New Wellness Program In2018,ouremployeehealthandwellnessprogramLiveWell.WorkWell.,willlaunchanewwellnesstoolcalledVirginPulse.Itwillbeaweb-based,interactiveprogramthatallcoreemployeescanparticipatein.Theprogramwillallowyoutofocusonthehealthyhabitsthatareimportanttoyouwhilesettingattainablegoals.

Yourhealthybehaviors,activities,andprogramswillearnpointsthatyoucanredeemforgiftcardsatpopularretailers.Dependingonyourlevelofparticipation,employeesonaMidCoast–ParkviewHealthmedicalplancanpotentiallyearnupto$75inrewardseachquarter,whileotheremployeescanearnupto$25eachquarter.GiftcardswillbeorderedontheVirginPulsewebsite,andamountswillappearonpaychecksfortaxpurposes.

Ourwellnessteamislookingforwardtocreatingcustomizedchallengesandprogramsforyoutotakepartinalongtheway.

Holiday Intuitive Eating Weallhaveourownholidaytraditionsandideasabouthowtostayhealthy.Butnomatterhowyoucelebrate,thereisonechallengethatnearlyeveryonefacesthistimeofyear:overeating.

Thisholidayseason,forgettheguiltandresentmentthatcomeswitheatingtoomuch.Instead,usemindfulnessandself-caretechniquesthatminimizeoverindulgenceswhilestillallowingyoutoenjoyyummydesserts.

Youmayhaveheardthetermsintuitiveeating,mindfuleating,orhungercues.Thesetechniquesencourageyoutoeatonlyuntilyouaresatisfied.Masteringthesetechniquesmaysounddifficult,butwithalittlepracticeandaddedattentionduringtheholidays,itispossible.

December 2017

New Wellness Program

Holiday Intuitive Eating

New Trails at the Landing

Healthy Gift Ideas

Smoke-Free for the Holidays

Holiday Eating Tips

Survive Seasonal Stress

Learn more at www.midcoastparkviewhealth.com/lwww

Successfulintuitiveeatingrequiresyoutounderstand,honor,andtamehunger.Whileeating,payattentiontohowsatisfiedyourbodyfeels.Youmayfeelsatisfiedafterthreebites,oryoumightneedthreeservingsbeforeyoufeelgood.Ignoredistractingcuessuchastheclock,family,friends,andmindlessgrazing.

Sometimes,ourinternalhungercuesgetsabotagedbyourbrains.Examplesincludewantingtoclearyourplate,tryingtonotwastefood,orsimplybelievingthatyoumusthaveacertainfoodbecauseit’saholidaytradition.Insteadofgivingintothesenotions,listentoyourownhungercuesandrespondaccordingly.

EvelynTriboleisaregistereddieticianandaleadingexpertinintuitiveeating.Shesumsuphertoptipsformakingitthroughtheseasoninherpiece,“BillofRightsforHolidayEating.”Someofthesetipsmaysurpriseyou.Forinstance,Evelynwrites,“Youhavetherighttoeatpumpkinpieforbreakfast.”Whilethismaysoundlikeitgoesagainsttheveryfiberofeatingwell,themessageisactuallyconsistentwithhealthyhabits.Recognizewhatyouwant,honorthathungeruntilyouaresatisfied,andindoingso,eliminatefeelingguiltybyenjoyingyourselfinareasonablemanner.

Youcanalsouseintuitiveeatingtechniquestodeterminewhattoeat.Ifyoucraveavegetable,eatthatinsteadofadessert.Indoingso,youcanthrowguiltoutthewindow.Evenifyoucan’tsqueezeinasliceofpumpkinpieattheendofthenight,rememberEvelyn’sadvice:there’salwaysbreakfastthenextmorning!

SubmittedbyKylieFagnano,MS,RD,LDN,CLT

New Trails at the Landing TheBrunswickLandingPerimeterBicycleRouteofficiallyopenedonOctober28.Therouteisdesignedforusebyrunners,walkers,andcyclistsalike.ItwillalsoenablechildrentosafelyridefromdowntownBrunswicktotherecreationcenteronbikes.Accessthenew5.2-miletrailfromthePineStreetentranceorviatheRoute123/MiddleBayRoadintersection.

Inadditiontothenewperimeterroute,anetworkofmulti-usetrailswerecreatedaroundBrunswickLanding.Highlightsincludekid-friendlymountainbiketrails.Thesetrailsareidealforbiking,walking,hiking,snowshoeing,andcross-countryskiing.

ThankyoutoAccessHealthforsupportingthecreationofthesenewroutesandtrails,andaveryspecialthankstomembersoftheMidCoast–ParkviewHealthstaffwhohelpeddesignandbuildthem:

• KrisHaralson• KurtKarwacky• AlexLong

• ChuckSpearandhissonJackson• LarryKline• SeanKelly

Learn more at www.midcoastparkviewhealth.com/lwww

Healthy Gift Ideas Lookingforhealthyholidaygiftideas?TheCommunityHealthPromotionStaffhasyoucovered!

Toincreasephysicalactivity:

• Fitnesstrackers• Fitnessaccessorieslikebicyclebaskets,

helmets,ornewclothing• Under-deskpedalsoranellipticalmachine• Familyskitripsorbowlingnights• Gymorstudiopunchcards

Toencouragehealthyeating:

• Healthycookbooks• Cookingclasses• Funcookingutensils,gadgets,ornewpots

andpans• Non-foodstockingstuffers• Windowherbkits

Tomoveawayfromalcoholortobaccogifts:

• Coffeepunchcards• Assortedteasorflavoredcoffees• Membershiptoafruit-of-the-monthclub• Air-purifyingplants• Funwaterbottlesorinfusers

Topromotementalhealth:

• Stresstrackersthatmonitorbreathing,heartrate,andothermeasuresofstress

• Yogamats,balls,orstudiopunchcards• Mindfulness-BasedStressReductionclass• Giftcertificatesformassagesorspas• Coloringbooksorcraftsupplies

Smoke-Free for the Holidays Ifyouhavesmokersinyourlife,avoidingexposuretosecondhandsmokeduringtheholidayscanbechallenging.Asyouapproachsmokersandaskthemtonotsmokearoundyouandyourfamily,pleasebeconsiderateandrememberthattheyexperiencestrongcravingswhentheygowithouttobacco.

Whatcanyoudowhensmokersvisityourhomethisholidayseason?Herearefivehelpfultips:

• PostNoSmokingsignsoutsideeachentrancetoyourhome.• Politelyaskfriendsandrelativestosmokeoutside,atleast20feetawayfromdoorsandwindows.• Ifsomeoneinyourhomehasaparticularhealthproblemthatisworsenedbyexposureto

secondhandorthirdhandsmoke(suchasresidueleftonclothingorhands),letsmokersknow.• Ifane-cigaretteuservisitsyourhome,askthemtosmokeoutsideaswell.Studiesshowthatthe

nicotineine-cigarettevaporaffectsbystandersatlevelssimilartothatofsecondhandsmoke.• Ifsomeonegoesoutsidetosmoke,askthemtochangetheirouterlayerofclothingandwashtheir

handswhentheyreturn.Thisisparticularlyimportantiftheywillinteractwithinfantsorchildren.

SubmittedbyLindaChristie,TobaccoPreventionSpecialist

Learn more at www.midcoastparkviewhealth.com/lwww

Holiday Eating Tips Theholidayspresentbothauniquechallengeandopportunityforhealthyeaters.Thereareafewwaysyoucanmakethemostoutofthisfun,festivetimeofyear.

• TryNewFlavors:Doyouthinksquashistheworst?Youmightbesurprised!Atholidayparties,samplefoodsyoudonotnormallymakeathome.Addingnewfruits,vegetables,andwholegrainstoyourdietaddsnumerousvitamins,minerals,andantioxidants.

• AvoidSkippingMeals:Donotskipmealsinordertoprepareforafeast,especiallybreakfast.Skippingmealswillslowyourmetabolismandleadtoovereating.

