health education | wellness

Category: Healthy lifestyles

Reverse Obesity in 5 Simple Steps

Obesity is a serious problem and a primary contributor to risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Because so many young people are too obese to join the military, top-ranked generals at the Pentagon even consider the obesity epidemic a threat to America’s national security. The CDC also reports that more than one out of every three people in the USA are obese. Follow these steps to reverse obesity now.

Stay Active to Reverse Obesity

Not only does being physically active help burn calories to ensure that you can do a better job of managing your weight, but it has other benefits as well. Cardio exercise can be a natural mood enhancer and help you sleep better at night.

Avoid Processed Foods

Dieting is hard enough when you know what you are eating. But if you buy prepared packaged foods you may have no idea what was used in the recipe. In many cases, processed foods include exorbitant amounts of sodium that is bad for your health and increases unwanted weight gain. So cut down on processed foods to help reverse obesity.

Satisfy Your Hunger

Many people who are obese eat all the time but still have hunger pangs, because they are simply not getting enough nutrition. You can eat tons of junk food and still be hungry, whereas eating a healthy, balanced diet of nutrition-rich foods curbs your diet by giving your body genuine nourishment and real sustainable energy.

Educate Your Children

One of the main contributors to epidemic obesity is that people are not knowledgeable about proper food choices or healthy habits like daily exercise. So share your knowledge of those things with children so that they will grow up healthier, smarter, and less susceptible to obesity.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

While it may sound counter intuitive, sleeping at least eight hours a night can help you control your weight reverse obesity. That’s because a lack of proper sleep disrupts the body’s metabolism and interferes with proper digestion. So get enough sleep and that will actually help you fight unwanted weight gain.

June 28, 2015
Get Healthier Skin Now in 4 Easy Steps

Your skin is the first thing most people may notice about you. Whether it’s glowing and radiant, or dull and blotchy, skin can say a lot about your internal health, too. Since you only get one chance to make a first impression, it’s important that you take skin care seriously. Here are a few simple ways to achieve beautiful, healthier skin.

Sun protection for healthier skin

This first tip is the arguably most important to achieving beautiful, young-looking, healthier skin. Always wear sunscreen outdoors, rain or shine. Apply it generously all over your body, and pay close attention to your face. Don’t forget to cover your nose – it’s the one place that gets sunburned the quickest. You’re not just protecting your skin from being burned, but you’re also preventing premature wrinkles. Make sure you lather on plenty the next time you’re catching a few rays! Also consider wearing a wide-brim hat.

Rejuvenating sleep

Ensuring adequate sleep also plays a vital part in skin care. The reason is quite simple. Your body—skin included—is rejuvenated while you sleep. While you’re catching some Z’s, your skin has a chance to heal itself. Getting too little sleep can not only damage your skin – it’ll also make you look tired. How many people look their best when they’re tired? You know the answer to that question.

Balanced diet

A healthy, balanced diet is good for your skin and is the most vital aspect of your overall health. Eating foods high in antioxidants will keep your skin looking healthy and impart a young glow.

Reach for a piece of watermelon, which is rich in lycopene. Lycopene prevents wrinkling and even skin cancer. You probably never thought about that while eating this refreshing fruit! Make sure you stock up on it during the summer months.

Avoid hot showers

Avoid taking hot showers. It feels good taking a hot steamy shower but doing so will dry out your skin because the heat and water strip essential oils from your skin. This is one of the reasons why your skin becomes so itchy after a shower—not to mention all that hot water has made your skin dryer than a desert. Instead, take a shower in lukewarm water and your skin will thank you.

As you can see there are many ways to ensure to get healthier skin, and these are easy-to-follow tips that anyone can do. By following these simple steps, you’ll feel better and look better. After all, if you’re healthy, your skin will be, too! Making changes is the only way to get healthier skin today and prevent premature aging tomorrow!

June 24, 2015
Two Effective Stretches for Healthcare Workers
Healthcare workers are typically on their feet all day, leaning over to help lift patients in a way that can put considerable strain on the body – especially the lower back. You may also work in a health care setting where you are relegated to doing lots of paperwork at the computer. But sitting for long periods of time also creates others kinds of muscular tension and can also be dangerous to your health.

Two Effective Stretches for Healthcare Workers

Here are two easy stretches to help give you some healthy relief:

Standing Side Stretch
- Stand with your feet together and your arms straight overhead. Put your hands together with fingers pointed toward the sky.
- Now take a long deep breath, and as you inhale reach upward and extend your arms.
- With arms extended and fingers still pointing bend at the waist to move and tilt your upper body to the right. As you perform this movement slowly exhale.
- Maintain this side stretch for the length of 2-3 slow deep breaths. Then slowly return to center, to your original position.
- Repeat the side bend, this time on the left side.
Cobra Pose
- Lie on the floor on an exercise mat, face down, and place your palms on the floor at your shoulders – so that your thumbs are right beneath your shoulders.
- Keep legs extended and together with the tops of your feet on the floor and the soles of your feet facing the sky.
- As you engage the muscles of your abs and core, tuck your hips downward and also pull the shoulders downward away from your ears.
- Pushing with your palms, gently raise your chest as you take a long, deep inhale. Keep your head upright as you push your chest out and press your palms into the floor.
- Exhale as you relax back into your original prone position. Repeat this exercise 3-5 times.
To further ensure your health and well being, sign up for a free stretching class or beginning yoga class in your community. Many hospitals offer this kind of class for free to their employees, or you can find out about other opportunities by asking someone in the physical therapy or human resources department where you work.
June 8, 2015