Ask a Health Advocate: What are some healthy activities to do with a loved one this Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is a holiday designed to show your loved ones how much you care about them. But is sending your significant other a box of sugary sweets or taking them out to eat an unhealthy meal the best way to say “I love you”? This year, be heart-healthy and switch things up by trying one of these good-for-you Valentine’s Day ideas:

·         Sweet doesn’t only mean chocolate. Rather than tempting your loved one with a box of chocolates, give them a healthy, refreshing snack like an edible fruit arrangement.

·         Go on an active date. The whole purpose of Valentine’s Day is spending time together, so why not do something active like ice skating, a trial yoga class, bowling, or dancing? The possibilities are endless!

·         Cook a romantic candle-lit dinner or a healthy dessert. Find a heart-healthy recipe online that you want to cook for your valentine. Check out these recipes from the American Heart Association.

·         Look for healthy menu options. If you do decide to go out to eat, make an effort to order healthy choices like these.

·         Go for a romantic walk. Whether it’s strolling through the local park at sunset, visiting a local arboretum, or going for an after-dinner walk around the lit-up city, walking is a great way to spend quality time together as well as burn a few extra calories.

·         Organize a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. This activity gives you an opportunity to not only be creative and walk around, but can impress your significant other with the time and effort you put into it.

Use this Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to tell your loved ones how much you care, and do activities that support each other’s health and wellness. Remember, if you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, you can call your Wellness Coach for more healthy activity ideas!

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

WOW –Workout of the Week: Burpees

This week’s workout is Burpees.  You may have heard of Burpees before, as they are a popular exercise used by personal trainers, athletes, military personnel, and CrossFit enthusiasts. Burpees—also known as squat thrusts—are a great calorie-torching, full-body exercise for strengthening your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings and abs. They are performed in five steps with rapid movement—each step should take about one second. Here’s how to do them:

1. Begin in a standing position with your arms at your sides and your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Next, assume a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you.

3. Kick your feet back into a push-up position and complete one full push-up.

4. Immediately return your feet back to the squat position as quickly as possible.

5. Finally, stand up from the squat position. Congratulations, you just completed one full Burpee!

For added difficulty, try adding two push-ups into step 3. Try incorporating 2 or 3 sets of 15-20 Burpees into your workout. You can even do them in between other exercises to keep your heart rate up.  After doing a few sets of Burpees, your legs will likely feel a bit like lead—but don’t worry, this is normal!

We hope you’ll try Burpees over the weekend and then build them into your exercise 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.

The Healthy Benefits of Pet Adoption

Valentine’s Day is on the way, and everyone’s focused on doing kind things for their loved ones. But don’t just focus on the humans you love most—consider sending some love to a furry companion as well. If you don’t already have a pet, there are so many great reasons to adopt one. Whether you’re a dog lover or a cat lover, read on to learn why adopting animals from shelters is a loving, helpful gesture—and how having a pet can actually benefit your health!

Why should I adopt a pet from a shelter?

According to the Humane Society of the United States, the top reasons to adopt a pet are:

·         You’ll save an animal’s life. The number of euthanized animals can be drastically reduced by more people adopting pets.  

·         You’ll get a healthy pet. Most shelters vaccinate pets and give them a physical examination when they arrive; some shelters even spay or neuter the animals.

·         You’ll save money. Adopting an animal from a shelter is often more cost-effective than buying a pet at a pet store. Plus. If the shelter has already paid to have the animal spayed or neutered, that’s one less thing you’ll have to pay for out-of-pocket.

·         You won’t be supporting “puppy mills.” Puppy mills are dog-breeding facilities that operate “factory-style,” often prioritizing profit over the dog’s health and welfare. If you adopt a pet from a shelter, you will be getting a pet from a place that puts the animals’ welfare first. 

How can having a pet help me be healthier?

When you adopt a pet, in addition to doing something kind for your new pet, you’re also doing something beneficial for yourself and your health. Here’s how having a pet can help you be healthier:

·         Better immunity.Studies have shown that if you have a child, and that child grows up in a home with furry animals, they’ll have a lower risk of allergies, eczema and asthma.

·         Lower levels.The CDC reportsthat pets can decrease your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels.

·         Decreased stress.Recent research indicates that when people are trying to do stressful tasks, they experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when loved ones (even their spouses) were present. This may be due to pets’ unconditional love and that they are non-judgmental.

·         More frequent exercise.Pets increase your opportunities for exercise…and better yet, since walking the dog or playing with the cat is fun, this type of exercise doesn’t feel like a chore. And, of course, more exercise can lead to fewer extra pounds and better overall health.

·         More brain exercise, too.Having a pet increases your mental acuity. You have to remember to walk the dog or change out the cat’s litter box and give the pet fresh food and water every day, as well as remember to take your pet to the vet for checkups and any necessary shots.

·         Social support.If you’re out walking your dog, not only do you get the health benefits of walking, but you’re also more likely to be approached to stop and chat. This gives you the opportunity to increase your social network by making new friends and, therefore, also increase your happiness.

