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FOR INSPIRING GOOD HEALTH! 

Benefits Service Wellness Newsletter
March 2013

Greetings! 

 

Spring is here and what better time to focus on your current health needs?  Kaiser Permanente records great Health Talks Online that address various health concerns.  There are recordings on High Blood Pressure, Exercise & Weight Loss, Keeping Your Brain Healthy, Finding Fulfillment and Creating Life/Work Balance, and much, much more.  Find a subject that meets your needs and take a healthy lunch break to listen!

EATING WELL
Are you eating enough fruits & vegetables?  From MyPlate, see 10 Tips to a Great Plate!  To maintain good health, it's important to eat a healthy diet.  Read Kaiser's Eating to Prevent Disease article for some great tips on changing your diet to prevent or treat different health conditions.  Anthem also looks at leading healthier lives through diet in Why Eat Well.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Fitness is one of the cornerstones of good health.  How much exercise do you need?  Check here.  What kind of aerobic exercise do you enjoy and can you committ to doing three to five days a week?  To start your aerobic exercise, begin in moderation at a conversational speed (where you are able to still speak to those around you).  Make a goal of exercising for 30 minutes at least three times a week.  Complement this exercise with some resistance training (such as weights or push-ups) two times a week to build your strength.  From Anthem, try and create a well-balanced exercise program but most importantly, Keep exercise on your to-do list.  Here are some Exercise and Physical Activity Ideas from Kaiser.
IN THE KITCHEN
As part of the Synod Wellness Program, we'd love your participation IN THE KITCHEN.  Do you have some healthy recipes that you'd like to share?  If so, please email [email protected] with your name and church - I will post your recipe on one of my future emails.  Much has been said about the Mediterranean Diet being one of the most healthy in the world.  Here are two delicious Mediterranean salads: Radicchio with Chicken, Pine Nuts, Raisins and Orange/Balsamic Vinaigrette & Butter Lettuce with Toasted Walnuts, Cucumbers, and Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette.  Bon appetit! 
HOW CAN WE BOOST OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS? 
Although there are medical treatments that can help improve our immune systems, such as immune globulin, there are many things that can be done at home, such as: eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, sleeping well and managing stress in your life effectively.  Here are 10 Immune System Busters & Boosters from www.webmd.com and a youtube video of Dr. Oz's top ways to boost your immune system.  If you are aware of other great resources for boosting immune systems for those in need, please email [email protected] and I'll include this information in my next newsletter.

If you are a Kaiser or Anthem Blue Cross participant and have health concerns, please remember that both companies offer direct access to 24 hour nurses to answer your health questions and concerns.  Simply call the customer service number on your member card and request to speak with a nurse.

 

If you have any particular health topics that you would like to learn more about, please email me and I will work on including these topics in future emails.  Also, if you are a church administrator receiving this email, please forward this email to your Synod Benefit Participants in case they have not yet provided me with their email address.  They can send their name & email address to [email protected] to be added to my Wellness Program email list.

Best wishes to your Good Health!

 

Melinda Durham

Benefits Coordinator

Synod of the Pacific

[email protected]

(800) 754-0669

 

DISCLAIMER: THE CONTENT AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS E-NEWSLETTER ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL ADVICE, AND WE DO NOT INTEND FOR  THIS INFORMATION TO BE USED TO DIAGNOSE OR PRESCRIBE  FORMS OF TREATMENT.