Be the Stair Master Improve heart health with one-minute bouts of exercise The next time you see the elevator, resist the urge to press the button and stand around for the doors to open. Instead, become the Stair Master. Take the stairs and hustle to your destination. Why? New research shows that even short bursts of stair climbing can improve heart health. 1 Get Fit One Step at a Time Ready for some Stair Master Training? It’s easy. Hustle for just 20 seconds up the stairs. Rest briefy. Then continue. Researchers found that even one-minute bouts of exercise can provide health benefts. Send comments to the editor: evan.jensen@ wellsource.com THE Y AXIS Try this 8-minute yoga routne for beginners http://tinyurl.com/ h3l5kmv MORE Yoga to Reduce Lower Back Pain a Slam Dunk INFORMATION FOR KEEPING HEALTHY MAR 2017 Researchers looked at data on 1,080 people with low back pain who did yoga poses. Tey found that yoga helped reduce pain and improve movement. Yoga must be done for six to 12 months to see these results. Need relief from lower back pain? Or want to keep your back healthy and strengthen your joints and muscles? Practice yoga. Try these beginner moves: ● Mountain Pose ● Downward-Facing Dog ● Child’s Pose ● Cat Pose ● Warrior I For Karnowski, doing yoga as part of his recovery after back surgery was just what he needed to get back to making slam dunks. How to Shop for Health at the Grocery Store Let healthy food choices and healthy recipes guide you Simple yoga poses reduce pain, improve movement Przemek Karnowski knows a little something about back pain. He’s 7 feet 1 inches tall and weighs 295 pounds. He’s spent the last decade jumping, blocking, and scoring points. Ten back pain put the future of his college basketball career in question. He had surgery two years ago. And then he got serious about doing yoga. Tis month, Karnowski will lace up his basketball shoes for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He’ll go-head-to-head against the best teams as the center for the Bulldogs in the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. And it’s game-on for Karnowski, thanks to yoga. Yoga Moves for a Healthy Back An estimated 80 percent of adults will have back pain at some point. For some, the pain lasts for months or years. Medical care, physical therapy, and surgery can help treat back-related problems. And so can yoga. 2 You head to the grocery store after work because you know the fridge and cupboards are bare. And then you realize you don’t really have a game plan. Sound familiar? Do you stock up on frozen meals, fried food from the deli, and dinner in a can? Or do you know what to buy for healthy and easy-to-make meals? Your food choices can have a big impact on your health, your waistline, and your risk for chronic diseases. Here’s how to shop smart: “Make your meal healthier by using foods with lots of color from natural sources,” says cardiologist Dr. Susan Smyth. 3 “Start in the produce section with fresh fruits and veggies, which are high in vitamins and fber and low in fat.” Add these foods to your shopping list ● Fruits (e.g. apples, oranges, bananas) ● Vegetables (e.g. spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes) ● Low-fat dairy products (yogurt, milk, cottage cheese) ● Whole-grain foods (bread, cereal, pasta) ● Nuts (unsalted) ● Canned beans (low sodium) COMMENTS?
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Yoga to Reduce Lower Back Pain a Slam Dunk€¦ · Simple yoga poses reduce pain, improve movement Przemek Karnowski knows a little something about back pain. He s feet inches tall
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Researchers looked at data on 1,080 people with low back pain who did yoga poses. They found that yoga helped reduce pain and improve movement. Yoga must be done for six to 12 months to see these results.
Need relief from lower back pain? Or want to keep your back healthy and strengthen your joints and muscles? Practice yoga. Try these beginner moves:
● Mountain Pose
● Downward-Facing Dog
● Child’s Pose
● Cat Pose
● Warrior I
For Karnowski, doing yoga as part of his recovery after back
surgery was just what he needed to get back to making slam dunks.
