Healthy Tip of the Week

May 25, 2007

Brown Bag It! Take control of your nutritional intake and know exactly what you are eating for lunch instead of ordering out and leaving the nutritional components up to someone else. Pack fruits and veggies and other healthy choices as you progress in your quest for a healthier you!

May 18,2007

Write it down! Keep track of your physical activity progress by writing your accomplishments on an activity log or any type of chart. this way you can see our progress and maintain a stronger sense of committment to your routine and goals.

April 23, 2007

Set your goals, both short and long term! It is vital to establish physical activity goals to work towards in your efforts to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Once you meet one of your goals, move onto the next. The accomplishments are yours for the taking!

April 16, 2007

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Make sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your physical activity endeavor.

April 9, 2007

Be willing to take that first step! Have you always wanted to try a new physical activity but didn't know where to begin? Research the activity, find out if there are any clubs or gatherings and take that first step to join! Who knows, you might find a favorite new activity!

April 2, 2007

Be prepared everywhere you go! Pack an extra pair of sneakers in your car so you can always have the option to be active no matter where you go!

March 26, 2007

Park farther away from your destination. Instead of parking "up close", park father away to get more physical activity into your day.

March 19, 2007

Turn it off and be more active; minimize screen time (television, computer) during free time and instead incorporate more physical activity.

March 12, 2007

Be heart smart - Be active; help your heart be more efficient through physical activity.

March 5, 2007

Always start with a visit to your physician when beginning a physical activity program. Then start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration over time.

January 5, 2007

Winter Walking Tips:

Wear bright or reflective clothing: shorter daylight hours mean students may be walking when it’s dusk.
Dress warmly: wear layers, a hat, mittens, scarf and proper footwear.
Pick sheltered routes: Select routes sheltered from the wind where possible.
Prevent Slips: Select routes that are cleared of snow or ice, or do not have standing puddles or mud slicks.
Beware of cars: Use caution when walking on roads. Drivers may have more difficulty in seeing you in the rain or snow.
Traction: Don’t wear slick-soled shoes if there will be wet or snowy payment.

December 6, 2006

As winter cold season approaches, we need to increase our vitamin C. Vitamin C maintains the health of our cells and mucous membranes in our nose and airways, helping us ward off viruses. Try switching from green to red peppers. Red peppers have three times more vitamin C than green and are a great source of beta carotene. Vitamin C is a water soluable vitamin that gets eliminated from the body when not needed, so don’t overdo it.

November 24, 2006

Music has wonderful health benefits. Listen to a favorite song to get a drug-free way to reduce stress and aches and pains.

November 17, 2006

Floss your teeth tonight. The mouth is a source of bacteria that can affect overall health. Flossing four to six times a week can add about three years to your life.

November 10, 2006

Nutritional studies have shown that eating a red grapefruit regularly for breakfast can lower your cholesteral by as much as 15%

November 3, 2006

It is recommended that people in northern climates take a vitamin D supplement from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Because we make vitamin D from the reaction of the sun in our skin, we need to increase our intake as our sun exposure decreases. Get additional vitamin D by taking a cod liver oil capsule once or twice a day, from 200 to 400 IU’s.

September 29, 2006

Drink Water! This week's goal is to work in six 8-ounce glasses of water daily. They will keep you hydrated, replenishing the 10 cups of water you lose throughout the day. Add variety with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice or sip on herbal tea if you prefer.

September 22, 2006

Benefits of Physical Activity

-helps control appetite
-prevents disease
-burns calories
-decreases stress
-improves health
-helps you to deal with emotions and feelings
-builds strength
-increases social contact
-helps keep your mind off of eating

September 15, 2006

If you don't use it, you'll lose it! This quote refers to our brains too. Crossword puzzles, word scrambles, board games, reading are all good mental exercises.

September 8 , 2006

Seven Small Steps That Make a Big Fat Difference!

-choose leaner meats

-choose low-fat dairy products

-eat more fruits, vegetables and grains

-treat yourself tohealthier desserts and snacks

-read labels carefully

-choose healthier cooking methods

-watch out for added fat (trans fats)

December 19 , 2005

Get Moving! It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.

December 6 , 2005

Snack smart. Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.

November 8 , 2005

1. Eat nutritionally
2. Get extra rest....well, after this week, that is.
3. Hydrate, hydrate
4. Take a multivitamin (if your diet is not rich in vitamins).
5. Take a cod liver oil capsule. Recent studies have shown that we do not get enough Vitamin D. This is
especially true for our geographical area. We need to take more Vitamin D from Labor Day to
Memorial Day.
6. Exercise regularly

November 1 , 2005

Think of alternative ways to get to work like biking or public transit. If you must drive, take the long route to work after you park or stroll around the building before heading in. A brisk walk in the morning is an invigorating way to start your day! 

October 25 , 2005

Serving flavored milk is a good decision despite some added sugars.. Children drink more milk when it is flavored,a study shows that they get more calcium but no more added sugars or total fat. Three daily servings of dairy, as recommended by the guidelines, provide the daily value for 9 critical nutrients. Many of our children get their entire dairy consumption at school!! And they still don't get enough calcium.

October 18 , 2005

Prevent foodborne illness by ensuring that all foods are cooked to the appropriate temperature. Take at least two internal temps. of each large food item to ensure that all parts are cooked. when reheating food make sure all foods are the proper internal temp. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly and store properly. Use soap and warm water to wash hands thoroughly! This means you!! Hand washing after such activities as combing hair, sneezing, coughing, smoking, going to the bathroom, handling trash, money, touching face or body, when moving from one food prep. to another, after any time that your hands may become contaminated. All of the above apply to You at home as well as at work.

March 21, 2005

The recommended amount of fruit and vegetables per day is now 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables. When choosing vegetables, eat a variety of dark green, orange and starchy vegetables and be sure to include some legumes each day.

March 14, 2005

Are you interested in staying healthy? Do you exercise everyday? Do you like prizes? If you said yes to all of the above then you should check out...

www.anthemrewards.com

Anthem Rewards is an online health and fitness incentive program that rewards you for maintaining a regular routine of physical activity. The more you exercise, the more you're rewarded.

Anthem Rewards Web page includes:

* Your own personalized activity log.. to record each day of activity.
* Personalized meal plans with many healthy recipes
* Nutrition log- A personalized log that keeps track of the foods that you eat, as well as what and when you are eating.

CHECK IT OUT!!

March 1, 2005

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for both men and women. Everyone has certain risk factors that can increase or decrease your chances of having a heart attack. Some risk factors cannot be changed, like your age, gender, race or family history. However, there are some risk factors that can be changed. They are: smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, high LDL ("bad cholesterol") and high blood pressure. What can you change in your life that can reduce your risk for heart disease?

January 31, 2005

Stay rested! Getting enough sleep helps make your body strong so that it can fight illnesses. Having enough sleep also makes you more alert and able to focus during the day. Kids should get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

November 15, 2004

Reduce Stress! Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

November 1, 2004

The average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time he or she graduates from high school.

October 25, 2004

The average length of a common cold can vary. For severe colds the symptoms may last up to two weeks. A milder cold may only last two to three days, however the average cold will last around a week. Adults typically average two to three colds a year, where as children may experience as many as 10 colds a year .

October 18, 2004

The cold virus lives and grows in the nose and colds are also present in the nasal fluids. Children's noses are a major source of the common cold and can be spread by coming in contact with contaminated fingers or cough/sneezing droplets. The common cold can also be spread thru the contamination of environmental surfaces, desk tops, stair railings, phones. Only a small amount of the virus is needed to cause infection.

October 4, 2004

In the United States about 60% of the adult population is considered obese, so be sure to exercise and eat healthy.

September 27, 2004

Keep food fun! Eat a variety of foods and never cut an entire food type out of your diet. Pay attention to your portion sizes along with the number of servings and balance what you eat with regular exercise. Get out and move: go for a walk or join a class.

September 20, 2004

To add strength to leg muscles and get a cardiovascular workout at the same time, try climbing plain old stairs. This can be done at home, in your office, apartment building, or on stair-climbing machines in the gym. Climbing two steps at a time is good for building the quadriceps (thigh muscles) and the gluteus . Going down steps builds strength in the quadriceps and to a lesser extent, the hamstrings.

September 13, 2004

Exercise is a key factor in staying healthy.  The question is not should you exercise, but what kind of exercise is appropriate for you.  Exercise strengthens bones, heart, and lungs; tones muscles and increases physical reserve and vitality.  It can also help you sleep better and relieve stress.