• …ButDoSkiptheDinnerRolls:Thesecarb-bombswillfillyouup,andthey’renotaspecialholidayitem.Saveroomforholidayfavoriteslikesweetpotatoesorstuffinginstead.

• StayHydrated:Itwouldn’tbetheholidayseasonwithouteggnogandpumpkinspicelattes.Butthesedrinksaretreatsandshouldbeconsumedinmoderation.Consumetwocupsofwaterforeveryotherbeverageyouenjoythroughouttheday.Thewaterwillhelpkeepyouhydratedandyouwillcravethesehigh-calorieandhigh-sugarbeveragesinsmallerdoses.

• UseaSmallerPlate:Usingasmallerplatewillencourageyoutotakesmallerportionsofallofyourfavoritefoods.Gobackforsecondsifyouarestillhungry.Also,trysmallamountsofeverythingtofeelsatisfiedwithoutgettingbloated.

• BYO-HealthyOptions:Goingtoaparty?Offertobringavegetableplatterorafruitsalad.Enjoythehorsd’oeuvresandpies,buttakesmallerportions.Filltherestofyourplatewithfruitsorveggies.

• GetPhysical:Afteryourmeal,takethefamilyoutforawalkaroundtheneighborhood,orenjoyagameoffootballintheyardbeforeyousettleintowatchChristmasmoviesorsportsonTV.

• StayFood-Safe:Keepyourfamilysafebyusingathermometertocheckallofmeatsandgravies.

• EnjoyLeftovers:Alwaysrememberthatifyouarefull,youcanenjoyyourfavoritesagainthenextday.Don’toverstuffyourselfandbecomeuncomfortable;storetheextraportionsforthenextday.

SubmittedbyChristaJacobs,RD,LDN

Learn more at www.midcoastparkviewhealth.com/lwww

Survive Seasonal Stress Theholidaysarealotoffun,butthey’renotalljinglebellsandsleighrides.Thistimeoftheyearcanalsobeincrediblystressful.Spendafewminutesonpre-planningtocutbackonthestressesinyourlife.

• UpandOut:Createexerciseopportunitiestode-stress.Enjoyawalkwithafriend,ortakethefamilyonanadventure.

• Eat,Drink,AndBeHealthy:Limittheamountofalcoholandcaffeineyousipduringtheseason.Enjoyspecialtreatsinmoderationinsteadofcuttingoutcookiesentirely.Aimforhealthyoptionswheneveryoucan,butdon’tfeelguiltyaboutoccasionaltreats.

• CultivateaBrightHolidaySpirit:Connectwithfriendsandfamily,andmaketimetodothespecialritualsandtraditionsthatmaketheholidayssparkle.

• Don’tLeaveMindfulnessOutintheCold:Establishmeaningfulmoments,butskiptheactivitiesthatcauseyoumorestress.Takefiveminutestomeditatewhenyouneedamoment.Don’tbeafraidtosay,“Thanks,butnothanks.”

• SharetheSeason:Holidayscanbealonelytimeforsomepeople.Iftheseasonhasyoufeelingdown,considervolunteeringtoliftyourspirits.Getsupportfromafriend,relative,chaplain,orcounselorifyouneedit.Also,pleasetakeadvantageofMidCoast–ParkviewHealth’sEmployeeAssistanceProgram(EAP)ifyou’dliketoconnectatanytimeoftheyear.

• Simplify:Complexityaddsstress,andtheholidaysattractcomplexitylikeamagnet.Ifyoufeellikeyou’reburningout,askyourself:doyoureallyneedtomakethatcomplexrecipeforholidayspicecake,orcouldyoupickupsomethingequallytastyatthelocalbakery?Couldyousimplifyyourgiftgivingorholidaycardlists?Trimthetreewhiletrimmingyourstresses.

• GetAdequateSleep:Afterall,SantaClauswon’tshimmydownthechimneytodeliverpresentsunlessyou’redozingthenightaway.Agoodnight’srestdoeswondersforstressreduction.

Thisholidayseason,surviveseasonalstressbykeepingthemostmeaningfulritualsandsheddingthosethataggravateyou.Doeverythinginyourpowertoenjoythisspecialtimeofyear!