Patient Wellness
Read how you can improve your overall health and wellness
The first part of starting a healthy diet comes down to what you make available for you and your family at home, work and school.
During grocery shopping, what do you wonder about? Many of us will consider some factors that are practical to us, like convenience, cost, and/or sometimes making healthy choices. We contemplate on many aspects but it is basically divided down into two things: wants and needs. Do we settle for a short term fix or for a long term goal? This is tricky, because According to Reuters, Americans throw away $165 + Billions of groceries yearly! There are many branches of causes to this issue, but on the positive note we should look at how vastly abundant our resources for consumption is!
Reading this shows your interest in this issue ─ and we are glad you did! Here are some tips to shopping smart and controlling temptations for aisle overhauls:
- Before heading out the door, make a priority list. Take note on all items you believe you will need.
- Take notice if your fruits and veggies are starting to age. If you do not consume this much in a week, you now have an idea of how much to buy next time.
- Shop with cash to stay on your budget and grocery list.
- Leave coupons for items you need to buy.
- Take the initiative to promote healthy eating within your family. Preparing and/or experimenting with home cooked meals can be more exciting when you have company for help. This is a great use of bonding time for you and your family!
- Read the labels: watch for the levels of sodium, fat, oils and sugars ─is it worth it?
- Shopping when you are hungry. Do not rely on cravings or impulse; if you have doubt that you/your family will touch it after a few days, it probably isn't worth it.
- Bulking/hauling: using this method does not always guarantee savings ─Unless they are nonperishable and things you normally use
- Buying Managers' specials or other store specials, unless they are things you routinely get.
- JUNK foods: it's self explanatory. Not only do you get 0 nutrition but it can contain extreme levels of fat, sodium, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, -to name a few- which are responsible for many health diseases; Did we mention, it also leaves a big whole in your wallet?
According to Medical News Today
- Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day. You should replace water lost through breathing, excrement and sweating each day - but that doesn't necessarily total 64 ounces of water. It's hard to measure the exact amount of water you have consumed daily in food and drink, but if your urine is pale yellow, you're doing a good job. If it's a darker yellow, drink more H2O.
- Brown grain products are whole grain products. Brown dyes and additives can give foods the deceiving appearance of whole grain. Read labels to be sure a food is whole grain, and try to get three-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke.
- Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol. This myth began because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, there's not enough cholesterol there to pose health risks if eggs are eaten in moderation. Studies suggest that eating one egg per day will not raise cholesterol levels and that eggs are actually a great source of nutrients.
- Eating carbohydrates makes you fat. Cutting carbs from your diet may have short-term weight loss benefits due to water loss from a decrease in carbohydrate stores, but eating carbs in moderation does not directly lead to weight gain. The body uses carbs for energy, and going too long without them can cause lethargy.
Fitness is part of your overall wellness ─It improves your physical and mental health; decreases your risk for many diseases and increases your chance to live longer!
Studies show that physically active people have lower risk of:
- Colon cancer than do people who are not active;
- Breast cancer than do people who are not active;
- Getting Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome;
- Getting Cardiovascular Disease & Stroke ─the leading causes of death in US.
- Helps strengthen your muscles and bones
- Sharpens your mind
- Reduces stress
- Improves your mood
- Helps you cope with body ailments and other illness.
How much should I exercise?
According to MayoClinic, we need at least 2 and a half hours of moderate aerobic activity a week, which can be: walkathon, swimming leisurely, mowing the lawn, gardening and other exercise that gets your heart pumping. It can also be broken down to 30 mins a day
If your physical health allows vigorous activities, atleast 1 and a half hours of vigorous aerobic activity a week is also equivalent to the tips above. Vigorous activities can be: running, dancing, hiking uphill and other activities that uses 70% to 80% of your maximum heart rate¹. These can also be broken down to 10 min (3x a day) of vigorous activity.
Exercises can vary depending on your health stature, age and gender. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out what exercise regimen is best for you.
Facts & Tips: Sedentary work
Too much sitting is dangerous!
Sitting for long hours can take its toll on your overall physical health. In fact, a nonstop physical work is much favorable than being in a constant spot for hours. Conditioning our body in such behavior can pose serious health risks ─in some cases, a cause for premature mortality, to name a few:
Heart Attack | When your heart is not used to being pushed for vigorous tasks, then a time comes where even heavy lifting can force your heart to work harder than it is used to.
Muscle Disuse Atrophy (Deterioration) | Use it or lose it! Strength training is essential to keep your muscles from developing atrophy. Thankfully, this type of atrophy can be reversed by starting an exercise routine and sticking to it!
Obesity & Diabetes | limited movement causes circulation to slow down. From metabolism to calories burned, storing excess fat which increases blood sugar levels that can develop to a type 2 diabetes. For instance, two hours of constant sitting increases your risk for diabetes by seven percent!
Depression | low blood circulation causes less oxygen to be delivered to the brain as well as the release of our feel good hormones called 'endorphin'.
Most importantly, awareness is a step for improving health. Additionally, you must consult your provider before starting any type of rigorous activities, especially if it will your first time. You will need a professional evaluation as to what extent and type of activities are healthy for you. Starting in a routine without getting a proper evaluation may cause further or trigger health problems such as: muscle and/or bone injury, blood sugar drop, high blood pressure and cardiac problems.
Warming up & Proper Stretching
Did you know? that there are different stretches for different types of exercises? And that warming up your muscles is essential prior to stretching?
Warm-ups & Stretches are a crucial part of exercise as it is needed to prepare your muscles, releases tension as well as helping the body relax after a workout.
Moreover, ignoring to use these tips can cause serious injuries; therefore, we need to be cautious as to what kind of stretches our body can handle and how much to do.
Warming up just means you have to increase blood flow to your muscles so that they are easier to stretch and less likely to tense up quickly during a workout. Use short aerobic exercise such as jumping, dancing, cycling or walking, jogging ─for atleast 10 mins, your heart rate should slightly be elevated and you feel that your body is much warmer.
Stretches will differ depending on the type of workout you do. Here are some guidelines as to what stretches to use when exercising for different areas of the body.
Exercises for a Sendentary lifestyleA significant number of Americans live a sedentary lifestyle but there are ways to break the routine to meet the physical needs our body yearns. Here are some tips for starting a fitness routine and sticking to it!
Although there are an abundance of DIY videos for fitness and health, it should not hinder you from getting a professional advice and guidance from your health care provider. Perhaps, look at the internet as a community to find inspiration and motivation from others' experiences. It is important to educate yourself as well as creating smart choices for you ─then, influence your family as well!
At work- Take longer walks: from the parking lot to the building and going to restrooms.
- Use the staircase instead of elevators.
- Get up every 15 mins to stretch and wiggle off the stiffness.
- Remember your posture is detrimental for chronic pains (See video below)
- Release tension on your muscles by stretching for a couple of mins whenever they feel tightened.
Having high cholesterol can be very harmful. Imagine all the pipes in your home are full of junk and are clogged; When this occurs your appliances and plumbing do not work properly and this can lead to damage and breaking of your pipes as well as your sink and toilet. Like plumbing, if your arteries are clogged with cholesterol blood does not flow to your brain or heart properly and this can cause heart attack, stroke, pain in your limbs and other diseases. The worst part of this is someone with high cholesterol may not even know they have it until they develop serious problems, need to be on medication or even require major heart surgery. We can offer solutions to preventing and treating high cholesterol.
Screening for high blood pressureMost people who have high blood pressure have NO symptoms and so it is important to have you blood pressure checked at your doctor’s office. The high pressure can damage and weaken the walls of your blood vessels and can lead to brain injury (stroke) and kidney problems.
Weight loss through counseling
Provide you with practical skills (education, habits, accountability, calorie counting, and proper nutrition) to prevent and treat weight problems which can help you lead a healthier, happier, less costly life.
Weight loss through diet and medicationsMost patients do not realize what “good food” and “bad food” is. If indicated and after thorough evaluation, we can identify and provide appropriate medications to help you lose weight.
Most patients believe “it won’t happen to me” yet more than half of Americans are overweight and many are considered morbidly obese. Many people who are overweight and obese may not even know that they have weight issues. When was the last time you checked your weight and height?
Obesity puts you at risk for expensive medical conditions and medications and can worsen current medical conditions. Obesity and high cholesterol together puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke at an early age and
Being overweight puts a large amount of pressure on your knees and hips. For people with arthritis, obesity worsens the pain and damage. Many individuals with obesity and arthritis may require major surgery and may even need a knee replacement or back surgery. Losing weight takes the pressure off your knees and joints, reduces pain, and increases mobility.
For people without arthritis the extra weight can damage your knees and may eventually cause arthritis and pain.
Individuals with arthritis can suffer from pain, decreased activity and overall their quality and contentment with life may be lowered.
Many people who are depressed are overweight and may not have the motivation to lose weight while the weight continues to add on.
These and other conditions benefit by the education your health care provider can give. Take a step in improving your wellness. Talk to one of our providers today.
- Screening for high cholesterol or “clogged arteries”
- Screening for high blood pressure
- Weight loss through counseling
- Weight loss through diet and medications
Make an appointment today!
302-261-5600
Sources:
- https://health.ninemsn.com.au/whatsgoodforyou/theshow/694154/whats-better-for-you-151-fresh-or-frozen-food
- https://www.doctoroz.com/videos/100-foods-dr-oz-wants-your-shopping-cart
- https://www.health-science.com/microwave_hazards.html
- https://zenhabits.net/50-tips-for-grocery-shopping/
- https://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information
/fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo - https://smallnotebook.org/2009/07/14/20-tips-to-waste-less-food/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/66363.php
- https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html
- https://nihseniorhealth.gov/exerciseforolderadults/healthbenefits/01.html
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/325618-how-to-warm-up-before-stretches/
- https://walking.about.com/od/fitness/a/vigorous.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/AN01713
- https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003188.htm
- https://osteoarthritis.about.com/od/osteoarthritisexercise/f/What-Is-Muscle-Atrophy.htm
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/532489-do-muscles-deteriorate-due-to-a-lack-of-exercise/
- https://www.healthyaging.net/articlelive/articles/do-you-know-how-much-exercise-you-should-do-to-stay-healthy.html
- https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/sitting-at-work-why-its-dangerous-alternatives_n_1695618.html