Wellness App Review: Lose It!

The Lose it!app is a tool that is designed to help individuals reach their weight loss goals.  It helps users set a daily calorie budget, track food and exercise, make smart choices and stay motivated to achieve their goal.  Lose It! is available on Android, iOS, Nook, Kindle, and the Web. 

One of the best aspects of the app is the food tracking feature.  Food logging is known to be an effective way to improve nutrition and lose weight.  This app makes it simple to log your meals and see how many calories you are consuming each day.  All you need to do is search for your foods using the food database and select your serving size.  You can save your favorite meals in the app to make it even easier the next time you need to log the same meal. There is also a food scanner tool that allows you to scan the barcodes of food items instead of having to search for them. 

Another great feature of the app is the visual bar graph that shows your daily calorie budget and how close you are to meeting your daily goal.  If you go over your goal, the graph clearly highlights how many calories you went over budget.  You can also check your weekly calorie consumption to see if you need to cut back or if you have a few extra calories to treat yourself. Other motivational features of the app include badges and the ability to connect with family and friends that use the app.

The basic version of the app is free.  There is also the option to add premium features for an added fee of $39.99.  Premium features include integration with many popular health and fitness devices and apps available such as wireless scales, pedometers, and workout apps. The app will automatically adjust your calorie budget based on activity data from wireless devices such as the FitBit and Nike FuelBand.  If you have a Withings scale at home, your weight entries can be automatically synched with the app so that you can monitor your weight progress over time. Some of the other premium features that are available include special tracking tools for meal planning and exercise planning, wellness competitions, and group forums.

If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for assistance with finding the right wellness app for you!

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to promote awareness about the ways women can protect themselves from human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes the vast majority of cervical cancers. Organizations like the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC)and the Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer (GIAHC) aim to educate women, family members and caregivers about the hardships related to cervical cancer and HPV, and to advocate for cervical health in all women by promoting prevention.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is a malignancy that begins in the cervix. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is found in about 99% of cervical cancers. There are over 100 different types of HPV, most of which are considered low-risk and do not cause cervical cancer. High-risk HPV types may cause cervical cell abnormalities or cancer. Cancer of the cervix tends to occur during midlife. Half of the women diagnosed with the disease are between 35 and 55 years of age. It rarely affects women under age 20, and approximately 20 percent of diagnoses are made in women older than 65.

Prevention is Key

More than 12,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and a quarter of these diagnoses will be terminal. Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer for women worldwide, but because it develops over time, it is also one of the most preventable types of cancer.

In the United States, deaths from cervical cancer continue to decline by approximately 2 percent a year. This decline is primarily due to the widespread use of the Pap test to detect cervical abnormalities and allow for early treatment. In fact, most women who have abnormal cervical cell changes that progress to cervical cancer have never had a Pap test or have not had one in the previous three to five years. Since some strains of HPV don’t have noticeable symptoms, it’s important for women to get screened regularly.

How women can reduce their risk:

• Get regular Pap tests with proper follow-up care as recommended by your doctor

• Use condoms; have safe and protected sex

• Ask your doctor about whether the HPV vaccine is right for you

Additionally, women may want to consider minimizing risk factors that could contribute to cervical cancer. These factors include:

• Smoking
• Having unprotected sex
• Multiple sexual partners
• Sexual intercourse at an early age
• Chlamydia infection
• Weakened immune system or HIV infection

Men can also reduce their risk of contracting HPV:

• Men can get the HPV vaccine, too! Ask your doctor about whether it’s right for you

•  Use condoms; have safe, protected sex

• If you know or suspect you may have HPV, don’t spread it—practice safe sex, and make an appointment for a checkup with your doctor

Resources for More Information

National Institute of Health Cervical Cancer Information

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cervicalcancer.html

National Cancer Institute

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/cervical

The NCCC Provides the Following Services:

• Phone/email pals for those needing to speak with someone who’s “been there.”
• Free materials that educate about HPV and cervical health, including cervical cancer.
• Tools for prevention, detection and screening awareness.
• Quilt project - Quilts that travel the country and help to place a personal face on the battle against cervical cancer.
• Hotline for women and family members battling issues related to cervical cancer and HPV disease: (800) 685-5531

Remember, if you are a Health Advocate member, you can call your Personal Health Advocate to receive more information about HPV vaccines and cervical cancer prevention, as well as receive help locating an in-network gynecologist or other doctor, scheduling an appointment, and more.

