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Go ahead, take a break! By Nicole Burley

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Break-time is essential! Taking regular breaks in our day increases general health and wellness and improves work productivity.

For the young-uns among us, Thirty Something was a TV drama during the 80′s and it was about a group of 30-something yuppie-types in Philadelphia. Two of the main characters worked at an ad agency. They would often play nerf basketball in the office in the middle of the day! Nerf basketball! At work! You know, when they were supposed to be ‘working’! Anyone who sets up a basketball hoop in the office understands something really important about how human beings operate:

We need breaks. Breaks matter.

There’s a reason that companies like Google and Zappos are consistently ranked as the best places to work. They seem to understand this fundamental concept about people. We need time to play. We need breathing room at work to reconnect to who we are – because not only does it make us happier in general, but it makes us better at our work.

Here are just a few of the benefits of taking a little breather throughout the course of your day:

Taking a break can spark your creativity by helping you look on your work with fresh eyes.
Regular breaks can actually help you accomplish more, because they help renew your energy and focus.

A 5-minute break gives you an opportunity to get up from your desk to stretch or move your body.

Breaks are a great stress-reducer.

Think about it. We have built breaks into our calendar year in the form of holidays and vacations. We have built breaks into our week in the form of the weekend. And we even have the lunch break built into each day to make sure we take time to eat. We seem to know on some level that it’s important not to be all work and no play.

Find ways to take multiple breaks throughout the course of each day. Breaks could consist of:

A break can be as simple as a single minute spent focusing on your breath.

A break can be a few moments spent staring out the window.

A break can also be 15-minutes of nerf basketball or a mini dance-break in your office!

Finding ways to refresh your energy while you’re at work results in feeling better and thinking better, both of which add up to improved work productivity. How can you give yourself more breaks?

Nicole Burley, M.Ed is a certified Life Coach and Health Coach in NYC. Her motto is, “Health is fun. Diets are not”. Nicole helps frustrated dieters find a happy, healthy weight – no dieting or deprivation allowed! Nicole holds a masters degree in education from DePaul and a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell. She is a graduate of Coach U and a certified member of the International Coach Federation. Contact Nicole via www.NicoleBurley.com or on Facebook.com/NicoleBurleyCoaching and Twitter: @YourCoachNicole

 

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Preparing Your Teen for Exams, the Healthy Way by Maggie Ayre

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Top Three Ways To Help Your Teen Prepare for Exams

By making subtle changes in your child’s diet and lifestyle you can really boost their brain power for exams.

Keep Hydrated to Maintain Focus. Our bodies are 70% water. We need this balance to exist in order to be healthy. Just a slight drop in water levels leads to massive changes in our ability to concentrate, focus and reason. We become weaker and our bodies function far less efficiently. If we don’t drink enough water we start to function at a lesser, slower rate. Water is essential for our powers of learning. It is the most important thing our bodies need to be able to concentrate, study, focus and remember effectively.

Our level of hydration also affects the speed we are able to work at and fills us with energy. Water can affectively turn the slowest most slovenly teenager into sharp, focused and energised student.

Keep the Healthy Snacks Handy Who doesn’t snack whilst they are revising? Many teenagers surround themselves with energy drinks, chocolate bars, packets of crisps and bags of sweets as the only way to get them through revision time. However, there is a better way! In fact healthy snacking can be just as comforting whilst at the same time providing you with energy to keep going on those mammoth through-the-night sessions. It is important to snack on the right sorts of foods like raw vegetable sticks, walnuts, grapes, strawberries, bananas and so on. So stock up on healthy snacks and have them readily available for your teen.

By planning in advance and preparing the food ahead of time, you’ll eliminate the stress and enable your teen to concentrate purely on the matter in hand; revising for their exams.

Ensure a Good Night’s Sleep and a Good Start to Exam Day. You probably know that avoiding caffeine and sugar are a good idea when you want a good night’s sleep but did you know that walnuts are a natural source of melatonin which helps us fall asleep? Melatonin occurs naturally in the body but a lack of it can cause insomnia. Walnuts bridge the gap, making them an ideal addition to diet during stressful revision and exam periods when sleep can elude us. Hunger, tiredness and dehydration can all have a significant impact on how well your teen does in an exam.

Research tells us that young people who don’t eat breakfast demonstrate a 20-40% reduction in their concentration, alertness and thinking skills. This can have an effect on any day but on an exam day the results could be catastrophic. Ensure they stock up on eggs, blueberries and smoked salmon before an exam for an extra brain boost.

Maggie Ayre is the UKs leading Fitness Coach for Young People. She has just released her latest book; “Nutrition for Exam Success – A Parent’s Guide” which is available on Kindle from Amazon or can be downloaded as an ebook (along with several of Maggie’s free reports) from www.maggieayre.com/maggies-books.html

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Wellness at Work by Kaye Kennedy

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Working fitness into the work day can be a challenge. The nature of work is often contrary to healthy living. We sit at computers all day in high stress environments and are plugged in to our Blackberry’s around the clock. Given the amount of time we spend on the job, we need to figure out how to be healthy while doing so. Use these tips to work health and fitness into your day:

Participate in your company’s wellness program. Rising healthcare costs are compelling more companies to implement wellness programs. Such programs are low hanging fruit for employees. They often include educational information on topics like weight loss, smoking cessation, nutrition, and more. You might even score a discounted gym membership or free health screenings that can aid in early detection of health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and such. Often cash incentives are offered to increase employee participation. Consult your human resources department to learn what your company offers. Your inquiry may be the nudge the company needs towards wellness.

