Perspectives
HEALTHY
“Your Source For A Happy and Healthy Lifestyle”
September 2016
INSPIRE TO MOVE: Build Up The GOOD!
Cleanse your blood vessels of fatty Triglycerides that may
be clogging your artery walls, and build up your good HDL
cholesterol to absorb and flush that bad cholesterol out!
Knowing your cholesterol numbers and how to affect them
is the first step in avoiding heart disease. Keeping your
cholesterol levels healthy is a great way to keep your heart
healthy. Losing weight, eating a healthy diet and quitting
smoking are lifestyle changes that can lower your risk, but
studies have shown that exercise is one of the best ways to
lower your cholesterol.
HOW DOES EXERCISE HELP UNCLOG ARTERIES?
Out with the bad. Triglycerides are a type of fat in your
blood that your body uses for energy. A high level of these
combined with a low level of good HDL cholesterol builds
up in your arteries and can cause heart attack and stroke.
Exercise to convert that fat into energy!
In with the good. Exercise increases good HDL cholesterol.
HDL acts as the cleaning crew to collect and expel the bad
cholesterol of fatty deposits and flush them out through
your liver. 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise a day pumps
up your HDL to scrub your artery walls clean!
STEPS TO GET MOVING
Check with your doctor. If you don’t exercise now, it’s
a good idea to visit your doctor to evaluate your current
cardiovascular health before starting an exercise program.
Make a plan. Most health organizations recommend
at least 30 minutes every day of moderate to vigorous
exercise. That includes walking, jogging, biking, gardening,
swimming, stair-stepping and more. You can get your
exercise in 10 to 20 minute increments if you need to, as
long as it adds up to 30 minutes or more by the end of the
day. Find someone to exercise with you for moral support
and to make the exercise more fun. Find several activities
you love, so you can vary your routine.
Raise the bar. Extend your exercise or exercise twice a day
to reach 60 minutes. Try lifting weights or using resistance
machines.
1 INSPIRE TO MOVE
2 NOURISHING YOU
Bottom line. Some exercise is better than no exercise. More
exercise is better than some exercise!
Eat right. Exercise can’t do everything - eat less saturated
fats and more unsaturated fats. Eat more fish, more highfiber foods such as vegetables and whole grains and more
protein from plant sources. Drink alcoholic beverages in
moderation.
Stick with it. Constantly challenge yourself to vary your
workouts. While walking is the easiest aerobic exercise you
can do, choose a different aerobic activity that you like,
and change things up now and then to help give you more
motivation to stick with your exercise plan.
“A human being; an ingenious assembly
of portable plumbing.” ~ Christopher Morley
3 HEALTH HARMONY
4 GOOD DECISIONS
NOURISHING YOU
COLOR Your Palate
“Color is my day-long
obsession,
joy and torment.”
~ Claude Monet
You probably know it’s important to eat five servings of fruits
and vegetables every day, but did you know that eating fruits and
vegetables in a variety of colors will give you the best health benefits?
Every fruit and vegetable contains unique components that are good
for your health.
Red and bright pink. These fruits and vegetables help your body fight
disease and reduce risk of several types of cancer. Eat these everyday
for lycopene and powerful antioxidants that help control high
blood pressure and protect against diabetes. Great sources include:
beets, strawberries, red cabbage, raspberries, apples, tomatoes and
watermelon.
Orange and yellow. Boost your immunity with this group that
includes apricots, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrots, grapefruit,
lemon, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pineapples, pumpkin, sweet corn,
sweet potatoes, tangerines and pears. Among the good components
are beta-carotene, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium and vitamin C.
They help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower bad cholesterol and
blood pressure, preserve eyesight and keep skin looking youthful!
Green. The more green vegetables the better! Whether leafy such as
spinach, romaine lettuce and kale or cruciferous including broccoli
and Brussels sprouts, the more green you eat the healthier you will be.
Blue and purple. Eating blackberries and blueberries may help to
slow memory loss due to aging. Other royal colored choices include
eggplant, plums, prunes, purple Belgian endive, purple cabbage, figs,
raisins and more. This group lowers bad cholesterol, boosts immune
system activity and limits the activity of cancer cells.
White. This color symbolizes purity and these plants are some of the
strongest for their ability to fight infections. Garlic, onions and leeks
are bursting with flavor and powerful phytochemicals that also lower
cholesterol and blood pressure.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
2 acorn squash
1 medium sweet/yellow
Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut acorn squash in
onion diced
half and scoop out seeds. Arrange squash
½ cup grated apple
cut-side down in a large roasting pan and
2 tbls. canola or olive oil
fill with ½ inch of water. Bake for 15-20
minutes. Remove squash and any remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic
1 1/2 cups cooked
liquid and replace squash cut side up. In a
brown
rice or quinoa
small pan sauté onion and garlic in oil over
2/3
cup
cranberries
medium heat until softened. Place in a large
½
cup
walnut
pieces
bowl and add rice, cranberries, apple, sweet
1
roasted
sweet
potato,
potato, walnuts, parsley and sage. Add filling
chopped
to each squash cavity and cover with foil.
1 tsp. dried sage
Bake another 25-30 minutes.
2
tbls.
chopped fresh parsley
Remove foil for last 5 minutes.
FALL PRODUCE
– What’s In Season
Warm summers merge into
fall and large crops of
fruits and vegetables are
ready for eating, cooking
and maybe even canning.
The autumn harvest
brings a variety of
healthful, delicious
produce from sweet
potatoes to pumpkins
and grapes to apples.
Look for the fall fruits
and vegetables at
farmers markets, the
produce department
and roadside stands.
Buy locally to get the freshest, healthiest, most
nutritious produce and usually the best value.
