Professional Wellness Month

June is Professional Wellness Month!

Photo Credit: June: Professional Wellness Month-Reboot Your Life

Professional wellness is about promoting a healthy work environment, building relationships among employees, and improving personal work performance. Employers should show they care about each employee’s well-being, encourage less stressful professional practices, and help employees become more efficient.

Exercise at Work

It’s hard to find time to exercise, especially for those of us who work in an office. Exercising at work may seem impossible, but it’s one option for staying fit and keeping your energy up. It takes some creativity, but there are opportunities to exercise at work if you pay attention. All it takes is a little planning and some inspiration to squeeze in a little movement all day long.

 

The Basics

You probably know a few tricks for staying active at work. Taking the stairs when you can, parking further away from the door and walking around the office when you can are good places to start. Beyond that, there are a few other options to keep you moving:

·        Sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair. This will strengthen your abs and back and you’ll work on your posture without even trying.

·        Set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to stand up and move around. Even if you just swing your arms or take a deep breath, you’ll feel more alert.

·        Use the restroom on another floor and take the stairs

·        Use a pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take. Aim for 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day.

·        Leave something important in your car (your lunch, your briefcase, etc.) so you have to run out to get it (and take the stairs)

·        Deliver documents or messages to co-workers in person rather than by email

·        Go to the mall for lunch and park on the opposite end of the food court. Don’t forget to buy something healthy.

·        Get a headset for your phone so you can move around while you talk.

Be creative. Any movement is better than none, so don’t feel like you have to do sprints all day long. Adding short bouts of exercise throughout the day will help you burn more calories and will also reduce stress so you can easily smile at your boss when she piles more work on you.

Credit to: June is Professional Wellness Month

Staying Hydrated!

When the temperatures rise, getting enough to drink is important whether you’re playing sports, traveling or just sitting in the sun.

And it’s critical for your heart health.

Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. And, it helps the muscles remove waste so that they can work efficiently.

How much water do you need?

What does being well hydrated mean? The amount of water a person needs depends on climatic conditions, clothing worn and exercise intensity and duration, Batson said.

A person who perspires heavily will need to drink more than someone who doesn’t. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, may also mean you need to drink more to avoid over-taxing the heart or other organs.  People with cystic fibrosis have high concentrations of sodium in their sweat and also need to use caution to avoid dehydration. 

Water is best.

For most people, water is the best thing to drink to stay hydrated. Sources of water also include foods, such fruits and vegetables which contain a high percentage of water. Sports drinks with electrolytes, may be useful for people doing high intensity, vigorous exercise in very hot weather, though they tend to be high in calories.

“It’s healthier to drink water while you’re exercising, and then when you’re done, eat a healthy snack like orange slices, bananas or a small handful of unsalted nuts ,” Batson said.

He cautioned against fruit juices or sugary drinks, such as soda. 

Not just for athletes or exercise.

Hydration isn’t just important during physical activity. Sitting in the sun on a hot or humid day, even if you aren’t exercising, can also cause your body to need more fluids.

People who have a heart condition, are older than 50 or overweight may also have to take extra precautions.

It’s also a good thing to keep tabs on if you’re traveling.

“You might sweat differently if you’re in a different climate,” Batson said.

Content Credit: 

-Denea Duran 

Staying healthy in the fall

Fall Health Tips

This Fall season follow these tips to help you and yours stay in top health and be your best during the seasonal and all year long:

• Flu Shots - Check with your doctor or your local public health department to find out when the annual flu shot is available. If your doctor can give you the shot in the office combine it with a check-up. If your doctor does not give the shot check on local events for flu shot administration. You may also want to get a pneumonia shot also. Remember that the flu shot is recommended for all adults, especially those with a health condition such as diabetes or heart disease that makes them more at risk for the serious complications of the flu.
  (Also watch our web site in November for our OralFlu prevention remedy and other cold and flu remedies)
• Exercise - Exercise is important all through the year, but can help you get in shape for the winter months. If you exercise by walking outdoors, it may be time to locate other places you can walk that are protected from harsh winter weather. Indoor shopping malls are great places to walk and often have walkers clubs that offer discounts. With the days getting colder, take a few extra minutes to warm up your body and stretch your muscles before you exercise. Also wear a handkerchief around your nose and mouth if it's really cold to warm up the air before it enters your lungs.
  Boost your energy with Native Remedies Fatigue Fighter to keep you going all season long.
  
