What Does Christmas Mean to You?

Christmas is on its way. We are busy shopping, baking holiday treats, decorating our homes, making trips to the post office, and getting ready to make the trip to Grandma’s house. So often, the holiday season can be filled with pressure which in turn causes tension between family members--not to mention the tension between us and our pocket book. All of this pressure leads to a lack of the Christmas spirit.

To prevent this stress from taking the spirit out of your Christmas, take time to think about what Christmas means to you. What is important for you? And how can you plan for that special spirit? Think of all the gifts that money cannot buy: memories and traditions created with loved ones and friends, laughter, the love shared between you and others. Center your time around all the blessing and the good things you have and take time to be thankful, this holiday season.  

This is what Christmas means to me:

·         Family

·         Service

·         Love

·         Laughter

·         Memories

·         Jesus Christ

What does it mean to you?

Spending time with a Grandchild

It can be rewarding  to spend  time with your grandparents or your grandchildren.   With the thrill of Christmas in the air, everyone is of good cheer.    You don’t really have to do anything special with them,  just sit, visit (talk and or listen).  It is fun to reminisce  about the old days, you can even take a few notes, for future generations.  Doing so can help create family traditions that will last for generations.

 Having children spend time with grandparents can teach children positive attitudes toward aging and help them develop skills to enhance their own lifelong learning. 

 If you want  some  suggestions  here are a few: 

·         Going to see the lights

·         Going to a play

·         Decorating the house and wrapping presents

·         Playing games or puzzles

·         Going shopping

·         Make Christmas presents

·         Make Christmas cookies

·         Make snow angles

·         Watch a movie

At this Christmas time, take the time to  get to know each other and bond. This will help to create deep loving relationships.  There is something special about the bond between a grandparent and a grandchild; it has the special interaction on a level that is once removed from the day-to-day life of home.

Thanksgiving

November 22nd is Thanksgiving, a day to be with friends, family, and to give thanks for all that has been given to us.   While celebrating with friends and family this year, take advantage of the time together to share health information and update your family health history.

Health histories are the keys to understanding your family’s unique genetic make-up and your individual disease and health risks. An up-to-date family history can help you prevent diseases and/or detect diseases such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease.

This information will help your doctor screen more carefully for the diseases that you are at risk for and will help you reduce your health risks.

For help creating a family health history, go to https://familyhistory.hhs.gov, and use the “My Family Health Portrait,” a tool on the Surgeon General’s family health history website.

November 14 is World Diabetes Day

 November is Diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14^th.    WDD was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to the growing threat diabetes is now posing.

WDD is striving to help save and improve the lives of millions of people on the 14^th of November. With education to the public of what diabetes is, the risk factors and specific lifestyle recommendations.

Nearly 50 percent of diabetics do not know that they are diabetic.  It is the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.

Here are some early warning signs of diabetes:

·         Infections that are more frequent and/or heal slowly

·         Fatigue

·         Hunger

·         Increased thirst

·         Increased urination

·         Pain or numbness in the feet or hands

·         Blurred vision

·         Weight loss

So let us all be more aware of diabetes and help protect our future and the future of our loved ones!

Decluttering for the Fall Challenge

 Simplify your  life by ridding it of unneeded clutter, and donate to charity at the same time. Following are some suggestions:

·         Set something aside every day.

·          Get a big box or bag. Set it somewhere out of sight .

·          Get the kids involved.  Ask them to go through their toys and decide on what they really love and what they would like to donate to good will.

·         Don't multitask. Doing so is usually counter-productive as it causes you to feel stressed out which limits your efficiency. Remember we're trying to simplify life, by decluttering!

Some good places to start are the kitchen and your closets. Go through the kitchen, and, if an appliance doesn't work or it is just taking up space (like that bread maker that you got as a gift and haven’t used for 5 years), get rid of it. Go through your closet, and, if you are keeping something that maybe someday you might wear again, get rid of it!  Go through the kids' closet. If they have out grown something and you are waiting for maybe some one to grow into it, get rid of it. Go through the coat closet and take out all of those old coats that you either don't like or they don't fit. 

By the end of the Fall Challenge you will have  things to take to charity, and your house will be decluttered and simplified.

Comfort Foods for Cold and or Flu

There is no way to cure the flu or common cold, but healthy eating during cold and flu season can help you avoid getting sick. Eat a well balanced diet, high in fruits and vegetables.  Plant foods contain natural disease fighting compounds called phytochemicals and antioxidants.

If you find yourself or your kids getting lots of colds, then it is time to add some immune boosting foods to your diet. 

Here are some foods that help boost your immune system:

·         Water, drinking at least 8 glasses of water cleanses the body and removes toxins and germs.

·         Garlic may boost your immune system, increasing resistance to infection and stress.

·         Yogurt and other cultured milk products contain probiotics, beneficial bacterial with immune-boosting  benefits. 

·         Vitamin C, found in fruits and juices and broccoli

·         Vitamin E rich foods like nuts and whole grains

·         Zinc, found in meat, chicken, beans, crab, oysters, peanuts and peanut butter.

·         Omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts, salmon, tuna mackerel, flax seed, hempseed oil

·         Selenium rich foods found in chicken, whole grains, tuna, eggs, sunflower seeds and brown rice

Foods that help heal:

·         Fresh ginger root helps with nausea and diarrhea. 

·         Chicken soup and warm beverages increase the flow of nasal secretions, helping to alleviate cold symptoms.

Flu season is here!

Now is the time to get your annual flu shot. There's not much flu activity yet, but the season usually begins in October and lasts until May, making now the perfect time to get your annual flu shot.

CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine every year.

The vaccine protects against the three flu viruses that research indicates will cause the most illnesses during the season. Two of the viruses are different this year, but it still contains a vaccine against the H1N1 flu that appeared to start in Mexico and spread around the world in 2009. 

For those of us with a fear of needles, there are different ways to deliver the flu vaccine, including a new system with a tiny needle and a nasal spray. 

In addition to the flu shot, there are other actions that you can take to help guard against getting the flu. Good hand hygiene is the best way to protect yourself from getting the flu virus, as well as the best way to avoid spreading it. To decrease the spread of the virus, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. To decrease your chance of getting the flu virus, make sure you get adequate rest and exercise, drink lots of fluids, and eat nutritious foods.

Writing down positive thoughts

Throughout the day our minds are filled with thoughts. In one instant, we might be thinking about what bills need to be paid and how little money we have. And in the next, we might think something positive like: “I love this weather. What a gorgeous day.” Through these statements to ourselves, we are subconsciously creating the mood for the day. 

Writing down positive thoughts every day helps us be more mindful of the positive things in our life and enhances our mood.

Over a period of time, thinking and writing down positive thoughts becomes a habit which increases our life satisfaction and gives us more health and energy. 

So get your journals out and start writing!

Stretching is for Everyone

Everyone should be stretching, every day, no matter what your age, gender or flexibility level.  Without regular stretching your muscles will tighten and the range of motion in your joints will decrease as you age.  Stretching properly may reduce muscle injuries and improves flexibility, joint range of motion, relaxes muscles, and promotes better coordination.  

Stretching was considered the main activity before a workout. Now, it is recommended that before you stretch you should properly warm up.  This is to reduce pulling or tearing a cold muscle.  Warm up should only have to last about 5-10 minutes.  

Stretching is recommended after a workout as well.  If you are running, slow down to steady walk to cool down and then stretch at the end.  This helps to avoid stiffness and soreness of the muscles and relaxes the muscles.

Stretching should never hurt.  If it starts hurt, relax the stretch until it feels comfortable and hold your stretch.  Maintain each stretch for 10-30 seconds.  Remember to breathe while you are stretching, never hold your breath.   Avoid bouncing while you stretch.  This can cause damage to the muscles you are trying to stretch.  Do not lock your lock your joints when you stretch.  This avoids unnecessary stress on your joints.

Benefits of Drinking Water

·         Our bodies are approximately 70% water, and nearly every aspect of our body’s function calls for fluid.  There is little data on how much water a person should drink daily.  The old saying, “Eight, 8 ounces of water a day,” may still be a reasonable goal.  It all depends on your health, how active you are, how big you are and where you live.

·         What type of fluid is best for you?  That is up to you!  Normally you get 20% of water from what you eat.   Water and clear sport drinks are best! But, be cautious of soda or other high calorie beverages. 

·         So, remember, drink your water and good luck on the Summer Challenge!

Walking with a pedometer is easy

It can be very hard to fit exercise into a busy schedule, but, you can get a lot of activity in at work.  With the use of the pedometer, you will be able to see how many steps you can get into your day.

     First establish your baseline steps by:

·         Using your pedometer for three straight days, total each day up and divide by 3 to get your baseline number of steps you take each day.

    

     Set Short-term goals:

·         Increasing steps 100-500 steps in a week

Set Long-term goals:

·         Increasing your steps that you take, up to the 10,000 steps a day. Increasing your pace and/or intensity as your fitness level improves.

    

      Track your Progress: 

·         Write down each day and then at the end of each week, to monitor your progress over a period of time.

          

Summer Challenge

After a long relaxing summer (wink, wink) aren’t we excited for a challenge?!  The Summer Challenge begins Monday, August 27^th.   For more information regarding each aspect of the challenge, login to your wellness account and click “Rules” under “Summer Challenge”.  Here is a quick run down of the challenge:

·         Track Your Steps using a Pedometer

·         Drink Water

·         Stretch

·         Record Three Positive Experiences, Thoughts, or Ideas.

·         Express Appreciation for Coworkers (Weekly)

Each aspect of the Summer Challenge will support your efforts to feel healthier!  Health is comprised of more than just what we eat and how often we move—so take the time to stretch and strengthen your social and emotional “muscles”. 

Make sure to check back in the coming weeks for tips and suggestions to optimize your experience participating in the Summer Challenge!  AND, don’t forget to regularly keep track of your participation!

Credo Against the West Nile Virus-Carrying Mosquito

Since 1999, we have heard reports of animals and humans infected with West Nile Virus (WNV) in the United States.  Cases typically occur during the late summer into the early fall.  West Nile Virus is quite serious and there is actually quite a bit you can do to prevent being infected.  So, don’t dismiss yourself too quickly, healthy people can also get sick from West Nile Virus. 

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 150 people infected with WNV develop serious illness.  Additionally, 20% of people infected with WNV develop mild symptoms.  Symptoms can include: fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, swollen lymph glands, or skin rash on chest, stomach, or back.    Severe symptoms can be neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis. 

*If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately. 

West Nile Virus in Utah

In the last nine years, there have been 327 verified human cases of West Nile Virus and 8 deaths.  The first human case this year was recently verified in Box Elder County.  Follow the recommended guidelines for preventing infection of WNV.

• If you are outside after dusk, wear long sleeves and pants.
• Use repellent containing DEET as directed.  For safe repellent usage, visit this link.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.  Get rid of standing water, frequently replace bird bath or pet water, and secure screens for windows and doors.

Who is at risk?

• People 50 years and older.  Even if you are healthy, you may experience symptoms for a couple weeks. 
• People who spend time outside after dusk.

If you live in Salt Lake County, the Salt Lake Valley Health Department may be interested in being notified of any dead birds you may find for cases of WNV.  Please follow this link for their contact information. 

School's Out for Summer

The paper count-down chains are dwindling down to their last few chains, if they haven’t already disappeared in your neck of the woods.  Parents, teachers, and children alike find themselves with more people at home and more time together. 

How can you make this summer a healthy and meaningful experience for everyone?  Sit down and set a few family goals together.

SPECIFIC.  This is the who, what, where, and when of your goal.  The more specific you can make your goal, the more likely you will be successful.  An example could be to go for a walk after dinner three times a week.

MEASURABLE. How many times?  How frequently?  With the example of walking after dinner, this family decided to go three times a week.

ACHIEVABLE.  As fun as it would be to participate in the summer Olympics this year, this would not be an example of an achievable goal.   Ask yourselves, 'can this goal be achieved?' and 'how can this goal be achieved?'  Perhaps you have other events in the evenings or your schedule is fairly unpredictable, choosing three nights to go walking after dinner is feasible in one family and not necessarily with another. 

REALISTIC.  Take into account what will help you find success with this goal.  If your family does not eat dinner once a week together, setting a goal of not only having dinner three times together during the week but additionally going on a walk.

TIMELY.  When will you accomplish the goal?  Daily, weekly, monthly, or the end of the summer. 

For additional ideas, visit Let's Move! Healthy Families.

These Legs Were Made For Walking

In 1977, 20% percent of trips between school and home by children (ages 5-15 years) were on FOOT.  Do you think that the mode of transportation has changed in the last few years?  If you said yes, you guessed correctly!  By 2001, only 12% percent of trips between school and home for the same age group were made on foot.  That is an 8% decrease in 24 years! 

So, you may be thinking, 'Of course I remember how much more I walked, I was the one walking to school in 1977.'  Are you still walking to locations when it is feasible?  What has made the difference for your personal life?  Have you noticed a similar decreasing trend in how often you grab your shoes over your car keys? 

During the Spring Challenge, you have had the opportunity to find one day during the week to walk to a location you normally drive to.  Hopefully you have appreciated a few of these benefits already from simply moving more.

• Feel great.  Regular physical activity reduces stress, increases energy levels, and supports mental well-being.  Aside from the physical and mental benefits, monetary benefits are always a plus these days!  Do you need to drive, or with adequate planning could you walk and not spend as much money these upcoming summer months on gas?
• Manage aches and pains.  “Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in Utah and physical activity is an essential way to manage symptoms and maintain a healthy weight.” Rebecca Castleton, Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Arthritis Program Coordinator.  Just walking somewhere you would normally drive can "reduce pain, improve function, and promote weight loss".
• Envision yourself ten, twenty, thirty years from now.  What would you like to be doing?  Do you see yourself playing with grandchildren?  Gardening?  Enjoying life with reduced levels of pain and discomfort?  If you envisioned yourself activitely engaged in life, incorporate it now. 

Perhaps there are more factors inhibiting you from putting on your walking shoes.

• Inadequate space on the road to share with pedestrians or cyclists
• Broken, unsafe sidewalks
• Busy intersections
• High traffic speeds
• Unsafe routes

Don't let these factors prevent you from getting out and moving more!  Find alternatives.  If you live near a highway and feel unsafe (as you should) walking on the shoulder of the road, consider driving to an area in town with sidewalks, walking paths, safe intersections, and lower traffic speeds.

Has this challenge been a reality check the last week and a half about how little time you spend outside?  Not only are you often frantically running from work to events the entire night, now you need to incorporate thirty minutes of time outside! 

BENEFITS

·         VITAMIN D.  Crucial in mineralizing bones and teeth.   While wearing sunscreen, 10-30 minutes out in the sun (UVB light rays) provides enough of the vitamin D precursor to synthesize several days’ worth of vitamin D.  (If you refuse to wear sunscreen, 5 minutes is adequate exposure to synthesize vitamin D).

·         MOVING MORE.  Physical activity reduces stress, increases stamina, makes you feel better and increases your heart health.

·         FUN.  It is easy to find ways to enjoy half an hour outside when the weather is nice, but when the weather is not great, a little more effort may be required.  Be creative with your outings, race boats down the stream in the street, fly a kite, eat lunch outside, or go for a walk.

Can't Seem to find the Time?  Consider this.

LIMIT SCREEN TIME.  Several recent studies have shown media use is drastically increasing among children, but also among adults.  This may not seem surprising with the constant introduction of new technology gadgets.  Research found that children (8-18-years-old) spend 7 hours and 38 minutes consuming media a DAY!  (Kaiser Family Research). 

Now don’t dismiss yourself too quickly.  Perhaps you do not constantly have music flowing into your ears or play video games, but adult internet use is also increasing dramatically.  From 2009 to 2010 there was a 33% increase in social media usage among adults ages 18-65+.  In 2010, 61% of all American adults use social networking or twitter. 