The Cold, Heart Facts: How Winter Affects Heart Health

With a big snowfall, many hospitals fill up with heart attack patients – with the likely catalyst often attributed to the physical effort in trying to clear off sidewalks and driveways.

But it’s not just hospitals in snowy towns that are seeing an increase in heart attack patients. More heart attacks occur in the winter across the entire country – by some estimate, roughly 50 percent more than in summer months, with even higher spikes in some snow-less Sunbelt states. Blame falling temperatures and other aspects of winter’s wrath…not just seasonal snow.

Here’s why a sudden drop in temperature and decreased daylight can hurt your cardiovascular health – especially if you already have high cholesterol, hypertension or other risk factors:

Decreased blood flow: Cold temperatures constrict arteries, leading to decreased blood flow to make your heart work harder (even if you’re not shoveling snow).

Blood clot risk: Cold-constricted arteries can also trigger tears or splits in the plaque that lines the walls of arteries. When that happens, blood clots can form, triggering a heart attack or stroke (which also occurs more frequently during winter).

Vitamin D deficiency: Winter’s shorter days mean less sunlight – and less Vitamin D, which is primarily absorbed through the skin. Although inconclusive, some studies suggest an association between low D level and cardiovascular disease.

         

Try these tips to protect your heart health during winter’s wrath:

Heed Mom’s advice to dress warmly. When you shiver or feel uncomfortable, it can raise heart rate and blood pressure. In addition to a “warm” coat, wear a hat to prevent heat loss (one-third of body heat escapes from an uncovered head), gloves, and especially a scarf if you have asthma, COPD or other respiratory conditions.

Start slowly and don't overdo it. When it’s frigid, try to exercise indoors. Short intervals of activity alternating with periods of rest are best during cold temperatures – especially when exercising outdoors or if you’ve started a new exercise regimen (take note, New Year’s Resolutioners).

Curb the comfort foods. It’s not just those holiday feasts that trigger wintertime weight gain. During the cold and darker winter months, many are more likely to overeat – especially on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods.

Mind your meds. Considering that cold weather may constrict arteries, it’s especially important to take any medications such as blood thinners and aspirin as prescribed during cold weather.  

Consider a Vitamin D supplement. Ask your doctor if you might benefit from supplemental D. The recommended daily intake for adults is 600-800 units (IUs).

Don’t smoke. It’s unwise 365 days a year, but nicotine also potently constricts blood vessels, causing a “double whammy” impact. 

If you have questions or concerns about your heart health, talk to your primary care physician. Don’t have a doctor lined up?  If you’re a Health Advocate member, call us for help locating a local, in-network doctor. We can even help you schedule the appointment, transfer your medical records, and more!

WOW--Workout of the Week: Plank Push-Ups

This week’s workout is Plank Push-Ups. This is a great core exercise for strengthening your upper and lower abs, plus your obliques, backside, lower back, arms, chest, and shoulders. Here’s how to do them:

• Start out flat on your stomach, like you are about to do a push-up.

• Lift yourself about 6 inches off of the ground, resting your weight on your toes and elbows. This is the starting position. Make sure your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle and that your body is making a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.

• Next, tighten your stomach, place both palms on the ground, and do a push-up. Again, focus on keeping your back straight.

• Finally, lower yourself until your body is about 6 inches off the ground, and get back into the starting position. Congratulations—you just did one Plank Push-Up!

• Try doing 2-3 sets of about 15-20 Plank Push-Ups.

For added difficulty, do Plank Push-ups at a very slow pace, which can make your muscles work harder. Try adding 5-10 Plank Push-ups to your sets each day this week! 

We hope you’ll try Plank Push-Ups over the weekend and then build this exercise into your daily routine Monday through Friday of the coming week.  

Want more fitness ideas?  If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the 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.