How to Shop for Health at the Grocery StoreLet healthy food choices and healthy recipes guide you
Simple yoga poses reduce pain,
improve movement
Przemek Karnowski knows a little something about back pain. He’s 7 feet 1 inches tall and weighs 295 pounds. He’s spent the last decade jumping, blocking, and scoring points. Then back pain put the future of his college basketball career in question. He had surgery two years ago. And then he got serious about doing yoga.
This month, Karnowski will lace up his basketball shoes for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He’ll go-head-to-head against the best teams as the center for the Bulldogs in the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. And it’s game-on for Karnowski, thanks to yoga.
Yoga Moves for a Healthy Back
An estimated 80 percent of adults will have back pain at some point. For some, the pain lasts for months or years. Medical care, physical therapy, and surgery can help treat back-related problems. And so can yoga.2
You head to the grocery store after work because you know the fridge and cupboards are bare. And then you realize you don’t really have a game plan. Sound familiar?
Do you stock up on frozen meals, fried food from the deli, and dinner in a can? Or do you know what to buy for healthy and easy-to-make meals? Your food choices can have a big impact on your health, your waistline, and your risk for chronic diseases. Here’s how to shop smart:
“Make your meal healthier by using foods with lots of color from
natural sources,” says cardiologist Dr. Susan Smyth.3 “Start in the produce section with fresh fruits and veggies, which are high in vitamins and fiber and low in fat.”
seasonings (e.g., dill, basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, thyme, garlic, etc.) or Parmesan and
mix well.
4. Spread an even
layer on a baking
sheet.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until tender.
How much do you know about the health
benefits of leafy-green plant foods? T F
1. n n A serving of kale contains more
calcium than a serving of milk and
more vitamin C than an orange.
2. n n Antioxidants in leafy green vegetables help prevent disease and certain types of cancer.
3. n n Eating leafy greens with healthy fats helps your body absorb more nutrients. (Healthy fats include olive oil, canola oil, low-fat salad dressing.)
4. n n You should eat 2 to 3 cups or more of vegetables daily. About 10 to 15 percent of the vegetables you eat should be leafy greens.
5. n n Leafy greens are a rich source of vitamin K, needed for blood clotting and healthy bones.
Did you get all of them right? If not, you could benefit from learning more about leafy greens. Dark leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli contain vitamins and nutrients your body needs for good health.
Monthly Health Challenge™
Munch More Leafy Greens
What Are Leafy Greens?Quick! Name a leafy green. You know, the healthy, plant-based foods packed with vitamins and nutrients that protect your health and prevent disease.1 There are many, like broccoli, kale, and cabbage. And then there’s spinach. The next time you grab a bag of these leafy greens at the grocery store, think about this:
There’s a place called Crystal City, Texas, near San Antonio. It’s a place where muscle and brawn have been part of the culture ever since the railroad came to town. Once
investors got a glimpse of the Lone Star state’s wide open spaces, they bought thousands of acres of land. But it wasn’t to raise Longhorn cattle. They bought land to grow spinach.
Lots of it. And for more than 80 years, Crystal City has been known as the Spinach Capital of the World. The town boasts two larger-than-life statutes of the spinach-loving Popeye cartoon character. Every year, the town hosts a festival to crown a Spinach Queen. And the event always includes a crazy list of spinach-made appetizers, salads, soups, drinks, and desserts to sample.
Fortunately, you don’t have to take a trip to Texas to get your leafy greens. But if you’re like most people, you should eat more of them. So drive to a local farmer’s market or the corner market, and buy more leafy greens. Take the month-long health challenge to Munch More Leafy Greens.
