Get fit the easy way
We all know exercise is important yet we
complain that we simply don’t have time.
It’s true we all live busy lives, but
almost everyone can spend as little
10 minutes a day getting fit. It’s
especially doable when you sneak it
into your work day.
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Boycott the elevator
Take the stairs at work and/or in your
apartment building. Even better, “do the
stairs,” as many times as you can in five
minutes.
Be an active observer
Multitask
Waiting for an egg to boil or a wash cycle
to complete? Why not do some standing
push-ups and tone your arms and
shoulders while you wait? Stand about
an arm’s length from the kitchen counter,
place your arms on the counter’s edge
and push in and out. Repeat.
or
Stop battling for the best spot in the lot.
Park your car at the far end of the lot
and walk to your destination.
Walk and talk
nobody watching. Dancing is good for
your body and your mood.
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Get the worst parking spot
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Stand up when the phone rings and get
your body moving. A ringing phone
provides the perfect excuse to get up
from your desk, stretch your arms, and
do some calf stretches while you get
some work done.
Dance it out
Put on some music and dance like there’s
Be more than a couch potato
Do simple exercises while watching a TV
show. Jumping jacks, stomach crunches,
lunges, push ups, and side planks can all
be done is areas with limited space.
Inside:
n BMI does not tell the whole story
n Caring for a loved one after a stroke
n How to green your home for winter
Powerful ways to
improve heart health
Heart disease and stroke is a real
killer. It’s crucial for us to take action
to break bad health habits because
up to 80 per cent of early heart
disease and stroke can be prevented
by adopting healthy behaviours
including eating a healthy diet and
exercising.
Here are a few ideas:
Take a walk around the block (or further)
while your child is at soccer practice or
piano lessons.
vol. 5 issue 3
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feeling fine :)
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wellness zone
n Do not ignore symptoms of heart attack
n Three ways to monitor fever
n Recipe Zone: Whole wheat gingerbread
cookies
Here are some heart healthy tips to
start implementing now:
Improve your diet
Healthy eating starts at home, so
your kitchen is the perfect place to
make positive changes. Go through
your refrigerator and pantry and
purge foods that are high in sodium
or sugar, and are highly processed –
that means it's time to part with your
sugary cereals, sodas and candy.
Replace those empty calories with
whole grain cereals, fruits, veggies,
seeds and nuts to help lower your
risk of heart disease.
Get moving
Regular exercise is crucial for
maintaining a healthy heart, but
simple changes to your everyday
routine like walking a few blocks
instead of driving or opting to take
the stairs instead of the elevator can
help to burn calories and keep you
fit.
Use heart healthy apps
There are several smartphone apps
available that can help you get on the
road to better cardiovascular health.
Visit the Canadian Heart Association
website or conduct a search on your
smartphone to see what heart app
options would work best for you.
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muscle—say, if you’re a
bodybuilding male—you may end
up with a BMI in the obese range.
(For example, at the peak of his
bodybuilding career, Arnold
Schwarzenegger had a BMI of 33,
which is considered obese).
It is a simple formula to estimate
if you are at the correct weight by
dividing your weight in kilograms
by your height in meters squared.
The National Institute of
Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney
Diseases reminds us of the three
most important things to keep in
mind when trying to have a
healthier and more active lifestyle
regardless of what your BMI
reading is:
1. Make healthy food choices.
Half of your plate should be fruits
and veggies.
2. Eat small portions. Use a
smaller plate, weigh portions on a
scale, or check the Nutrition Facts
label for details about serving
sizes.
or
According to health.com, BMI is a
good starting to point to
determine if you are in shape
because it is a simple number
that takes into account both
height and weight. But BMI does
not take into account physical
fitness or bone structure, and it
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However, many medical
experts note that BMI has one
important flaw - it does not
measure your overall fat or
lean tissue (muscle) content.
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doesn't differentiate between
weight gained at a musclebuilding camp or weight
gained at McDonalds.
So, if you’re packing a lot of
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BMI (Body Mass Index) has been
used for more than 100 years in
population studies, by doctors,
personal trainers, and other
health care professionals, when
deciding whether their patients
are overweight.
Getting in your fruits and
veggies can help the body
produce its own form of
Aspirin. After a study done
by the Journal of Agriculture
and Food Chemistry,
participants who ate fruit
and vegetables containing benzoic acid, could
produce their own salicyclic acid. This is the main
ingredient in aspirin that makes aspirin an antiinflammatory pain reliever.
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Body Mass Index does not tell whole story
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Pain relief from fruit?
