eat Right, Exercise Every Day” Lunch And Learn Value Kits to everyone at the seminar. The kit includes educational materials about eating right and a 3-section container for carrying healthy food. Throughout the event, hold drawings for Deluxe Lunch Bags.

Measuring Wellness

2009-02-17T07:25:00.001-08:00

Health tests and screenings are crucial for identifying medical conditions while they’re still treatable. Give your employees the recommended schedules by distributing “Know Your Numbers” Journals. The journals provide not only information on when to get tested, but also the space to record the results. In addition, offer gifts for tests and screenings completed, such as an “Early Detection Saves Lives” Silicone Wristband or “Know The Score Get Screened” Silicone Wristband . Seeing the messages on the wristbands will encourage others to get their health tests as well.

Every Step Of The Process

2009-02-17T07:24:00.000-08:00

Make your wellness program more successful by handing out gifts at various stages. For example, give employees Translucent Water Bottles when they enroll in the program. Use Tape Measures With BMI Scales as a reward for filling out health risk appraisals on time. And present Ceramic Mugs to people who return their employee interest surveys.