Spring Challenge: Strength Training

Are you ready to bulk up and pump iron?  No?  Don’t worry, incorporating strength training and the activities from the Spring Challenge will not make your muscles bulk, but there are several benefits you should anticipate.

·         Prevent injuries.  Whether you are an avid runner, school teacher, or grandparent, your susceptibility to injuries is greatly reduced with proper strength training.  Strengthening muscles increases performance and contributes to balance.  Strength training can also improve chronic aches and pains; such as back pain.

·         Strengthen bones.  Women are and should be especially mindful of increasing the density of bones.  Strength training reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

·         Assists weight loss.  Muscle burns more calories during physical activity and is a crucial aspect of weight maintenance often overlooked.  Strengthening muscles tones the body.

The recommendation for strength training is three times a week.  Because the exercises break down muscle, make sure to give your body ample time to rest.  These three days should not be consecutive.  With this challenge, you are working different muscle groups and do not present problems doing the activities throughout the week.

As mentioned above, strength training prevents injuries from daily living, but if done incorrectly you may injury yourself while doing the exercises.  Even if you know how to do a push-up, take five minutes and go through instructional videos from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Be especially careful with lunges and squats.  Make sure your knee does not extend PAST your ankle.  You do not get more out of the exercise if you push past a 90 degree angle, in fact, you will injury yourself.

Before beginning an exercise program, make sure to consult your physician.  If you find that any of the exercises aggravate joints or muscles, please discontinue and contact the wellness coach to discuss alternatives. 

Spring into the Upcoming Challenge

Starting on Monday, April 9^th EMI Wellness Spring Challenge begins.  You should have already received an email detailing the challenge, but if not here is a brief overview of the challenge.  (For details regarding each component of the challenge, log-in to your account and select "Rules" under Spring Challenge.)

The Challenge:

1.       Strength training

2.       Spend time outdoors

3.       Track what you eat

4.       Exercise

5.       Once a week, walk somewhere you would normally drive

With nice weather and the sun shining, it would be a challenge to convince yourself to not participate!  So, get involved; have fun, and enjoy the experience.  A healthy lifestyle should not be miserable, go outside—spend time in your yard, walk, hike, bike, just have fun. 

Over the next few weeks, I will include tips for each of the components of the challenge, so make sure to check in every week for the latest tip in participating in the challenge.

Make sure to log-in and spring into full participation in the challenge on Monday!

No Foolin'

Stay clear of any April Fools pranks attempting to pull on your healthy efforts!  Whether you want to fit in your favorite pants in your closet, look dashing in swimwear, feel fit, or ward off diseases—weight loss may be consuming your thoughts.  Diets purporting results which seem too good to be true just might be!  So, how can you make sure you are an educated consumer and making the best choice?

 

Be Leery of these Common Diet Gimmicks 

• RAPID LOSS.  Healthy weight loss should be 1/2-2 pounds a week.  According to CDC, when people lose weight gradually, they are more successful in keeping the weight off than people who lose rapidly.  So, if you want to lose weight and keep it off, avoid the urge to lose quickly.

• NO NEED TO EXERCISE.  What a great ploy--lose weight without effort.  Although it would be fabulously easy, attaining a healthy weight requires incorporating physical activity.  Physical activity will also support your efforts in maintinaing weight once you achieve your goal weight loss.

• RIGIDITY.  To assess whether or not a diet is right for you, ask yourself, "could I eat this the rest of my life?"  If you can't, than it is not a sustainable health plan for you.  Remember, it's about an ongoing lifestyle.

• SPECIFIC FOOD COMBINATIONS.  American Dietetics Association states, "there is no evidence that combining certain foods or eating foods at specific times of day will help with weight loss.  Eating the 'wrong' combinations of foods doesn't cause them to turn to fat immediately or to produce toxins in your intestines, as some plans claim."

• ELIMINATION.  Diets which eliminate or highly restrict entire food groups are not healthy.  Your body needs nutrients and by eliminating or restricting you will be missing crucial nutritents.