CHALLENGE
Add more leafy-
green vegetables
to your diet
Health Benefits of Leafy GreensIt would be pretty cool if you could eat a mouthful of spinach like Popeye and suddenly feel strong and full of energy. Most people would probably eat more if it did. Going green won’t give you an instant energy boost. But making leafy greens a regular part of your diet will improve your long-term health. You will feel better over time. Studies show that eating leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables can help:2
✓ Reduce the risk for a heart attack or stroke
✓ Lower the risk for type 2 diabetes
✓ Control blood pressure
✓ Improve bone health
✓ Lower cholesterol
✓ Protect vision
✓ Increase energy
✓ Prevent certain types of cancer
✓ Improve bowel health
✓ Control hunger and aid in weight management
✓ Support healthy skin and hair
✓ Prevent age-related memory loss
Requirements to complete this HEALTH CHALLENGE™
1. Read “Eat More Leafy Greens.”2. Eat leafy-green vegetables on at
least 22 days this month.3. Keep a record of your completed challenge in
Take the March Health Challenge!Munch More Leafy Greens: Add more leafy greens to your diet
Ask the Wellness Doctor:This month Dr. Joe Raphael answers the question:
What can I do to prevent falls?
References
1. Allison, M., et al. (2017). Brief intense stair climbing improves cardiorespiratory fitness. Medicine & Sciences in
Sports and Exercise, 49(2):298-307. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001188.
2. Wieland, L. et al. (2017). Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Library. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010671.pub2.
3. Dawahare, L. (2017). Tips to shop like a cardiologist. University of Kentucky. Accessed on Feb. 10, 2017, from: http://tinyurl.com/hjvf6s3.
4. Watson, N.F., et al. (2017). Transcription signatures of sleep duration discordance in monozygotic twins. Sleep, 40(1):zsw019. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsw019.
5. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2017). Roasted root vegetables. What’s cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl. Accessed on February 10, 2017, from http://tinyurl.com/zyco7xp.
Healthy sleep habitshttp://tinyurl.com/
h4wx7fc
Get Your Zzzs to Avoid Getting Sick7 to 8 hours of sleep boosts immune system
How to Shop for Health at the Grocery Store (continued from page 1)
Work late. Hang out with friends. Tackle a homework project with a kid well past midnight. Kick off your shoes after a long day and watch late-night TV. Or stay up late on your mobile device reading, tapping, and swiping. Been there, done that?
There are millions of reasons (and excuses) why you skimp on sleep. But it will cost
Healthy Shopping Listtinyurl.com/zjapo8f
MOREGet recipe ideas
on the go
If you haven’t had time to plan out a menu, you can still find healthy recipe ideas on the go. Ask if your grocery store has recipe ideas.
(Many do.) Grab your smartphone and check grocery store websites for healthy recipes. Or visit Nutrition.gov for
It also helps build immune system pathways that fight viruses. “Sleep is as important as diet and exercise to optimal health,” says lead researcher Dr. Nathaniel Watson. “Prioritize it in your life and reap the benefits.”
you. New research shows that lack of sleep can weaken your immune system and raise your risk for getting sick.4
Researchers tracked the sleep patterns of healthy adults. Some slept seven or more hours a night. But others slept less than six hours a night. After just two weeks, tests showed the group not getting enough
sleep had weaker immune systems.
You might think burning the midnight oil is fine with a morning latte, energy drink, or caffeine pill. But if you do, you’re fooling yourself. If you’re chronically sleep deprived, you’re at risk for getting sick. Why?
Sleep helps restore your body’s health.
more ways to make heart-healthy meals.
Steer clear of
packaged foods
Here’s another hit for making your shopping trip a little healthier. Avoid packaged foods. Why?
“Almost everything in a plastic wrapper or cardboard package is highly processed,” says Smyth.
“These foods are usually loaded with fat, salt, sugar, or all three.”
2. n n Antioxidants in leafy green vegetables help prevent disease and certain types of cancer.
3. n n Eating leafy greens with healthy fats helps your body absorb more nutrients. (Healthy fats include olive oil, canola oil, low-fat salad dressing.)
4. n n You should eat 2 to 3 cups or more of vegetables daily. About 10 to 15 percent of the vegetables you eat should be leafy greens.
5. n n Leafy greens are a rich source of vitamin K, needed for blood clotting and healthy bones.
Did you get all of them right? If not, you could benefit from learning more about leafy greens. Dark leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli contain vitamins and nutrients your body needs for good health.
