Workout of the Week (WOW): Tricep Dips

Each Friday, we’ll have a new Workout of the Week (WOW) for you.  We hope you’ll try it out over the weekend and then build it into your daily routine Monday through Friday of the coming week.  These workout ideas will be simple, appropriate for people of various ages and abilities, and allow you to fit a little more physical activity into your week! This week, we’ll teach you how to do Tricep Dips.

Tricep Dips strengthen your triceps, the muscles that run along the backside of your upper arm, from your shoulder to your elbow. Please note: Although this exercise is designed to be done using a workout bench, a sturdy coffee table will work as well.

·         Begin by sitting on the side of your bench. Place your hands on the edge of the bench, straighten your legs, and place your feet out in front of you.

·         Next, straighten your arms and slide your rear end off of the edge of the bench, so you are holding yourself up only using your arms, and rest your heels on the floor.

·         Lower your body by bending your arms until you feel a slight stretch in your chest or shoulder, or your rear end touches the floor.

·         Finally, raise your body by straightening your arms, and repeat.

Try doing 15-20 repetitions of this exercise, in 2-3 set increments.

Tips: The bench height you use should allow for full range of motion (your arms should be able to bend to 90 degrees). If this exercise is too challenging you can bend your knees to make it easier. If you need to add difficulty, elevate your feet on another bench or stool of similar height.

Want more fitness ideas?  If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to our Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for more healthy ideas to get—and stay—fit. And remember, talk to your doctor before beginning any new fitness regimen.

Join the Great American Smokeout!

Today, the American Cancer Society (ACS) hosts its 37^thGreat American Smokeout, which takes place annually on the third Thursday of every November. It’s a day that encourages tobacco users to quit their habit. By quitting, they will be taking an important step towards a healthier life, one that can lead to reducing their risk for cancer.
 

Quitting is hard, but you are not alone. The Great American Smokeout is a way to quit alongside millions of people across the country. Through the Great American Smokeout, the ACS aims to help increase people’s chances of success by providing them with quit-smoking programs, resources and support.

On the fence about quitting?

If you are thinking about quitting smoking, or want someone you love or care about to quit, consider these facts about smoking.

·         Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet about 43.8 million Americans still smoke cigarettes –that’s nearly 1 in every 5 adults (ACS.com).

·         In the United States, cigarette smoking causes more than 440,000 deaths annually (including deaths from secondhand smoke).

·         Life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than for nonsmokers because smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers in general.

 

It’s never too late to quit

The health benefits of quitting smoking begin almost instantly after you finish your last cigarette. These stats from the American Cancer Society show how your body starts to heal itself over time after you quit:

 

Immediate benefits include…

·         Your breath smells better

·         Your teeth can become less discolored

·         Your clothes and hair will not smell of smoke

·         Your fingernails will return to their natural color and be less yellow

·         Your sense of smell returns

·         You can feel less short of breath after doing light activities

 

After you quit, your body will begin to heal itself over time. Here’s how…

·         After 20 minutes: Your heart rate and blood pressure drop to normal levels.

·         After 12 hours: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

·         After 2 weeks to 3 months: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

·         After 1-9 months: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

·         After 1 year: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s.

·         After 5 years: Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risks falls to that of a non-smoker.

·         After 10 years: The risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of pancreas and larynx cancer decreases.

·         After 15 years: Your risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s

 

Save your lungs and your wallet

If these health benefits aren’t enough, you should consider the financial benefits you would receive if you quit smoking. Calculate the cost of your smoking habit with The American Cancer Society’s Smoke Cost Calculator, which breaks down how much your habit has cost you throughout your lifetime—and will continue to cost you if you don’t quit.

 

Other resources

For more tools and resources to help you quit smoking, visit:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Quit Smoking Page: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/index.htm

The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout and Support and Treatment pages: http://www.cancer.org/healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/greatamericansmokeout/indexhttp://www.cancer.org/treatment/index

SmokeFree.gov’s website which covers many different scenarios for people wanting to quit and ways to approach someone about wanting them to quit: http://smokefree.gov/

If you are a Health Advocate member and want to quit smoking, call us today! Our Personal Health Advocates can connect you with resources to help you quit. And if you have access to Health Advocate’s Wellness Coaching program, you can get tobacco cessation help from one of our Wellness Coaches. You can do it—quit today!

Ask a Health Advocate: Where can I get tested for HIV?

This is a very timely question!  World AIDS Dayis right around the corner—it is celebrated worldwide every year on December 1.  It is an opportunity to remember those who have passed on, celebrate victories in the realms of treatment and prevention, and raise awareness of the disease.

World AIDS Day serves as a good reminder to get tested if you don't know your HIV status and, if you are HIV-positive, to be proactive and talk to your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Not sure where to get tested? Use these resources to help you find the most convenient testing site for you.

Where to Get Tested

If you’d like to get tested by someone you already know and are comfortable with, you can get tested for HIV by your primary care physician. (Don't currently have a doctor lined up?  If you are a Health Advocate member, call us today for help finding a local, in-network doctor.)

If you would rather not go to your family doctor for HIV testing, there are numerous clinics nationwide that can administer HIV testing. You can use the following resources to locate a clinic near you:
 

·         The AIDS Service Organization provides the ASO Finder, which you can use to locate resources for testing and counseling.

·         Send a text message with your ZIP code to “KNOWIT” (566948) or visit http://hivtest.cdc.gov/

·         HIVtest.org can also help you find a testing location.

·         AIDS.gov has a HIV Test Locator here: http://locator.aids.gov/

·         You can also test yourself using FDA-approved self-test kits, which are available in drugstores and pharmacies. Keep in mind that self-testing doesn’t give you the benefit of pre- and post-test counseling.

 

It can take up to six months for HIV to be able to be detected during testing. If you get tested before six months have passed since the last time you engaged in any activity during which you were at risk for contracting HIV, you should test again once that six-month mark has passed so that you are 100% sure that your test results are accurate.

While the thought of getting tested for HIV can be scary, what’s even scarier is not knowing your HIV status. One in five Americans living with HIV is unaware that they have it; those people are not getting the care and treatment they need for HIV, and they’re also at risk of unknowingly infecting others.  So don't delay--use World AIDS Day as a reminder to make your health a priority and get tested for HIV.

Have a question for a Health Advocate? Email nhess@healthadvocate.com, and we may answer your question in our next column!

Lighten up your favorite Hanukkah dishes

Did you know that this year, the first day of Hanukkah falls on Thanksgiving? Talk about two food holidays colliding!  But while many traditional Hanukkah recipes are delicious, they are not always nutritionally ideal. If you’re looking to make your favorite Hanukkah recipes healthier, try these lightened-up versions—serve them at your Thanksgiving dinner or during one of the other seven nights of festivities!

Traditional Dish: Latkes (fried potato pancakes) topped with applesauce and sour cream

Healthier Variation: Instead of deep-frying your latkes, try baking them.  You can also add shredded sweet potato, carrots, and zucchini to your recipe for an added nutritional boost.  Try this delicious Baked Latke recipe, and top them with cranberry applesauceand low-fat sour cream or Greek Yogurt.

Traditional Dish:Challah (Jewish braided bread)

Healthier Variation:  Add whole wheat flour and pumpkin puree to your traditional Challah recipe.  They are both high in fiber, which has many health benefits such as helping maintain a healthy weight and improving digestion. This pumpkin challah recipe is sure to be a fall favorite!

Traditional Dish:Beef Brisket

Healthier Variation: Brisket is known to be a fatty cut of meat.  Opt for the flat "first-cut" section over the fattier "point cut." Call your supermarket or butcher to make sure that they have it available before you go to the store.  Try this delicious Braised Brisket and Roots recipe, which incorporates many delicious fall vegetables!

Traditional Dish:Noodle Kugel

Healthier Variation: Noodle Kugel traditionally consists of egg noodles, butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar, and raisins. Swap full-fat cheese and sour cream for reduced-fat versions and add in sweet potato puree for added fiber, vitamin E, and potassium. Try this Sweet Potato Noodle Kugel recipe for a delicious side dish.

Traditional Dish: Deep-fried Jelly Doughnuts (also known as Sufganiot)

Healthier Variation: Bake your doughnuts instead of frying them.  They will taste just as delicious with reduced fat and calories.  Try this Baked Jelly Doughnut recipe and see for yourself!

Get creative and have fun making your favorite Hanukkah dishes this year!  If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for more ideas on how to lighten up your favorite Hanukkah foods.  Have a happy and healthy “Thanksgivukkah!”

Easy Ways to Make Thanksgiving Dinner Healthier

Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and if you’re hosting—or bringing a dish to a Thanksgiving dinner you’re attending—you’re likely busy in the kitchen. As you prepare your menu, consider the many ways traditional Thanksgiving dishes can be made healthier. You don’t need to completely revamp a recipe—even making one simple tweak to a recipe can make it healthier, yet just as delicious as the original version. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

 

Appetizers

Get your festivities off to a healthy start! These ideas cut fat without reducing flavor:

·         When serving raw vegetables, use hummus instead of a sour cream-based dip.

·         For potato skins, reduce the amount of shredded cheddar cheese in your recipe. For example, use 1 cup instead of 2 cups and save 455 calories. 

·         For a fresh, tasty appetizer, make mini Caprese skewers—spear a tomato slice or grape tomato, a basil leaf, and a small ball or slice of mozzarella cheese on a toothpick. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.

 

Main Course

Many of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes can be made healthier with just a simple tweak or two. Try these healthy twists on traditional Thanksgiving foods:

·         Turkey: Roast it instead of frying it.

·         Stuffing: Cut your calories in half using turkey sausage (half the fat of pork sausage). Plus, add more apples and vegetables for flavor, and use whole grain bread cubes.

·         Mashed potatoes: Reduce fat calories by using low-fat sour cream or, better yet, fat-free Greek yogurt.  Or, discreetly sneak in more vegetables by making a “mash-up” of half potatoes and half mashed, steamed cauliflower.

·         Sweet potatoes: Instead of melting butter or marshmallows on them, sprinkle cinnamon on top.

·         Green bean casserole: Skip the canned cream of mushroom soup, which often contains a lot of fat and salt. Instead, make your own white sauce with onions and mushrooms sautéed in canola oil, whisked with low fat milk. Top with slivered almonds.

·         Other vegetable dishes: Instead of adding butter to your vegetables, try adding herbs like parsley, rosemary, or thyme—this adds flavor without adding fat.

 

Desserts

Pies, cakes, and cookies are often at the heart of holiday gatherings.  Use these tips to reduce the fat and calories in your desserts:

·         For any baked goods: Replace white flour with whole wheat flour or almond flour. Use a 50:50 ratio of whole wheat flour to white flour, or a 25:75 ratio of almond flour to white flour.

·         For any baked goods that include added sugar: Substitute applesauce for half of the sugar.  Use a 1:1 ratio for this the substitution, and reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup. 

·         Pumpkin pie: Substitute fat-free evaporated milk for heavy cream. 

·         Fruit cobbler: Make a fruit cobbler or crisp without the crust.

·         For a fun, colorful dessert, serve fruit skewers—use strawberries, grapes, melon cubes, pineapple, or any of your other favorites! Serve with fat-free Greek yogurt for dipping.

 

If you are a Health Advocate member with access to our Wellness Coaching program, call us today to speak to a Wellness Coach about more ways to make your holiday meals healthier!

 

Take Preventive Measures this Flu Season

Flu season is right around the corner. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 out of 10 people will get the flu this year. The CDC recommends a yearly vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu. Getting the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available each year is the best course of action, and it can help protect you throughout the entire flu season.

Health Advocate provides information on ways you can reduce your risk of catching the flu.

Get a flu vaccination. Typically, health experts recommend that people get their flu shot in early fall. Early immunization is the most effective, but it is not too late to get the vaccine in December, January or beyond.  Many employers offer free flu vaccinations onsite. If your employer doesn’t offer them, you can get a low-cost flu vaccination at retail pharmacy chains. You can also schedule an appointment to get a flu shot from your primary doctor.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. And if you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs, and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth.

Practice other good health habits. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Someone close to you might be suffering from the flu – your coworker, your spouse, or the man sitting next to you on the train during your daily commute. While you can’t control what happens to others around you, you can take preventative measures to stay well. If you are a Health Advocate member, call your Personal Health Advocate for more information about flu vaccinations and staying healthy through cold and flu season.

Introducing Health Advocate’s NEW Chronic Care Solutions Program

Health insurance costs for employers and employees continue to rise. New research conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust has found that the majority of employers are trying to make up for their own rising costs by asking workers to pay much more for their care with higher premiums, copays and deductibles.

Chances are that a small percentage of a company’s employees account for the rising healthcare costs. In fact, chronic diseases are among the most common, preventable and costly of all health conditions, accounting for more than 75 percent of total healthcare spending.

To address the issue of rising health costs, Health Advocate launched its Chronic Care Solutions Program, a powerful approach to helping employees with chronic illness improve their health and quality of life.

Chronic Care Solutions is designed to improve health outcomes and reduce costs associated with specific conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, depression, diabetes, hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

Health Advocate’s Chronic Care Solutions Program uses advanced data analytics combined with intensive targeted chronic care coaching by registered nurses.

Caring support

Employees who have been identified as having one or more chronic health conditions have access to Health Advocate’s experienced registered nurses, who will partner with them to help them control symptoms, manage their condition, and follow their treatment plans. Nurse Coaches work with employees over a period of 4-6 months, via telephone appointments, helping them to set customized goals and create strategies that are tailored to their needs. This highly personalized program also allows Nurse Coaches to identify and address “gaps in care” and other health risks, which can help employees keep their diseases from worsening and avoid preventable medical costs.

Health Advocate’s Chronic Care Solutions Program also helps employees:

·         Understand how to get the best from their medications, minimize side effects

and find affordable prescriptions

·         Learn how to monitor their condition over time—both at home and with the right medical tests

·         Recognize  early signs that their condition may be worsening

·         Find ways to handle symptoms and knowing when to call their doctor

·         Stay up-to-date with recommended preventive care and health screenings

Through the Chronic Care Solutions Program, employees can reduce the chances of their conditions progressing and developing complications in the years to come.  Nurses Coaches can also help employees make healthy lifestyle changes, including diet and physical activity, which are vital to controlling diseases and improving overall health.

If you already offer Health Advocate to your employees, we would be happy to tell you more about implementing our comprehensive Chronic Care Solutions Program—just contact your Health Advocate representative. If you do not currently offer our services and would like to know more about how Health Advocate can benefit your organization, please call us at 866-385-8033, prompt #2.

Addressing Domestic Violence in the Workplace

Domestic violence, also known as relationship violence and intimate partner violence, is not just an issue that takes place in the privacy of the home. Domestic violence follows the victim to their workplace, and its effects can be devastating to the victim, their coworkers and their company’s bottom line.

Whether it’s a physical injury, a threatening phone call, stalking in the parking lot, missed work due to abuse at home, stress or distraction, the result of domestic violence is high absenteeism and turnover, lost wages, a heightened risk of violence to coworkers, and lost productivity. Domestic violence costs businesses more than $729 million a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It jumps to more than $4 billion with the inclusion of medical and mental healthcare costs. Workplace incidences that lead to litigation can drive costs up even more, according to the CDC.

Health Advocate provides the following white paper, Domestic Violence: The Impact on the Workplace as a resource to help executives, managers and human resources professionals understand the ways domestic violence affects everyone, from the victim to the people they live and work with. To view the white paper, visit: http://www.healthadvocate.com/_mobile/downloads/communications-pdfs/b2b/domestic_violence_white_paper.pdf

The following are just a few of the strategies employers can put in place to help reduce and prevent the emotional and economic toll domestic violence has on their workers and their organization.

• Form a domestic violence team. Include employees, managers, supervisors, HR, public relations, security personnel, the legal department, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) professionals, and, if applicable, a union representative.
• Create a specific threat response team. Specialized EAP professionals can help analyze the potential of a threat to the company and develop protocols to respond to threats.
• Enlist community resources. Partner with law enforcement, advocacy organizations, shelters or crisis centers that can help you develop policies and communications.
• Provide annual training for all employees. The EAP or local crisis center can help employees identify signs of abuse, review workplace policies and recommend resources.
• Install safety measures. Arrange for the victim to have priority parking near the building and have escorts to their car. Screen calls, and transfer harassing calls to security. Also, have the employee’s name removed from automated phone directories. Limit information about employees disclosed by phone. If a restraining order is in place, get a photo of the abuser to keep in the front desk or reception area.

Where to Turn When You Need Support

If you are currently experiencing or have experienced abuse in an intimate relationship, many types of support are available.

• Always call your local police department if you are in imminent danger.
• Call a local or national domestic violence hotline for help creating a safety plan, finding a shelter, and more. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.7233, or visit them online to chat with an advocate.
• If available, call your Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides free, confidential services to both victims and survivors of domestic abuse.  EAP counselors are committed to helping employees and their household members feel safe in their homes, communities and workplaces.  If you are a Health Advocate member with access to our EAP+Work/Life services, call us today to speak to a licensed professional counselor.

Ask a Health Advocate: How can I maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle?

Great question! Our lifestyle choices can go a long way towards reducing our risks for heart disease –a disease which claims more than 17 million lives around the world every year, according to the World Heart Federation. Although medicine has come a long way, lifestyle choices can make a difference in how long and how well we live. There is a lot you can do to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle, including getting regular exercise, eating a heart-healthy diet, and keeping your stress level low. Read on to learn how to make these changes, and why they are good for your health.

Regular Exercise. Being inactive is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. Regular cardiovascular (“cardio”) exercise has many benefits for your heart, including lowering blood pressure, controlling sugar levels, maintaining a healthy weight, increasing good cholesterol levels, and reducing stress.
Examples of cardio include:

·         Walking, running, or hiking

·         Playing sports like soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, or boxing

·         Riding a bike, swimming, or kayaking

A Heart-Healthy Diet. When you eat, you aren’t only feeding your stomach--you’re feeding your heart, too. You can reduce your chances of developing atherosclerosis, the blocked arteries that cause heart disease, with a heart-healthy diet. Heart-healthy foods include salmon, nuts, olive oil, lean meats and low-fat dairy. Fiber-rich foods can help lower your cholesterol, and so can fruits and vegetables which are full of antioxidants, beta blockers and vitamin C. Steer clear of foods with high trans fat levels, such as fried food, and foods with high amounts of salt and sugar, like packaged snacks, sweets, and soft drinks.

Keeping Your Stress in Check. As much as we would like to be able to eliminate all stressors in our life, that’s not usually possible--but we can control how we cope with our stress. There are many healthy things you can do to reduce your stress level. Try exercise, relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga, finding a new hobby to enjoy, taking a vacation or a day off, or spending time with a loved one.

Have a question for a Health Advocate? Email nhess@healthadvocate.com, and your question may be answered in an upcoming “Ask a Health Advocate” column!