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For Inspiring Good Health... 

Benefits Service Wellness Newsletter
December 2014

Greetings! 

 

It's that wonderful time of year where holidays are upon us.  Each year, many of us make a New Year's resolution but sometimes have difficulty sticking with it.  Make it easier on yourself and set some simple goals that are achievable and easy to maintain.  Each of these small steps lead to larger cumulative steps.  Here are the Top 10 Healthiest New Year's Resolutions from health.com.  Below are some ideas for inspiring good health during this holiday season!

EAT HEALTHY
With all the delicious holiday food tempting us, it's a difficult time of year to try and make all of our meals healthy.  Eating in moderation can be the goal, and eating a variety of foods to ensure that your meal is nutritionally well-rounded.  Each whole food is unique and contains vitamins and minerals that we may not get from any other source.  How about adding some new fruits, vegetables and grains to your holiday dishes this year?  Read about all the benefits of Incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet.
KEEP MOVING!
blurred-ballerinas-sm.jpg While you may be going to see some lovely Christmas shows such as the nutcracker, it's also important to incorporate something active into your daily routine during this season.  How about holding a "holiday dance evening" with loved ones at your home playing everyone's favorite dance music?  Or trying a yoga or Tai Chi video at home or a friend's house?  Here's some other ideas from Anthem to Keep exercise on your to-do list.  Also, Getting fit may be easier than you think.
REDUCING HYPERTENSION (High Blood Pressure)

yoga-sand-woman.jpgHypertension can lead to heart disease, which remains the leading cause of death in the US.  To reduce hypertension, the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure provides this advice: (1) Lose excess weight (even 10 lbs can make a big difference!) (2) Follow the DASH diet (this is a healthy diet for almost everyone to follow, including those without high blood pressure!  Find DASH meal plans online to use as blueprints and modify as needed) (3) Exercise daily (e.g. brisk walks for 30 minutes a day on most days of the week) (4) Limit sodium (Americans eat on average around 3500 mg/day, limit sodium to 2300 mg/day)  (5) Limit alcohol to 1 drink or less for women and 2 or less for men.

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] and I will post your recipe on one of my future mailings.  From Kaiser, here is a Kale, Farro and Roasted Yam Salad that can be incorporated into one of your holiday meals.  Bon apetit!

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 a future Wellness Newsletter.  If you are a church administrator, please forward this email to your Synod Benefit Participants in case they have not yet provided me with their email address and wish to be a part of our wellness program.  If they wish to be added to future wellness mailings and also receive important benefit updates via email, please have them send their name & email address to [email protected].

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!  Please note that Synod of the Pacific will be closed beginning December 19, 2014, and will re-open on January 5, 2015, with the exception of Monday December 22 and Monday December 29 where limited staff will be available and working in the office.  

 

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.