Keep in mind that some fall fruits, for instance
apples, cranberries, cabbage and cauliflower,
have vitamins and antioxidants that slow aging
and may help fight cancer.
Vegetables. Squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms,
eggplant, cauliflower, tomatoes, cabbage, kale,
beets, lettuce and more.
Fruits. Cranberries, pears, apples, grapes, figs
- something for everyone.
Pumpkins. This member of the squash family is
identified as a fruit by some and a vegetable by
others. But who cares - it tastes great! Pumpkins
are used in a multitude of dishes
- pies, pancakes, cookies, cheesecake, muffins,
soups and many more. Fruit or veggie, enjoy it.
It’s the time of the year when we love to get
back into the kitchen after a hot summer and
cook something soothing. Fall produce are
delicious roasted, in soups and stews or shredded
for big slaws.
Scan this code or visit
http://ow.ly/OJ5F301k7Y3
for a slideshow of Eating Well.com’s
“Best Healthy Fall Recipes”.
HEALTH HARMONY
WONDERFUL
Massage
If you think getting a massage is too expensive
or too frivolous, think again. Massage, also called
bodywork, has a long list of uses, from increasing
flexibility to relieving pain and stress. A massage
involves pressing, rubbing and manipulating the
skin, muscles, tendons or ligaments. It can range
from light stroking to deep pressure.
Medical healing. Massage can alleviate lowback pain, improve joint flexibility, reduce scar
tissue and stretch marks, improve circulation,
help sports injuries, reduce fatigue, help with
digestive disorders, relieve migraine pain,
improve skin condition, even shorten the time of
labor for mothers-to-be.
Emotional balance. Massage can help manage
stress and lessen depression and anxiety. It
can increase energy, calm the mind, improve
concentration, lessen insomnia and enhance
sleep quality.
Free or almost free massages. If there is a
massage school in your area, visit its website
and see if they offer free or reduced cost for
massages from the school’s students. You’ll be
helping yourself and a student.
To get the most out of massages, have frequent
sessions and consider them a necessary part
of your health and wellness plan. Treat it like a
necessary appointment, and set up a schedule
for sessions that last from 10 to 90 minutes.
Just because your massage feels like you’re
being pampered, that doesn’t mean it is any less
therapeutic.
Life On Purpose
Is getting out of bed in the morning a struggle? If the thought of the
day is heavy and unbearable, these feelings may be a sign it’s time
to focus on your purpose. Everyone eventually asks themselves, “Why
am I here?” Is it to care for children? Earn a paycheck? Care for pets
who need us? It’s easy to get caught up in the trivial details of life
and forget the big picture. A strong sense of purpose can help you fuel
your energy for life with passion.
WHAT’S YOUR PURPOSE?
A purpose is bigger than yourself. It’s your core values and more
than just a goal. Your purpose is the reason for your existence on the
planet. Whether your purpose is to help people reach their potential,
rescue animals or be a supportive role model, it’s important to define
your purpose to help focus intentions and activities. If you don’t know
your purpose, consider taking steps to define it.
1.After you are gone from this world, what would you like people to
say about you when they describe you?
2.What do you value most - relationships, faith, kindness or strength?
3.What are you naturally good at?
4.If you could deliver a message to a large group of people, what
would you want them to know?
Think through your priorities and beliefs and write down a general
purpose. It can grow and change, but writing it down and reflecting on
it each day empowers you to stay focused on what is important to you.
“He who has a why
to live can bear
almost any how.”
~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Scan this code or visit http://ow.ly/Na1W301mmJD
to watch this Ted talk with Vic Stretcher.
Self Massage Tip
That Feels Amazing:
If your feet hurt, try sitting and stepping on a ball
with a bare or socked foot and roll back and forth
from heel to toe with firm pressure.
Be
Polite
GOOD DECISION$
CHOICE Overload
We make thousands of choices every day, whether big or small
we are constantly being made to make decisions. Each option
we encounter creates a risk vs. rewards question. Your long
term goal may be to save for a house, but the impulse to buy
a big screen TV takes over. Why do we become indecisive or
compulsive, even going against our better judgment?
Consider walking past a candy store. There are lots of distracting
things that you likely want. Candy! How do you control that part
of your brain that wants the instant gratification? There is much
to learn about how and why we make decisions. We do know
that too many choices can be troublesome.
If you find yourself making unhealthy choices because you are
just plain tired of making decisions, you may be experiencing
“choice fatigue.” Just try to simplify and limit the number of
choices in front of you.
“We design our lives through the power of choices.” ~ Richard Bach
TAKE YOUR ONLINE
HEALTH ASSESSMENT
EARN $50
GIFT CARD
Health screenings are completely
voluntary and provided by Aetna,
the District’s medical insurance provider.
Screenings include an online health
assessment, measurements for blood
pressure and waist circumference,
along with a finger stick.
Visit: http://www.leeschools.net/health-screenings
TAKE OUR QUIZ!
1. Which sentence is most true?
A.Physical activity helps
unclog arteries.
B.Exercise clogs artery walls.
C.
Physical activity doesn’t effect cholesterol.
2. Which statement is NOT true?
A.Eating fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors
has health benefits.
B.A plate with fruits and vegetables in every color
is appealing to the palate.
C.Green vegetables are the only color options worth
eating.
3.
Which of the following are benefits of massage?
A.Alleviate low-back pain.
B.Improve concentration.
C.Lessen depression.
D. All of the above.
THE ANSWERS ARE: 1. A. 2. C. 3. D.
Good Health
By Choice
Not Chance
The information in this publication is meant to complement the advice of your healthcare providers, not replace it.
Before making any major changes in your medications, diet or exercise, talk to your doctor. ©2016 Inspired Perspectives LLC.
www.IPWellBeing.com • [email protected] • 904.641.1208 • For constant wellness updates, LIKE US on Facebook!