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Health tips fun facts and other
trivia from around the web
3. Build exercise into your
daily life. Garden, go for family
walks, play a pickup game of
sports, swim, take the stairs, or
walk to the grocery store or work.
The information presented in Wellness Zone has been
compiled from sources believed to be reliable. However,
it cannot be assumed that all acceptable measures are
contained in this article nor that additional measures
may not be required under particular or exceptional
circumstances, or your own company procedures, or by
federal, state/provincial and local law.
Application of this information to a specific worksite
should be reviewed by a safety professional. Anyone
making use of the information set forth herein does so at
What are your cravings telling you?
watchfit.com tells us that if your body is craving
sweet foods its asking for more energy. When sugar
is digested, it becomes
glucose, which is fuel for all
of the body’s cells. As much
as possible, try to satisfy the
sweet cravings with more
mild, natural foods like
sweet vegetables and fruits.
If, on the other hand, you’re
craving salty foods, it’s often
an indication of a mineral
deficiency. We get salt from
the sea and natural salt
contains 60 different trace
minerals, which are the
basis for the formation of
vitamins, enzymes and
protein.The salt being used today has been
completely de-natured and lacks any form of
nutrients. Try eating a wide variety of vegetables
especially leafy greens and sea vegetables to satisfy
your salt cravings.
his/her own risk and assumes any and all liability arising
therefrom. Specific medical advice should be obtained
through consultation with a physician or other trained
health care practitioner.
Wellness Zone is published monthly by Skilven
Publications Inc. www.skilven.com.
All rights reserved. © 2015.
No part of this publication is to be copied without
permission from the publisher .
President & CEO: Chris Skilton
Sales: Alan Haycroft • Liz Slobodin • Carol Wilkinson •
Kevin Harvey
Editor: Kate Van Hoof-Peeren
TOLL FREE: 1-888-655-4800
Fax: 1-250-487-2104
Mailing Address: 101-196 Wade Ave W
Penticton, British Columbia V2A 1T6
www.skilven.com • [email protected]
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The airborne virus
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or
Three basic tips to eating healthy
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1. Skip the diet. Diets only work while you are on
them. When you go off the diet the pounds come
back on. Get back to basics and form healthy habits
that will stick.
2. Eat real food! What is real food? Anything that
grows from the earth out of the soil or from a tree
that is still in its original form is real food. If you want
to be healthy you need to nourish the body with
whole foods. We literally are what we eat.
3. Skip the processed food. Anything that is not in its
original state that is in a box, bag or can is processed.
Not sure? The longer the ingredient list the more
processed the food. If it has more than five
ingredients or any ingredients that you can’t
pronounce, skip it.
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The strokeassociation.org offers
these tips to help you understand
the changes in your loved one:
n Give your loved one a little
time: Understand that the person
may take longer to process what
you are saying and to respond to
your requests. If the person
becomes distracted, reorient the
person and repeat the request.
Assure the person that there is no
rush.
Do not raise your voice or
demand that the person go faster.
If the person becomes anxious
and tries to hurry, progress will
be even slower.
n Focus on what your loved one
can do, not what he or she can
no longer do: A person who has
had one or more strokes may
suddenly have poor short term
memory but excellent long term
memory, difficulty expressing
thoughts but an ability to think
clearly, or confusion about names
and dates, but good command
about time and place.
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Different viruses cause the common cold and flu, but
they are spread through the air in tiny droplets
produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes
or breathes. When you sneeze your body is getting
rid of infected cells. An average sneeze will spread
over 100,000 virus cells up to 30 feet. People
suffering from a cold can spread the virus from two
days before the symptoms of the illness start and up
to four days afterwards. On average, adults catch two
to three colds each year. School-age children can
have twelve or more colds in a year.
can be a happy and terrifying
moment all at the same time.
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n Artificial colorings in foods
have been linked to increased
incidence of ADHD
symptoms.
n There is evidence that
honey is the only food that
cannot spoil. Archaeologists
have tasted honey discovered in ancient Egyptian
tombs, reporting that it’s edible.
n Popcorn has been around for 6,000 years.
n There are 1,200 varieties of watermelon.
3The person you love has
suffered a stroke. After a stay in
hospital followed by rehab, he or
she is able to return home. This
strengths. It is important to offer
him or her opportunities to do
activities that are possible. For
example, perhaps your mom or
wife has limited ability to express
herself in words but is still able to
cook a nice meal or to coordinate
her clothing and accessories very
well.
