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April Is Stress Awareness Month. Are you Stressed? Are You Aware That You're Stressed?

4/14/2018

Be sure to carve out some time to relax and take care of yourself each day—even just 10 to 15 minutes per day can improve your ability to handle life's stressors. Also, remember that exercise is an excellent stress reliever.

Prayer, Creative Visualization, Mindful Meditation and Guided Relaxation are ways that you can escape a hectic schedule, connect with your essence and the divine source of all that is, and go back to your world feeling renewed and restored.

March is National Nutrition Month- Make some good Nutrition Choices

3/21/2018

Reading Labels Puts You in the Driver’s Seat

     Many people don’t eat the right foods because
they do not know enough about nutrition. A balanced diet provides us with adequate amounts of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, and vitamins, iron, calcium and other minerals that nourish the body.

     Under Food and Drug Administration regulations, any foods for which a nutrition claim is made, or that has added nutrients, must carry nutrition information on the label. A product must list all ingredients in order of decreasing amounts. Products must list food additives, artificial flavors and colors.

     If you cannot pronounce the name of an ingredient, which is often the case, find out what it is. Knowing what you are putting into your body puts you in charge of your diet and your health. Once you are in the habit of reading labels, it can be done quickly and efficiently while you are shopping.

Source: O'Reilly, L. Get Fit To Go. Unlimited publishing 2010

Nutrition Can prevent and manage Diabetes

3/1/2018

According to the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, for many people with diabetes, smart eating and active living are enough to control their blood sugar level and prevent the complications of the disease. General healthy eating tips to help manage diabetes include:

Limit foods that are high in added sugar.
Eat smaller portions, spread out over the day.
Make your carbs count by choosing whole grains, fruit and vegetables over sugary drinks and refined, processed foods.
Eat a variety of whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables every day.
Eat less saturated fat and focus on healthy fat sources such as avocados, olive and canola oil, and nuts.
Limit your consumption of alcohol.
Use less salt.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, an RDN (Registered Dietitian) can create a simple eating plan tailored just for you, taking into account your weight, medicines, lifestyle and other health problems. The expert advice of an RDN can help you manage your diabetes while ensuring you get the nutrients your body needs.

Don't Be Slave to Your Scale

2/25/2018

I've been there, done that. I've weighed myself pre-pee and post-pee (Did you know that a good long pee weighs 1-2 pounds?!) I've weighed myself before meals and after meals, with wet hair and dry hair. It made me nuts! The truth is weight will fluctuate within 5 pounds so the goal is to get within 5 lbs of your ideal healthy weight.

What to do:

Weigh in 2-4 times a month in your underwear in the morning before you have eaten. Weight fluctuates slightly depending on the time of the month, if you are a woman, and other factors. How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Get regular moderate amounts of exercise on a daily basis to keep unwanted pounds from creeping on. Ask your physician what your Body Mass Index is and learn the healthy weight range based on your height and frame.

Know your numbers- you're the driver.

2/23/2018

If you were buying a car and you asked 'what kind of mileage does this car get?' and you were told 'it gets good mileage', 'ok mileage' or 'great mileage'--you'd be like, c'mon. 'Cause that answer was kind of lame and you knew it.

When you go to the doctor and they take your blood pressure or tell you your cholesterol and other ‘numbers’ from a lab report, do you now what they mean?

When you ask, how’s my blood pressure?, and they say 'it’s good' or, 'it’s ok' or, 'it’s a little high', do you ask-- how good? how ok? how high? And do you understand that number. Do you know what the RPM and MPH and MPG mean? Sure, because driving is an everyday thing. (Living in your body is an everyday thing too!)

The human body is our most valuable physical possession in the world. So when you get a tune up-- speak up-- and ask what the numbers mean, what they should be and what you can do to make them better. And if you feel rushed, ask until you understand the answer.

Most of the time a healthy diet (premium fuel) and regular exercise (open highway cruising) is the perfect medicine.

I love car analogies. Next up: Oil changes and bowel habits. Stay tuned.

Happy Valentines week and Healthy Heart Month!

2/15/2018

Getting to the heart of the matter here---your heart is your everything. It's where we feel love and joy and it works to the tune of approximately 60 - 100 beats a minute around the clock to keep us going EVERY DAY o four lives. Without it, well, we are nothing. Love it back by eating well, reducing stress and exercising.
Women and men have an equal risk for heart attacks. Check out this great video with the funny Elizabeth Banks. https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=befhp-s&p=my+little+heart+attack+elizabeth+banks#id=2&vid=a814c5c29c4c7aa3110fa080b97bee8b&action=click

Flu Activity is High -- Take Precautions and Take Care

2/7/2018

Flu activity is widespread in most of the United States. Do what you can to stay healthy this season.
A healthy diet and frequent hand washing are things we can do year round to keep healthy, but with the flu rampant across the U.S. we must take extra steps to prevent the flu, and minimize its impact if we do get it.
Some things we can do:
Practice hand hygiene. Dispose properly of dirty tissues. Sneeze into your arm and NOT into your hands (EEW)Spread your love but don't spread your germs!
Stay home if you are sick. Drink plenty of fluids. Sleep and rest. Take all meds as prescribed and finish them even if you feel better. Stay out of crowds if possible.
Questions about the flu shot? Check out these FAQ's from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: : https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm#effectiveness
Questions about the flu? https://www.cdc.gov/flu/

Stay well people!

Inclusive exercise Program gets positive results!!

1/20/2018

So Proud and thankful to have had the opportunity with my great team to create the first accredited Inclusive Exercise instructor Certificate Program in the U.S. Be Well!& Thrive, a Program of Easterseals New Jersey.

Community Inclusion in Health Promotion Improves Outcomes

1/19/2018

Make the pursuit of optimal health a daily practice at
your organization or in your community. Create ability appropriate health education content and wellness services for ALL. Every bODY needs a plan.

Take It Easy out there, Dig??

1/18/2018

One of the best reasons to exercise is so that you are in good physical condition to confront life’s daily challenges. During the winter months those challenges include digging out of snow that's up to your belly button.

If you haven't been active on a regular basis, please don't try to be Hercules when there's a snow storm. You really have to take it slow.

National Safety Council recommends the following tips to shovel safely.
- Do not shovel after eating or while smoking
- Take it slow and stretch out before you begin
- Shovel only fresh, powdery snow; it's lighter
- Push the snow rather than lifting it
- If you do lift it, use a small shovel or only partially fill the shovel
- Lift with your legs, not your back
- Do not work to the point of exhaustion