• Diet - Add all the fall vegetables to your diet. Many of the root vegetables are in season now and are an inexpensive and nutritious way to add variety to your diet.
• Drink More Water – You can experience dehydration even during the winter. Dry central heat robs your body and skin of vital moisture. If you keep hydrated your mucous membranes also stay hydrated, working much more effectively to filter our disease causing organisms.
• Sunscreen – Yes, even in the fall and winter months you should be thinking about sunscreen. If you're a skier, don't forget your sunscreen. The snow reflects the sun's rays and can quickly burn your skin. Don't let the cold temperatures fool you.
• Second-Hand Smoke - Watch out for the effects of second-hand smoke. During cold weather, you may find yourself behind closed doors and windows with a smoker. Avoid inhaling smoke and check your home for proper ventilation.
• Cold and Flu - Cover your face when you sneeze or cough, and wash your hands often to help stop the spread of the season's cold and flu germs. Get a flu shot if you are 65 or older; or if you have a chronic disease of the heart, lungs or kidneys.
• Hats and Gloves - Wear a hat and gloves when you go outside. The hat keeps warmth from escaping through the top of your head—a major source of body heat loss. And the gloves help prevent painful frostbite.

Also, be aware of Fall allergies. Late summer and early fall bring on another season that triggers allergic reactions. Outdoor molds become plentiful in the fall in gutters, soil, vegetation, rotting wood and fallen leaves. You can reduce your exposure to Fall allergens. For example, avoid being outdoors in the morning hours between 5:00 and 10:00 a.m. when pollen dispersal is peaking; avoid lots and fields where ragweed grows; shower and wash hair immediately after coming in from outside activities, and especially before going to bed; keep the windows and doors of your home and car closed.

Content Credit: http://www.holistichealthtools.com/fall-health-tips.html

Photo Credit: Google Image

10 tips to stay motivated

If you're like me then you're probably kicking yourself now that summer is right around the corner. I really wanted to have a beach body but it has been a task getting motivated to go to the gym. If I'm not going to a Zumba class then, let's be honest, I really don't want to be there. Here are some tips that have kept me motivated (and, believe it or not, really good at going to the gym! ).

This also helps with motivation to conquer the treadmill! 

1. Make it a Routine: The nature of a routine is that after a while it becomes mechanical, or just something you do, which eliminates the need for daily internal pep talks. Maybe that's what Nike meant when they said, "Just Do It."

2. Set Goals: For runners training for a marathon, a regular exercise routine is essential to success, and is therefore motivating. This can be true for more moderate goals, such as running a mile or increasing the amount of weight you're lifting from five to eight pounds.

3. Reward Yourself: You are your own teacher, so give yourself a gold star for a job well done (or a well-deserved pedicure?).

4. Make it Fun: Exercise doesn't have to be boring. Spice up your treadmill experience by making a playlist of your favorite music, or by downloading a personal training session online. Or forget the gym and turn up the music and let loose in your own living room.

5. Switch It Up: A sure way to lose motivation is to do the same exact thing everyday. Keep it interesting - take a belly dancing class, a martial arts course or just take a nice long walk to a new area of town.

6. Keep Going: Push through those off weeks when nothing seems to be going your way. Go easy on yourself, but don't give up entirely, even if that means taking a 15-minute walk or going to the gym and sitting in the sauna for 20 minutes; just stay in the game.

7. Be Positive: Focus on feeling good and the high that comes from an intense, sweaty workout. Don't concentrate on how much it hurts, how tired you are or how much you would rather be lying on the beach with a frozen drink.

8. Visualize Success: Take a few minutes before your workout and see yourself enjoying the exercise; visualize it coming naturally and easily to you. Top Olympic athletes practice this technique regularly with great success.

9. Feed Your Soul: Exercise not only your body, but also your mind. Yoga is a great way to engage both - it can stabilize your mood, and even improve your endurance. Or get outside and take a walk, touch the leaves and breath in the fresh air.

10. Know the Benefits: Remember that exercise gives you energy; it strengthens your bones, muscles and joints; it lowers risk of heart disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes, and helps control blood pressure, prevent weight gain and fend off depression and anxiety. In short, exercise makes you feel good and on the inside and out. Remembering that should make it easy to stay motivated.


Content Credit: http://www.healthywomen.org/content/blog-entry/exercise-10-ways-stay-motivated

-Denea Duran

Staying Healthy

While my job is to write blogs on how to prevent disasters or prepare for an emergency, I have been neglecting my own emergency--My health! I like to think of myself as a healthy 22-year-old. I joined a gym (confession: haven't been in almost a month), I don't eat a lot of fried foods and I cook with olive oil. I try to stay away from pork and red meats. Unfortunately, none of these tactics would prevent the inevitable. On Sunday morning I passed out, lost consciousness and had to be rushed to the hospital.

While in the hospital, I learned that I had an existing condition that was never taken care of. Evidently the headaches and the feeling of nausea I have been experiencing were a sign that my body needed immediate attention. Though I am not advocating you spend every day on webmd.com (a tactic sure to lead to hypochondria!), my experience is testimony that remaining in tune with our bodies is essential for preventing major sickness.

Now I am thankfully feeling better, but I have a lot of work to do to stay on top of my health!

**Here are a few tips to keep you healthy in the winter time!

Staying Healthy in the winter!

• Drink the optimal amount of water. With the winter season here, it’s more important than ever to consume the right amount of water for your health.


• Keep stress to a minimum. Studies have linked high stress levels to making a person more susceptible to catching colds and flu. Minimize your stress by working reasonable hours at your job. Aim for at least one night per week to spend with friends and family.


• Eat a healthy diet. Maintaining a good healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and minimal amounts of organic meats is another way to keep your body clean and in good working order. Try eating an extra piece of fruit or veggie every day too!


• Do your homework to find the best supplement for your health. Even if you eat “perfectly” all the time with loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, you still need to boost your nutrition with a supplement. What supplements you will need will depend significantly on your lifestyle.


• Exercise regularly. It is important to exercise regularly, even if only for 15 minutes a day! Get out and take a short walk and enjoy the cooler weather.


• Get the right amount of sleep every night. The average person needs 6-8 hours of sleep per night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your body is extremely vulnerable to illness. Sleep is very much like fuel that recharges your batteries! You’ve got to do it to keep the machine running.


• Wash your hands regularly. Keep the bacteria and viruses off your hands and out of your mouth and eyes. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer close-by for those instances where you can’t get to soap and water.


• Don’t smoke. Most of you already know this, but it bears repeating because smoking significantly weakens your immune system.


• Eliminate all forms of sugar. This includes not only the obvious kinds (cake, cookies and sweets, in general), but bread, pasta, rice, yogurt and commercial, store-bought fruit juices. Although all of these things are made with different types of sugars, your body still converts them to sugar, which will compromise your immune system.


• Despite your best efforts, you still can feel like you’re “coming down with something.”Some things you can do to help your body recover more quickly:
  
  
  
  • Boost your Vitamin C (with bioflavanoids) intake when you initially feel something coming on.
  
  
  • Boost your intake of Zinc.
  
  
  • Increase water consumption (even more than normal!).
  
  
  • Eat less food as this will give your body a much needed rest from digestion and give it a chance to concentrate on fighting off potential invaders.Add herbs like Echinacea, Goldenseal and Grapefruit Seed Extract to your supplemental regime.
  
  
  
  

Photo Credit: www.healthpoints.info

Content Credit: www.stayhealthyandwell.com

-Denea Duran