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Fun facts about food
Tips to care for loved one after they have had a stroke
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Health tips fun facts and other
trivia from around the web
The fact that your loved one has a
cognitive deficit does not mean
that he or she has no cognitive
n Think about yourself: It may
be your mom or your dad, your
husband or wife, and even if you
are a trained nurse or doctor; you
are going to need help and
support in your new task. Arrange
for alternate care givers and
services, as needed. Check into
services available in your local
community that are designed to
help caregivers, such as,
informational seminars and
support groups. It is important to
take care of yourself and do
things you enjoy, e.g., take walks,
go for a swim, see a movie, or
engage in social activities.
Keeping yourself well will enable
you to be effective in your care
giving role.
How to green your home for winter
While snow may be on the ground,
you can still look for ways to go
green. Small changes around your
home can have a big impact on the
environment. Here are a few tips:
n Get cozy: Put that ugly holiday
sweater to good use. Layer up to
keep warm and lower the
thermostat by a degree or two to
save energy (and money).
n Go DIY with home cleaning:
With the windows shut tight, there
is no better time to try homemade
cleaning supplies. The best part is
that many of the basic ingredients
needed can often already be found
at home, including baking soda,
lemon juice and white vinegar.
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Three important ways
to monitor a fever
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A heart attack happens when your
heart muscle is starved of oxygenrich blood. This causes damage to
your heart muscle.
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Just about anyone can suffer from a
heart attack. Sure, a healthier,
active and stress-free lifestyle
makes it more difficult, but the
reality is we can all be susceptible.
Therefore it’s good to know the
signs of a heart attack and not
ignore them.
Most heart attacks are caused
by coronary heart disease.
Checking for a fever – Placing a hand on a
forehead is not the most reliable way to check for
a fever. Methods like taking temperature in the
mouth or in the ear are more accurate.
If a piece of this fatty material
breaks off it may cause a blood clot
to form.
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Colds and flus are an inevitable part of the winter
months, but when a child gets sick it can be a
stressful time for parents. When a flu hits it's
important to monitor your child for a fever as it
can be a sign of something more serious.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is
when your coronary arteries (the
arteries that supply your heart
muscle with oxygen-rich blood)
become narrowed by a gradual
build-up of fatty material within
their walls.
If it blocks your coronary artery and
cuts off the supply of oxygen-rich
blood to your heart muscle, this is a
heart attack.
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Taking the temperature – Your child's
or
temperature should be taken every couple of
hours to ensure it isn't getting worse. If the fever
continues to get higher, temperatures should be
taken every hour to ensure a trip to the doctor
isn't necessary.
Improving a fever – There are a few at home
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tricks you can use to improve your child's fever
including placing a cool cloth on their forehead,
keeping them hydrated, and ensuring they get lots
of rest.
recipe zone
Whole wheat
gingerbread
cookies
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Do not ignore symptoms of heart attack
You might also hear a heart attack
called acute coronary syndrome,
myocardial infarction (MI) or
coronary thrombosis.
Symptoms include tightness,
heaviness or pain in your chest.
This may spread to the arms,
Ingredients:
• 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter,
softened
• 1 cup (250 mL) packed golden yellow
sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) 100% pure fancy
molasses
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp (5 mL) artificial vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) iodized sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups (275 mL) whole wheat
Flour
• 1 1/2 cups (275 mL) all purpose
white flour
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground ginger
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cinnamon
neck, jaw, back or stomach. For
some people, the pain or
tightness is severe, while other
people just feel uncomfortable.
As well as having chest pain or
discomfort you may become
sweaty, feel light-headed or dizzy,
or become short of breath. You may
also feel nauseous or vomit.
If you ever feel this way, don’t wait.
Call an ambulance or have someone
call one for you.
A heart attack always causes
some permanent damage to
your heart muscle, but the
sooner treatment is given, the
more muscle it is possible to
save.
3. Preheat oven to 350F (175C.) Line
two baking trays with parchment
paper, set aside. Divide dough into 4
pieces; roll out one at a time keeping
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, beat together butter the remaining dough refrigerated.
and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4. Roll dough to ¼ inch (½ cm)
thickness on a lightly floured surface.
molasses, egg, vanilla, and salt until
Cut into desired shapes using floured
combined.
cookie cutters. Carefully transfer to
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together
dry ingredients; add to wet ingredients prepared baking trays.
and mix until well blended and dough 5. Bake for 7-9 minutes, rotating trays
top to bottom halfway through, or
forms. Cover with plastic wrap and
until cookies are set. Cool 1-2 minutes
refrigerate for at least 1 hour before
handling. If chilled overnight, allow the on the tray then transfer to a wire rack
to cool completely before decorating.
dough to warm up slightly or it may
Yields: approximately 6 dozen cookies.
crack when it is rolled out.
• 2 tsp (10 mL) baking cocoa
• 2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda