8 Nutrition and Exercise Tips

Here are some tips I have come up with to help you with exercise and nutrition:

1) Breakfast – We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but let’s not forget that it is what we eat in the morning that really counts. Some quick and easy items are: cold cereal, low fat milk, juices, whole grain waffles, and fruit.

2) Group Physical Activities – Plan a few weekly events with friends, family, coworkers, fellow students, or neighbors. This could be a weekly walk around the neighborhood, weekend swimming time, a family bike, or a camping trip.

3) Move – If you’re moving you aren’t standing still. Find a way to spend 5-10 minutes of every hour getting up and doing something physical. This may include climbing the stairs, stretching, or walking around the block or office building.

4) Healthy Snacks – Snacking throughout the day doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Try eating carrots, broccoli or whatever your favorite raw vegetable is during the day. This will help boost your energy, keep you full, and will help you acquire the daily servings your body needs to maintain a healthy diet.

5) Work Out – There are ways to get a good workout without having to buy an expensive gym membership. Do some research on at-home workouts, check out your television service offerings, get online, or find books or videos at your local library. They are key to a good workout and working up a sweat. Overall, simply find a way to get your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes a day.

6) Vegetables and Grains – Try to eat more vegetables and grains. Whole wheat pasta or breads like pita can taste good and are good for you. These will give you complex carbs for energy, as well as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

7) Balanced Diet – Too much of anything can be bad, right? Try to balance out your food choices over the day and week. Pick different snacking options and have breakfasts and dinners with health variety. This will allow you to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Plus the variety will keep you going.

8) Have Fun – Try a new activity or sport. Participate with friends and family. Eating right and getting exercise doesn’t have to be a burden. If you have the right outlook it can be a joy. Making eating right a fun and balanced part of your life while setting realistic, short-term goals.

Ian Holtz,
Manager, Business Development

PPACA Roundup: Part II

This is part II of a two part series on the impact of the Affordable Care Act and where employee assistance/wellness may have a place in the discussion.

Known Solutions

One of the most compelling bodies of research for providing coverage for all comes from the mental health sector in the form of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) that are offered by almost all of the largest employers in the country. EAP’s typically offer free counseling or psychotherapy sessions to anyone in the employee’s household. This reduces the barriers to access (such as co-pays, deductibles) and allows for earlier intervention. The medical cost offset literature is very clear that as co-pays go up, individuals with chronic illnesses and limited income such as those that may be enrolled in Medicaid programs defer purchasing medication even though not taking the medication eventually will result in serious medical complications. Having no insurance will increase the probability even further that “healthy” individuals will be even less likely to seek medical care than other populations when they need it because of the barriers to access, thus driving up costs in the public sector, or contributing to medical bankruptcies when treatable illnesses become complicated later in the course of the illness.

Beside early access and cost reduction, the future of our health as a country lies in proactive wellbeing interventions. As one of the most obese countries in the world due to our over-reliance on processed foods, high carbohydrate diets, and excess animal protein consumption, our medical costs are only going to continue to sky rocket unless we start applying what we know from the behavioral health research related to adherence and relapse on health behavior. Using wellness coaching to modify health beliefs, food choices, exercise adherence, and other healthy behaviors will not only save lives, it will improve the quality of life for all of those in the community. The Social Psychology of health research indicates that “your friends’ friends make you fat.” The converse is also true; they can also make you healthy.

If that’s not enough…

We also know from the literature that simply being healthy does not exist in a vacuum and that, in fact, just because one happens to be healthy now, does not preclude them from treatment planning.  Healthy people need to exercise, they need to choose whole and nutritious foods, and they need skills development to help them affect cohorts in the workplace.  The idea that has been put forward that suggests that healthy people don’t need insurance, or more precisely, don’t need to engage in the healthcare market, ignores the continuum of health.  We don’t innately become or stay healthy, that comes from behavioral decisions, influenced or bolstered by our social networks.  Therefore, every person we enroll in a healthcare plan leads to 2nd and 3rd link solutions for others within the network.

ROI

The return on investment for the individual, the employer, and society is significant. For example, EAP’s have been shown to return $4.00 to $22.00 per employee per month. The difference between these two numbers is largely due to the panoply of programs available and the ways in which these proactive programs are promoted. The medical cost offset literature for treatment of co-morbid mental health diagnoses and medical conditions would more than pay for the cost of the premiums to the individual. The savings to the U.S. government (thus its citizens) of not having to bail out the insurance companies would be in the 100’s of billions.

Conclusion

There is precedent that even though we as U.S. citizens have our civil liberties (which have been seriously compromised in the last ten years) and freedom of choice, in some cases those choices are limited because of the negative impact on the community. For example, drug testing to ensure safer work places, lowered speed limits in school areas, and even paying into the Social Security system are all ways that we, as a community, have come together to make a decision for the benefit of all. Having a fully-insured population for this country falls into the same societal good ethics argument and this is what makes our country great!

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

Ryan Lucas
Marketing

PPACA Roundup: Part I

This is part I of a two part series on the impact of the Affordable Care Act and where employee assistance/wellness may have a place in the discussion.

Nature of the problem

There is interesting disparity in understanding regarding the health care reform act and the impact on requiring individual coverage. The assumption is that it violates individual freedom of choice and will be costly to that individual.  But in actuality, the impact of the individual coverage tax penalty of the Act will affect only 2% of the population.

Some thoughts on the PPACA

Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States held 6.25 hours of discussion regarding three pieces of the PPACA: severability, the constitutionality of the individual mandate, and the effect of overturning the mandate.  To listen to the various sessions that occurred, you can find those here:

Day 1: Department of Health and Human Servs. v. Florida
Day 2: Department of Health and Human Servs. v. Florida
Day 3: National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius

In these many arguments, some interesting points stand out to us (please keep in mind that we’re not lawyers, we are behavioral health experts):

1. Choosing to not purchase something is still a decision of commerce.  Choosing to not purchase today may result in increased cost tomorrow and therefore deferring the decision is an increased risk to the overall economic fabric. Further, deciding to not engage in the economy is in its own right still engaging with the economy as choosing to not purchase something means that the demand/supply relationship is affected by not purchasing.
2. It would seem that since Massachusetts already has an individual mandate within the state, and that there are no limitations to traveling across or emigrating to other states within the Union could mean that one could defer purchasing insurance until a critical or chronic condition occurred and move to Massachusetts and increase the liability and cost of the risk pool, thereby adversely affecting the Massachusetts healthcare burden and budget.

From a Social Psychology perspective, it is clear that choosing, or not choosing, to participate in a program that ultimately will be utilized by the greatest majority of citizens at some point in their lives, is a behavior of short-sighted self-interest and poor, long-term risk management.

Impact

If the Supreme Court overturns the tax penalty portion of this law, there are projected scenarios that include bankrupting insurance companies as the number of those with pre-existing conditions who have been limited in obtaining insurance will sign up. The healthy may not enroll, thus shrinking the pool that the risk can be distributed across. The U.S. government may then be faced with bailing out the insurance companies which it, in all likelihood, will not be able to do.  The other hidden cost is that those who are “healthy” and uninsured are still at the same risk for mental health and substance use problems. The research in the behavioral health arena has documented consistent epidemiology data that those in the “healthy” group are no less vulnerable to addictions, depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental illnesses than other groups in the population. In addition, the costs to employers of these illnesses are significant. Individuals with co-morbid diagnoses have significantly higher medical costs when they experience cardiac events, cancer, chronic illnesses such as diabetes, and greater difficulty with losing weight if they are obese which causes further medical costs downstream.  Allowing the “healthy” to remain uninsured creates unnecessary costs to themselves, their employers, and to society.

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

Ryan Lucas
Marketing

10 Fitness Motivation Tips

Whether we are lifting weights, jogging, swimming or engaging in another fitness activity, we all know that getting the motivation to go can sometimes be a problem. We often use “going to the gym” as a metaphor for other activities in which we can easily lack motivation. When we lack motivation, it is very easy to become distracted and conjure up reasons why we can’t get it done today, and we add to our long lists of things we need to get done.

For me, I choose to make “going to the gym” a habit, and I stick to it by simply blocking out specific time during the week. For example, I go to the gym every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, and if I can help it I will not let other events get in the way. I know that there is only one way to get results, and that is to actually go to the gym - So I try not to think about what I’m going to do, how I’m going to do it, or what might get in the way, I just simply go. Once I’m on the way, I will come up with a game plan and decide what muscle groups I plan to work on that day, as I try to rotate between back and biceps, chest and triceps, shoulders and legs. I also take into account a short, warm-up run (3-5 miles). Again, I can’t stress enough how important it is to just go! Don’t over think it, remember you only get results when you go, and you can always worry about the details along the way…

Here are some helpful motivating tips I found from Britt Hysen

Ian Holtz,
Manager, Business Development

Office Health

It is a reality; Your desk job could be hindering your health and your waistline!

Many Americans that work the 8 to 5 do so by sitting at a desk. One study found that individuals who sit 7.4 or more hours are more likely to become overweight than those who sit less than 5 hours. Another study found that the more a man sits the more weight he is likely to gain. In addition to the added pounds, sitting at your desk for long periods of time causes leg cramps, poor posture, and muscle tension (Diethack, 2008).

So, if in fact, sedentary describes your 8 to 5 day - Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy while working at your desk:

1. Embrace the H2O.
   Even when you’re sitting, hydration is essential! Water not only keeps your body cleansed and your skin nourished, it also contains zero calories and may curb your appetite (Lifehacks, 2011).
2. Sit Correctly.
   Isn’t it easy to slouch and position yourself comfortably in your office chair? Although this might be comfortable in the short-term, it is not ideal in the long-term. The comfy slouching position can cause strain, aches, and even injury. The ideal seating position includes having your chair set at the appropriate height, this means that your eyes should be level to the computer screen, your knees positioned lower than your hips, and your computer screen 20 inches directly from your face. Your feet should sit flat on the floor and your wrists on your desk (Lifehacks, 2011).
3. Don’t keep unhealthy snacking food at your desk!
   If you are a snacker, try to keep the healthy foods at your desk since the temptation might be there. Some examples may include carrot sticks, celery sticks, or dried fruit (Diethack, 2008).

Click here for additional information on Office Health

Daniél C. Kimlinger, MHA, PHR
Human Resources/Accounting

Caring for the Caregiver

Visit our Website Past Newsletters Caring for the Caregiver November 21, 2011   Do you find these articles on caregiving and other “life” topics helpful? These articles come from our PersonalAdvantage online benefit. We are so excited to announce that starting January 1st every existing account with online benefits will be automatically upgraded to the new PersonalAdvantage website that your employees can customize for their individual wellness needs! Happy Turkey Day! Read more on this topic here… Britney Kirsch Account Manager

Employee Health…Is it the Employers Responsibility?

HR magazines everywhere cite statistics which link healthy employees to healthy workplace results. But whose responsibility is it to ensure that employees take care of their health, see their primary care physicians annually, exercise on a regular basis, eat the right foods, and get vaccinations? Although it is not the employers’ responsibility per se, there are some basic and easy ways to promote a healthy workplace which prove beneficial to both the employee and the organization.

• Promote a healthy organizational culture. There are some simple ways to do this. When ordering in meals for seminars and/or trainings, order healthy items – skip the unhealthy choices such as pizza, cookies, and chips. Involve your company in local 5ks and/or other exercise initiatives. This does more than get everyone out for some exercise; it’s the perfect environment for socializing!

•  Encourage Preventative Care.  This begins with offering health insurance; statistics provided by the White House show that the smaller the company, the less likely they are to offer health insurance.  In fact, less than 50 percent of employers with less than ten employees offer health insurance.  When selecting a health insurance company, it may be wise to ask about preventative care options such as vaccines, smoking cessation programs, and perhaps annual exams without charge.   Be sure to advertise these benefits to your employees, encourage them to get physicals, and consider offering them time during the workday for preventative care (The White House, 2009).

• Consider Incentive Programs.   Incentive programs in organizations are growing all over the United States.  Programs that encourage employees to exercise, attend regular doctor appointments, get vaccinations, eat well, and overall take care of themselves have really jumped in popularity. Some incentives to consider may include bonuses, awards when they reach their goals such as certificates or fitness gear, and overall continued encouragement for the effort in which they put in!

Daniél Kimlinger, MHA, PHR
Human Resources Specialist

 

Reference:
The Economic Effects of Health Care Reform on Small Businesses and Their Employees. The White House (2009, June 25). Retrieved August 22, 2011, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA-smallbusiness-july24.pdf

Tracking Vaccinations

Visit our Website Past Newsletters Tracking Vaccinations August 30, 2011   If you’re like us, you’re probably watching to see how Health Care Reform is going to affect the way we manage our health. There has been a lot of talk about Accountable Care Organizations, Individual Mandates, and more. One thing that probably will occur no matter what happens with the changes in the way we deal with our health is the widespread transition to Electronic Health Records (EHR). These virtual folders can help patients and family members to manage their own health and empower each person in their health records maintenance. Vaccination records are a great example of what you can do to stay ahead of the curve on your own treatment. By proactively requesting your own health records and keeping a copy for future providers, you can save a lot of time! Check out a quick additional resource for this last communication on the topic of vaccination: myPHR.com’s steps towards creating your own Personal Health Record and take control of your health! Read more on this topic here… Britney Kirsch Account Manager

Immunization Update for Seniors

Visit our Website Past Newsletters Immunization Update for Seniors August 23, 2011   Yesterday, I sat staring at my computer like a deer in headlights. I whispered, “Seriously, another communication on vaccines?” I know that vaccines are the theme of our August communications, but I had absolutely nothing interesting to say. Considering this week’s topic discusses immunizations for seniors, I thought I would give my Grandma a call last night in hopes that she could offer up a funny story. First words out of my Grandma’s mouth; “Britney, there is nothing funny about vaccinations, it’s no laughing matter.” The next 30 minutes of the phone conversation is why I love my Grandma so much and value our special relationship. With her vivid statements, she can bring me back to a time that is hard for my mind to grasp. In nearly every conversation she has me appreciating aspects of my world that I take for granted. For example, the summer before 7th grade, my biggest fear was my Dad calling me inside from playing with my friends. My Grandma’s biggest fear, the summer before her 7th grade year, was getting polio. That’s a sobering thought. The only vaccine that was even available before her 8th grade year was small pox. There weren’t vaccinations for diphtheria, polio, or chicken pox. These were diseases she had to worry about as a child, and although we are only 39 years apart, I thought they were ancient diseases that I only saw when playing “Oregon Trail!” She went on to talk about her life as a senior and stressed the importance of protecting herself with immunizations. Her son (my uncle) actually received his Masters in Immunology, so she has immersed herself in the subject and I found her knowledge fascinating. Before last night, immunizations were shots with needles (cringe!) that I had to get but leave it to my Grandma to make me appreciate something that I once hated. Read more on this topic here… Britney Kirsch Account Manager

Quiz Yourself: Adult Immunizations

Visit our Website Past Newsletters Quiz Yourself: Adult Immunizations August 15, 2011   This month we are focusing on immunizations for all ages and this week we are challenging you take a brief quiz to test your knowledge on Adult Immunizations! I failed miserably but that could be because I am in denial that I have to continue to receive shots! Again, please be sure to check with your medical provider for any further information on these topics. Also, please remember to register for the third installment of our HR Webinar on Organizational Assessments, “The Fine Art of Report Writing” – a description is included below to be held on August 17th! The Fine Art of Report Writing – Register! During the organizational assessment a great deal of data is collected and recorded. The data that is fed back to the organization (sometimes a specific target group of the assessment) is what we call “The Report.” This webinar will focus on all of the considerations of how to compile, organize, analyze, and feed the data back in a constructive manner to the client organization or “team.” As always, examples of real life case studies will be shared in the context of The Fine Art of Report Writing. Read more on this topic here… Britney Kirsch Account Manager