·         Mood booster.If you’re an animal lover, how can you stay in a bad mood when you have a purring kitty in your lap, or a happy dog who wants to play fetch? Plus, caring for your pet can give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Would a new pet be a good Valentine’s Day gift for a loved one?

Thinking of getting a pet for someone as a Valentine’s Day gift? Don’t do it! It’s never a good idea to surprise anyone with a pet adoption. Having a pet is a big responsibility, and the animal can suffer if its new owner doesn’t have time to properly take care of it. If you think a pet would benefit a loved one, talk to them about it. If they do want a pet, offer to accompany them to the shelter—and then let them choose their own pet that fits their needs and lifestyle.

For more healthy tips, visit the Health Advocate blog. If you’re a Health Advocate member, call us today for more healthy tips and advice, or to find an in-network doctor near you, get help with a medical claim, obtain a second opinion, and more.

Wellness App Review: Moves

These days it’s common to see people wearing all sorts of activity-tracking gadgets, ranging from wristbands and watches to tiny devices that can be clipped onto your waistband or even hidden in your pocket. 

But, did you know that if you already own an iPhone or Android phone, you can track your activity without having to purchase any additional gadgets?  Moves is a free app that automatically records your walking, cycling, and running activity. The app uses sensor and location information from your phone. You don’t need to keep your phone in any specific place to track activity; you can keep it in your pocket, backpack, or purse just like you usually do.  

The Moves app not only records your activity, but also provides a summary of distance, duration, steps, and calories burned for each activity. The activity tracker is always on, so there is no need to remember to turn it on or off throughout the day. 

Pros:

Activity-tracking devices tend to be expensive, ranging from $50 - $200. The Moves app is free! The user interface is clean and simple; it presents data in an interesting story-like format, showing the places you visited and time spent walking, cycling, and running.  It also recognizes motorized travel as “transport.” You don’t have to launch the app to track your activity since it’s always running in the background. 

Cons:

Since the app relies on sensor and location information, the data isn’t very accurate when walking or running on the treadmill or elliptical.  It also won’t pick up activity data from an indoor cycling class. Also, because the app is always running in the background, it will consume a little extra battery power. And there may be times when you walk around and exercise without having your phone on you – in those cases, your activity won’t count.  

Overall Consensus:

Since most people tend to have their phones on them most of the time, the Moves app is a great way to capture daily activity.  It’s ideal for people who exercise outside—there, the tracking seems to be accurate and reliable for people who are looking to get a general sense of how many steps they are taking each day.  We would recommend trying out the Moves app before investing in an expensive activity-tracking device.  It will give you a chance to see how tracking your activity may encourage you to positively change your habits, like taking extra walks throughout the day. 

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 resources for you!

Wellness App Review: DietBet

If you’re looking to lose some weight and need extra motivation and support to reach your goal, DietBet might be a great solution for you.

What is DietBet?
The idea behind DietBet is simple – you join a DietBet game by paying the entry fee. At the end of the game, everyone that meets the goal splits the pot. You have the option to keep your earnings or to donate them to a charity. The amount that you need to “bet” to join the game typically ranges from $25 to $30 per month. If you are participating in a six-month game, you can go “all in” up front or pay month-by-month. 

How the game works
There are two different categories of DietBet. DietBet 4 challenges participants to lose 4% of their body weight in 4 weeks. The DietBet 10 challenges participants to lose 10% of their body weight over six months. 

By joining the game, you immediately get access to a network of people that have a similar health goal. Participants can post comments and status updates and scroll through the newsfeed to see how others are doing with their goal. DietBet also provides regular updates on the overall weight loss trends for the entire group. For additional support, it’s also possible to share milestones on Facebook and Twitter with family and friends. 

To qualify for the grand prize at the end of the game, you need to participate in 2-3 mandatory weigh-ins throughout the game. Mandatory weigh-ins are reviewed by the DietBet team to prevent cheating. To submit a verified weigh-in, participants submit two photos. The first shot is a head-to-toe photo of themselves standing on the scale. The second photo is a close-up of the player’s weight on the scale with a piece of paper in the shot showing the special code word of the day. 

Pros:
DietBet helps make losing weight fun and social – an idea known as “social dieting.”  Plus, there is the potential to earn some extra money by meeting your goal. The combination of a cash incentive and having a social network for support might be just the motivation you need to reach your weight goal.  

Cons: 
Participating in the game requires you to “bet” a significant amount of money, and if you don’t reach your weight goal, you may feel discouraged. Not only do you lose the game, but you will also lose some cash. Even though there are several safeguards in place to ensure that you don’t lose weight too quickly or in an unhealthy manner, some people could feel pressured to crash diet if they are just a few pounds away from reaching the final goal. 

Overall consensus:
This app isn’t for everyone. If the pressure of competing against others with the risk of losing your cash will make you overly stressed, this app isn’t for you. But if you are a competitive person looking for a social network of people whose goals are similar to yours, DietBet may be a helpful resource to check out. 

The DietBet app is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You can also participate online by visiting http://www.dietbetter.com. 

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 resources for you!