December 2010
Tips For a Stress-Free Holiday Season
A CareHere Monthly Newsletter
Because Your Health Matters To Us
1.Rememberthattheholidaysaremeanttobeenjoyed!Ifyoufeelyourstresslevelrising,saynotoparties,commitmentsandgatheringsthatdon’tsoundfuntoyou.Onlyparticipateinthoseactivitiesthatyoufeelcontributetoyoursenseofjoyandfulfillmentduringthisseason.2.Makeshoppingfun.Takethestressoutofshoppingbylettingyourkidsmakehomemadegiftsforfamilyandfriends.Anotherideacouldinvolvemakingdonationsinthenameofyourlovedonestolocalcharitiesorcausesthatyoubelievein.3.Taketimetothinkaboutwhatmakesthistimeofyearspecialforyou.Whetherit’syourfaith,family,ortraditions,focusonwhatyoufindmeaningfulaboutthistimeofyear.Don’tgetsocaughtupinthehustleandbustlethatyouneglectwhatyoufindmostvaluableabouttheholidayseason.Articlesubmittedby:CareHereHealthCoachandSocialWorker,ElizabethNunley.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthisarticle,youmaye‐[email protected].
Taketimetothinkaboutwhatmakesthistimeofyearspecialforyou.
Rememberthattheholidaysaremeant
tobeenjoyed!
Preparing for Holiday Parties Holidaygatheringsincludespecialpeople,specialfoodsandalotoftemptationstoindulge.Youcanhelpkeepeverythingundercontrolwithanactionplan.Startyourdaywithasmallmealthatincludeswholegrains,fruit,dairy,andprotein(eggsorpeanutbutter).Trytohavesmallersnacksthroughouttheday,savingmostofyourcalories
forthemainmeal.Donotstarveyourselfbeforeaholidaygathering.Thelongeryougowithouteating,themorelikelyyouwillovereatwhenyousitdown.Selectfoodscarefully:foodsyoudefinitelywanttoeat,thoseyouwillsample,andthoseyouwillskip.Enjoyyourselfduringthisgathering.Paceyoureatingandspendmoretimevisitingwithfamilyandfriends.HappyHolidays!Articlesource:www.eatright.orgArticlesubmittedby:CareHereHealthCoachandRegisteredDietitian,DeniseAgee.IfyouwouldliketospeakwithDenise,youmaye‐[email protected].
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Smoking and Youth Teen Smoking
NearlyaquarterofhighschoolstudentsintheU.S.smokecigarettes.Another8%usesmokelesstobacco.Smokinghasmanyhealthrisksforeveryone.However,theyoungeryouarewhenyoustartsmoking,themoreproblemsitcancause.Forexample:
• Peoplewhostartsmokingbeforetheageof21havethehardesttimequitting.• About30%ofyouthsmokerswillcontinuesmokinganddieearlyfromasmoking‐related
disease.• Teensmokersaremorelikelytousealcoholandillegaldrugs.• Theyaremorelikelytohavepanicattacks,anxietydisordersanddepression.
Parentsandotheradultswhoworkwithchildrencanhelpbywarningthemoftherisksofsmoking.Theycanalsosetagoodexamplebynotsmokingthemselves.
ArticleSource:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smokingandyouth.html
Ifyouhaveaquestionaboutthisarticleorwouldlikemoreinformationaboutourtobaccocessationprogram,youmaye‐mailCareHereHealthCoach,[email protected].
Howmanytimeshaveyouheardmomsay,“Washyourhands.”Turnsoutshewasright.Canyoubelieveoneoftheeasiestandmostinexpensivepreventativemedicinestrategiesisliterallyavailableatyourfingertipsand
costslessthanonepenny.Itiscalledhandwashing.AccordingtotheUSCentersforDiseaseControl,"Handwashingisthesinglemostimportantmeansofpreventingthespreadofinfection."Hand‐transmissionisacriticalfactorinthespreadofbacteriaandvirusescausingdiseasesuchascolds,fluandfood‐borneillness.Whathappensifyoudonotwashyourhandsfrequently?Youcanpickupgermsfromothersourcessuchasfoodtohands,handstofood,handstoothersandhandstoobjects.Yourhandswillinfectyouwhenyoutouchyoureyes,noseormouth.Andbeforeyouknowit,everybodyisgettingsick.OthermoreseriousdiseasesarespreadthroughthistypeofcontactincludinghepatitisA,meningitis,andinfectiousdiarrhea.Checkoutthiswebsitetodeterminetheeffectivenessofyourhandwashingskills.
ArticleSource:http://web.stlawu.edu/health/hands.htm
Articlesubmittedby:CareHereHealthCoachandRegisteredNurse,RhondaWood.IfyouwouldliketospeakwithRhonda,youmaye‐[email protected].
Handwashing Awareness Week
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NewYear’sEveisatimetolookforwardwithintentiontothecomingyear.Itisatimetoassessthepastanddeterminewhatyouwouldliketochangeinyourlifeandwhy.But,areyouawarethatafter6months,fewerthanhalfofpeoplewhomakeNewYear’sresolutionscontinuetomaintainthem?However,thereishopeandreasontosetNewYear’sresolutions.Peoplewhomakespecificresolutionshavebeenfoundtobe10timesmorelikelytoattaintheirgoalsthanpeoplewhodon’t!Ifyouhavebeencontemplatingthemanyhealthbenefitsofregularphysicalactivity(reducedriskofcardiovasculardisease,typeIIdiabetesandweightcontrol,tonameafew)andwanttoincreaseyourweeklyexercise,youcansetaNewYear’sresolutionthatyoucanachieve.First,investigateyourmindset.Doyougrimacewhenyouthinkofexercise?Doyouconsideritapunishment,painfulorworse?Askyourselfifthesearetruthsorthoughtsyouuseasexcusesnottoexercise.Howcanyoustartlookingatexercisefromapositiveperspective?Wouldyouliketoimproveyourenergyandmood?Wouldyouliketoimmediatelyimproveyourqualityoflifeandhealth?Orperhapsbegintoviewitasachancetogiveyourmindabreakandtheonlytimeyouwillhavetoyourselfallday?Long‐termsuccessrequiresplanning,disciplineandfindingwaystomotivateone’sselfonadailybasis.SetSMARTgoals,whicharegoalsthatarespecific,measurable,achievable,realisticandtimely.Forexample,Iwillwalkthreetimesaweekfor20minutesforthemonthofJanuary.Createareward;afterthefirstweek,Iwillbuymyselfanewsongtolistentowhilewalking.Afteramonth,Iwillbuyanewworkoutoutfit.Keepnotesaroundthehouseandofficetoremindyourselfofyourgoals.Havea“goalbuddy”towhomyouareaccountableandgiveupdatesonyourachievements.ForhelpsettingSMARTgoalsandincorporatingexerciseintoyourlife,[email protected]:AuldLangSyne:Successpredictors,changeprocesses,andself‐reportedoutcomesofNewYear'sresolversandnonresolvers,byJohnC.Norcross,MarciS.Mrykalo,MatthewD.Blagys,UniversityofScranton.JournalofClinicalPsychology,Volume58,Issue4(2002).Articlesubmittedby:CareHereHealthCoach,UthonaShelton.IfyouhaveaquestionabouttheabovearticleandwouldliketospeakwithUthona,[email protected].
Do You Have a SMART New Year’s Resolution?
Happy Holidays to you and your family. Have a safe and healthy holiday season!
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