Move more. Keep moving throughout the day. Many mistakenly think that working out after work and on the weekends is enough. Being a weekend warrior will not overwhelm the effects of sitting all day. Research shows that sitting for long stretches may be just as bad for your cardiovascular health as smoking. The body goes into metabolic shut down when we sit. It’s much like what happens to our computers when left idle for a few minutes. To combat this, stand up and move every hour. Take calls standing, walk to your boss’s office to discuss business instead of firing off an email and conduct walking meetings. 

Plan your meals.Fuel your body and your mind with a healthy breakfast to keep your energy up and prevent over eating. Keep healthy snacks at your desk like fruit and nuts. Whether you bring lunch or got out, a little forethought goes a long way. Pack a healthy lunch the night before. Grab menus from restaurants near the office and establish healthy “go to” meals.  Staying fit at work boils down to smart choices. Small changes over time can yield big results. Set a small goal like drinking more water and focus on it. Once you accomplish that, incorporate another small goal. Over time, you will achieve lasting lifestyle changes.

Kaye Kennedy is the Director of Corporate Health and Wellness at MBS Wellness. MBS Wellness specializes in creating custom wellness programs for small to mid-size companies that yield measurable results. Contact her at Kaye@mbswellness-sf.com or 1.888.957.9940 x1. Visit www.mbswellness-sf.com and follow MBS on Twitter @MBSWellnessUSA.

 

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Ask A Pro by Mollie Millington

May 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Question: I’ve been steadily gaining weight in my midsection for the past 6 months. My doctor says I’m in the midst of menopause. What exercises can I do to tone up?  -Angela in Madison, WI.

Answer: Since you’ve been cleared from your doctor in regards to hormone concerns, toning up and losing inches off your abdomen requires three different actions.

To tone up, do resistance training (lifting weights). Your local gym will provide professional services to teach you how to use the weight lifting machines. Be sure to take advantage of this offering, so you know how to safely set-up the machines and operate them correctly and effectively. Resistance training increases metabolism, and also helps increase bone density. Perform resistance training 2-3 times each week.

To lose inches, add in cardio (at least 30 min of walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics, dancing, etc) 2-3 times a week. Cardiovascular exercise helps control weight gain, as well as strengthening your heart and lungs. Cardiovascular exercise also helps maintains mobility.

Nutrition plays a critical role in reducing weight gain and improving overall health. Be mindful of appropriate portion sizes, empty calories (for example, drinks with no nutritional value and sugary foods) and try to maintain a set meal schedule. Your body begins to expect fuel when you eat regularly. Skipping meals forces the body into starvation or panic mode and slows down your metabolism. A good start is to adopt the 80-20% rule. If you’re eating healthily 80% of the time, you can reward yourself the other 20%.

By London-based personal trainer Mollie Millington. Mollie may be contacted via www.ptmollie.com or @PTMollie on Twitter.

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Springtime Healthy Eating by Keri Gans

May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Spring is the in air, which means swimsuit days are just around the corner! The good news is that along with spring comes many delicious, healthy vegetables and fruits that are figure friendly.

Look for these nutritious choices at your local farmer’s market or in the produce section of your neighborhood store. Include them in your healthy eating plan at home or use them as your go-to side dish when dining out. Here are a few nutritious choices, along with preparation ideas to consider:

Beets: Serve on top of arugula, with red onion slices, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of feta and a squeeze of fresh lemon. However, if you are adventurous in the kitchen, shred and add them to quinoa.

Asparagus:  Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut off the ends of the asparagus and lay on baking sheet, drizzle with oil & place in oven, cook for 10-15 minutes or until slightly brown. Sprinkle with tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and serve. Other great ways to enjoy are to simply throw them into a pasta sauce, an omelet, or steam and puree into a soup.

Artichokes: Enjoy artichoke hearts thrown into a salad or a pasta dish. When in a pasta dish they take up so much room, you need less actual pasta, a real calorie saver. Simply enjoying a whole steamed artichoke drizzled with olive oil and a little lemon (or a tiny bit of butter) can’t be beat for a refreshing side dish.

Strawberries: No recipes needed here. Simply wash and eat. Or top your cereal with them, your oatmeal, or a cup of low-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. If you feel like you would rather be eating a piece of strawberry pie, try taking a cup of strawberries, top with a crushed graham cracker and a heaping tablespoon of low-fat whip cream. You’d just be surprised how easily that piece of traditional pie becomes a memory.

Besides being helpful for your waistline, buying fruits and veggies that are in season are also good for your pocketbook. In season foods are typically less expensive.

By Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, Nutritionist in Private Practice in NYC, Media Spokesperson, & Author, The Small Change Diet (Gallery, March 2011) www.kerigansnutrition.com. Follow Keri on Twitter @kerigans and join her Facebook community via www.facebook.com/TheSmallChangeDiet

Filed Under: Big Picture of Health Tagged With: , ,
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