Monthly Health Challenge™
Munch More Leafy Greens
What Are Leafy Greens?Quick! Name a leafy green. You know, the healthy, plant-based foods packed with vitamins and nutrients that protect your health and prevent disease.1 There are many, like broccoli, kale, and cabbage. And then there’s spinach. The next time you grab a bag of these leafy greens at the grocery store, think about this:
There’s a place called Crystal City, Texas, near San Antonio. It’s a place where muscle and brawn have been part of the culture ever since the railroad came to town. Once
investors got a glimpse of the Lone Star state’s wide open spaces, they bought thousands of acres of land. But it wasn’t to raise Longhorn cattle. They bought land to grow spinach.
Lots of it. And for more than 80 years, Crystal City has been known as the Spinach Capital of the World. The town boasts two larger-than-life statutes of the spinach-loving Popeye cartoon character. Every year, the town hosts a festival to crown a Spinach Queen. And the event always includes a crazy list of spinach-made appetizers, salads, soups, drinks, and desserts to sample.
Fortunately, you don’t have to take a trip to Texas to get your leafy greens. But if you’re like most people, you should eat more of them. So drive to a local farmer’s market or the corner market, and buy more leafy greens. Take the month-long health challenge to Munch More Leafy Greens.
CHALLENGE
Add more leafy-
green vegetables
to your diet
Health Benefits of Leafy GreensIt would be pretty cool if you could eat a mouthful of spinach like Popeye and suddenly feel strong and full of energy. Most people would probably eat more if it did. Going green won’t give you an instant energy boost. But making leafy greens a regular part of your diet will improve your long-term health. You will feel better over time. Studies show that eating leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables can help:2
✓ Reduce the risk for a heart attack or stroke
✓ Lower the risk for type 2 diabetes
✓ Control blood pressure
✓ Improve bone health
✓ Lower cholesterol
✓ Protect vision
✓ Increase energy
✓ Prevent certain types of cancer
✓ Improve bowel health
✓ Control hunger and aid in weight management
✓ Support healthy skin and hair
✓ Prevent age-related memory loss
Requirements to complete this HEALTH CHALLENGE™
1. Read “Eat More Leafy Greens.”2. Eat leafy-green vegetables on at
least 22 days this month.3. Keep a record of your completed challenge in
It’s been almost a century since Popeye first appeared in a comic strip touting the health benefits of spinach. But spinach isn’t the only leafy green that’s good for you. Not long ago, researchers wanted to find out what plant-based foods were packed with the most vitamins and nutrients.5 They studied the nutritional profile of 41 fruits and vegetables. And it turns out that the top 10 powerhouse plant-based foods are all leafy greens:
➀ Watercress
➁ Chinese cabbage
➂ Swiss chard
➃ Beet greens
➄ Spinach
➅ Chicory
➆ Leaf lettuce
➇ Parsley
➈ Romaine lettuce
➉ Collard greens
But these aren’t the only leafy greens that are good for you. Kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and turnip greens are all good for your health.
A recent study looked at data on eating habits and heart disease. It showed that people who ate a lot of leafy greens were 16 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who ate very few if any of them.3 Eating more leafy greens could save lives. About 610,000 people a year die of heart disease in the United States.4
Make your own green smoothie
http://tinyurl.com/pz2c64n
If you don’t eat leafy greens often, you may think that adding more to your diet means you’ll need to eat mountains of salad. Eating more salad is a good way to eat more leafy greens, but it’s not the only way. Take a look at these ways to add more leafy greens to your diet:
n Make a salad: Make your own salad or order one from the menu. Start with romaine lettuce, spinach, and arugula. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, nuts and seeds, or tofu and turn your salad into a meal.
n Wrap it up: Make a wrap with sautéed vegetables, brown rice, and black beans. Add some leafy greens, and wrap it up in a whole-grain tortilla.
n Soup’s on: Add greens with larger, tougher leaves such as collard greens, kale, or mustard greens to your favorite soup.
n Try stir-fry: Stir-fry chopped spinach, bok choy, or broccoli with chicken or tofu. Add peas, carrots, and other vegetables. Cook with olive or canola oil and flavor with garlic, onion, or ginger.
Please pass the leafy greens
Adults should eat 2-3 cups of vegetables a day. About 10-15 percent of of them should be leafy greens.6
That’s only 1/2 cup of leafy greens a day!
How to Munch More Leafy Greens
Try these leafy-green
recipestinyurl.com/
ogzhn2m
n Go green: Make a green smoothie in a blender with frozen fruit, water or soymilk, and leafy greens. Popular greens for smoothies are spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, bok choy, Swiss chard, or collard greens.
n Steam it: Try steaming collard greens, mustard greens, kale, or spinach. It only takes a few minutes to make these leafy greens tender and soft. Serve with a sprinkle of lemon juice for added flavor.
n Bake kale: Lay some kale leaves on a cookie sheet. Lightly spray them with olive oil and bake in the oven to make your own kale chips.
n Opt for an omelet: Add steamed broccoli and/or spinach to an egg-white or egg-substitute omelet.
n Make a sandwich: Make a sandwich with whole-grain bread and your favorite fillings. Add leafy greens like spinach or romaine lettuce.
n Snack attack: When you get the craving for a snack, munch on broccoli and spinach dip.
Make the effort to eat more leafy-green vegetables. You’ll improve your health, feel better, and live longer.
References1. Adams, I. (2013). The health benefits of dark green leafy vegetables. University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture,
Cooperative Extension Service. Accessed on February 10, 2017 from http://tinyurl.com/heq4do9.
2. Slavin, J., Lloyd, B. (2012). Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Advances in Nutrition, 3(4):506-516. doi: 10.3945/an.112.002154.
3. Polluck. R. (2016). The effect of green leafy and cruciferous vegetable intake on the incidence of cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis. JRSM Cardiovascular Disease. doi: 10.1177/2048004016661435.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Heart disease facts. Accessed on February 10, 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm.
5. Noia, J. (2014). Defining powerhouse fruits and vegetables: A nutrient density approach. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11:130390. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.130390.
6. Yan, L. (2016). Dark green leafy vegetables. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed on February 10, 2017 from http://tinyurl.com/hdua6pz.
Collard greens are the perfect size to replace tortillas as a sandwich wrap, however the leaves can be tough. A few seconds in boiling water will soften them. Then the leaves can be stored in your fridge for up to a week as a healthy, low-calorie alternative to tortillas. Here’s how:
Ingredients:1 bunch collard greensKosher salt, as neededApple cider vinegar, as neededLarge pot, large bowl of ice water, & a paring knife
Directions:1. Wash the greens in a sink of cool water.2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.3. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of water, ice,
a pinch of salt, and a splash of cider vinegar.4. With a paring knife, carefully shave off
the thick middle stem of the greens.
5. Drop the leaves into the boiling water uncovered for 30 seconds.
6. Transfer the leaves directly into the bowl of ice water. Let soak for 1 hour or more.
7. Pat the leaves dry on paper towels.8. Stack the leaves on wax paper and place flat in a
large plastic bag to store in the fridge up to a week. 9. Use the collard green wraps in place of
tortillas to roll up guacamole and salsa, tuna or chicken salad, or brown rice and beans.
Read “How to Prep Collard Green Leaves for Low-Carb Wraps” at Kitchenista Diaries: https://tinyurl.com/hz98gmt
1. Post this calendar where you will see it daily (bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, etc.).2. Record the number of days you munch more leafy-green vegetables.3. Use the calendar to record the actions and choices you make to
help you form a habit of eating more leafy-green vegetables.4. At the end of the month, total the number of days you ate leafy-green
vegetables. You must do this on at least 22 days this month to complete this challenge. Then keep up the practice for a lifetime of best health.
HC = Health Challenge™ ex. min. = exercise minutes MONTH: