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  • Sit Less, Move More

    Fitness

    Image of generational famiy running and walking at the park.

    Sitting down on the job is bad for your health.

    It’s time to stand up for yourself. No, really. Stand up! Scientists warn that prolonged sitting – even for those who exercise regularly – could be really bad for your health. After four hours of sitting, the genes that regulate glucose and fat in the body can start to shut down. Not only does this add weight to your body, it puts you at risk for a heart attack, obesity, and diabetes.

    Stand for a cause – You!

    Standing engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase. This enzyme prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol. It also uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes. You can also burn up to an extra 60 calories an hour just by standing.

    Rise to the occasion.

    You can start by walking to a bathroom that is farther away or delivering a message to your co-worker in person rather than using email.

    Do This

    Stand up during TV commercials.

    Turn on the radio instead of the TV.

    Go grocery shopping.

    Do household chores.

    During phone calls, stand up.

    Limit TV/computer time to 2 hours a day.

    Take mini stretch breaks at work.

    Walk during lunch breaks.

    Walk after dinner.

    Even Better

    Stretch, do pushups, or fold laundry.

    Dance to the music.

    Park far, far away from entrances and walk.

    Do them often.

    Do leg lifts or march in place.

    Shoot hoops or play soccer with your kids.

    Walk up and down a flight of stairs.

    Walk with a buddy.

    Take the dog with you.

    Action Step

    If you sit at your job all day long, set an alarm on your cellphone (on low) to remind yourself to stand up at least every two hours for more than a minute at a time. Stretch, bend, or take a short walk.

    Page image from the Ways to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Should You Delegate?

    Systematic Stress Management Program

    Step 6: Time Management

    Step 6: Time Management Section

    Introduction

    Does Time Get the Best of You?

    Defining Your Life Goals

    Activity Worksheet

    Activity Log

    Time Management Techniques

    Action Plan for Improving Time Usage

    Procrastination Quiz

    How Do I Procrastinate?

    One Dozen Ways to Overcome Procrastination

    Should You Delegate?

    Delegation Caddy

    The skill of delegation is essential for effective time mangers to master. Delegation of tasks enables a busy person to free up valuable time and energy. It is, by definition, the ability to appoint someone else to act on your behalf.

    Instructions: Place a check mark by any of the statements that you consider to be reasons not to delegate your tasks.

    *  I should be able to do it by myself.

    *  It has to be perfect.

    *  Other people can’t do it all.

    *  Delegating is a cop out. It’s only for disorganized people.

    *  I feel guilty asking someone else.

    *  It would take longer to explain how I want it done than to do it myself.

    *  People will think that I’m not capable of this job.

    *  I’d be giving up my power.

    All of the above statements are popular myths about delegation. They demonstrate a need to better understand the benefits of delegation.

    Page from the Systematic Stress Management book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

    Step 1: Understanding Stress

    Step 3: Type A & B Behavior Patterns

    Step 5: Thinking Differently

    Step 7: Communication & Stress

    Step 2: Stress Management at Work

    Step 4: Biofeedback Training & Relaxation

    Step 6: Time Management

    Steps to Systematic Stress Management™

    RELATED ARTICLES

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine  –  All Rights Reserved.Disclaimer|www.HealthyLife.com

  • Set A Weight Loss Goal You Can Reach

    Weight Control

    Image of feet on a scale.

    Do you set out to lose 15, 20, or 30 pounds every year or so, only to find yourself stuck after the first 5 or 10? If so, do you quit out of discouragement?

    There may be nothing wrong with your rate of weight loss. Your ability to set realistic goals may be the problem. If you’d like to increase your odds for success, try setting smaller, interim goals you can reach quickly. These are called short-term goals.

    First, your goals need to be measurable. For instance, don’t tell yourself you have to “lose lots of weight.” You can’t measure “lots of weight.” So decide on a set number of pounds you want to lose. Then, break your overall goal down into realistic mini-goals. A realistic mini-goal would be to lose 5 pounds in three weeks, for example.

    As you achieve your first couple of “mini-goals,” you’ll feel better sooner. After you reach each milestone of 5 or 6 pounds, set the next reachable goal, and so on. Small achievements add up, and keep motivation where dieters need it-high.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Save Time. Be Organized.

    Stress Management

    Women organizing linens in baskets.

    Manage your time to help you manage the stress that comes with unfinished business.

    *  Keep a “To Do” list. Use a method that works best for you. Examples are paper post-its, computer software/apps, a daily or weekly planner, and your smartphone.

    *  Prioritize and assign times to complete tasks. Check off ones you finish.

    *  Clear clutter in your workspace and house. Organize your piles into files.

    Create and maintain healthy work habits. When you get to work, use your “To Do” list to plan your day. Spend the last 10 minutes organizing your space and putting things in their place.

    Avoid distractions while you work. Assign time to check and respond to emails and phone calls.

    Don’t check your personal email and text messages on work time.

    Page from HealthyLife Weigh book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Sample Walking Schedule

    Fitness

    Walking Tips

    *  Hold your head up and keep your back straight.

    *  Bend your elbows as you swing your arms.

    *  Take long, easy strides.

    Gradually increase your brisk walking time to 30 to 60 minutes, for to five (or more) sessions a week. Your goal is to get the benefits you are seeking and enjoy your activity.

    Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults.

    Page image from HealthyLife Weigh book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Salt Can Shake Up Your Health

    Nutrition

    Close up image of the top of a salt shaker.

    This is one flavor enhancer you should do without.

    Too much salt and sodium can lead to or worsen high blood pressure which raises the risk for heart disease and stroke. What is too much?

    *  More than 1,500 mg of sodium per day, or only half a teaspoon of salt, if you are over the age of 51, African American, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease

    *  More than 2,300 mg of sodium a day for all others

    Where’s the salt and sodium?

    Table salt, of course. One teaspoon of salt (sodium chloride) has about 2,300 milligrams of sodium. But most of the sodium eaten comes from processed, packaged, and restaurant foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that about half of the sodium people eat comes from ten types of foods:

    *  Breads and rolls

    *  Cold cuts and cured meats

    *  Pizza

    *  Poultry

    *  Soups

    *  Sandwiches

    *  Cheese

    *  Pasta dishes

    *  Meat dishes

    *  Snacks

    Shake Salt Out of Your Diet

    Before refrigeration, salt served as a valuable way to preserve food. Unfortunately, in some people, high-sodium diets are linked to high blood pressure and an accumulation of fluid, called edema. (Salt is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chlorine. Together they form sodium chloride.)

    The taste for salt is acquired, not inborn. So it’s possible to wean yourself off salt with no ill effects. We’ve already suggested you make salt-free soups. Here are some other ideas.

    *  Put away your salt shaker, and forget about using it while cooking or at the table.

    *  Use less seasoned salt, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, and other salty condiments.

    *  Buy only unsalted varieties of snack foods.

    *  Avoid foods prepared with salt brine like pickles, olives, or sauerkraut.

    *  Limit foods like smoked fish, kippered herring, anchovies, sardines, and caviar.

    *  Prepare meals from fresh ingredients instead of relying heavily on commercial products that contain salt or other sodium compounds.

    *  When dining out, ask that foods be made to order, with no salt.

    Assault on salt tips:

    *  Remove the salt shaker from the table. If you’ve been used to the taste of salt, give yourself time to adjust to the missing flavor.

    *  Buy fresh, rather than packaged and processed foods.

    *  Eat more home-prepared meals and less fast food, take-out, and restaurant meals.

    *  When you eat out, ask that salt not be added to your foods.

    *  Use little or no salt when cooking. Kosher salt and sea salt count.

    *  Read nutrition labels closely. Choose foods with the words “low sodium” or “no salt added.”

    *  Go easy on condiments, such as soy sauce, pickles, olives, ketchup, and mustard. Use ones lower in sodium.

    Action Step

    Spice up your life without salt. Use seasonings, such as bay leaf, marjoram, curry powder, garlic, and lemon juice for your meats. Add cinnamon, cloves, dill, rosemary, and tarragon to your vegetables.

    Page from Ways to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • A Safer Way To Bring Home The Bacon

    Nutrition

    Image of bacon and rosemary.

    Meats like bacon, bologna, frankfurters, pepperoni, and salami have been cured to stop the growth of bacteria, delaying spoilage. Curing gives these meats their reddish pink hue and distinctive flavor. Scientists have discovered, however, that nitrites and nitrates, compounds used to cure meats, might be converted into dangerous cancer-causing substances called nitrosamines when cured meats are digested. Luckily, scientists also discovered that vitamin C can help to prevent formation of nitrosamines. So now, meat processors must by law include some form of vitamin C in cured meats.

    To further ensure the safe consumption of cured meats:

    *  Don’t let bacon or other lunch meats sit unrefrigerated for more than a few minutes. They can still spoil at room temperature.

    *  Cook bacon in a microwave oven. This produces lower levels of nitrosamines than pan frying or oven cooking.

    *  Always drain fat from cooked bacon, since drippings contain twice as many nitrosamines as the meat itself.

    Despite these precautions, cured meats are still high in fat and sodium, so you should eat only limited amounts regardless of the threat of nitrosamines.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine