corporate wellness Archives - Page 6 of 21

Exercise and Mental Health

Mental health is an important factor in overall wellness. Many Americans face mental health challenges daily, which magnifies the need for understanding and managing it. Exercise is proven to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. Let’s take a closer look at how exercise can aid mental health. The Benefits The latest exercise guidelines published by the Department of Health and Human Services noted how physical activity has “brain health benefits, including possible improved cognitive function, reduced anxiety and depression risk, and improved sleep and quality of life.” Exercise increases the body’s production of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters help the body stabilize mood, feel more happy and motivated, and stay more focused (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Physical activity also releases endorphins, often referred to as the “feel-good” hormone, and are a natural pain killer for [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, exercise, mental health|

Flavors of the Season: Spring Produce

Fruits and vegetables can be enjoyed all year round. In season fruits and vegetables are usually more affordable and make great additions to meals and snacks. Spring offers a variety of fruits and veggies including apricots, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, celery, collard greens, kiwi, pineapple, spinach, strawberries, etc. Produce has many health benefits but unfortunately most people are not meeting the recommended five servings of fruits and veggies each day. In fact, research has found that, “just 1 in 10 adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations.” Not only are fruits and vegetables delicious but having a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. Reflect on your habits. Where can you add an additional serving of produce? Can you add a piece of fruit as a [...]

Tags: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, clean eating, corporate wellness, fruit, nutrition, pineapple, produce, vegetables|

Stress Eating

The strongest food cravings seem to hit when you are at your weakest point. I’m sure we can all think about a time when the stress of life was piling up, and in turn we coped by eating a pile of cookies. Many people experience stress eating, but making a habit of it can be detrimental to our weight loss goals. There is much power behind the term “stress eating”. Stress, the hormones it releases, and coping strategies involving comfort foods, all can factor into overeating. Research has shown that both stress and weight gain go hand in hand, which is alarming when nearly a fourth of Americans rate their stress as an 8 out of a 10-point scale. So, why do we turn to food in times of stress? Stress Eating, Hunger, and Hormones Appetite can react to stress [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, cravings, eating, nutrition, stress, stress eating|

Nutrition Review of Meal-Kit Delivery Programs

Lock us down and Americans will eat it up. Literally! While in quarantine many of us ate like bears preparing for hibernation. More time at home to cook and limited access to grocery stores spawned an explosion of meal-kit delivery programs. Our lead dietitian tried several of them to assess the nutritional value of these “healthy, convenient meals”. Overall, we found these options to be heavy in salt and fat, and low on produce portions. The meals seemed to be kept at a low price-point by substituting processed foods for fruits and vegetables. In several the produce seemed more of a garnish. Upon closer review of each program, we often found that choices classified as “healthy” seemed to have had a very loose definition of health. For example, Marley Spoon has no information on the site as to the [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, dietitian, hello fresh, marley spoon, MEAL-KIT DELIVERY, nutirtion, nutrition review, nutritionist, purple carrot, review, sunbasket|

Exercise for Stress Relief

Our days can be full of stressful situations and feelings. No matter how much we’d like to get rid of stress altogether, we find that is virtually impossible. Instead, a more realistic approach is to manage how we react and respond to stress. Exercise has numerous benefits for the body, including stress relief. It increases the body’s production of endorphins, which are hormones that act as natural pain relievers and encourage feelings of pleasure (Mayo Clinic). Physical activity is a good way to give your mind a rest by focusing on the present moment. It’s known to help improve your mood by lowering feelings of depression and anxiety. When we’re feeling stressed, it’s easy to turn to unhealthy coping habits like extra snacking or drinking. Exercise provides a healthier choice for coping. Let’s look at several examples of exercises that [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, exercise, stress, wellness|

Stress… More than Just Frustrating?

Stress. We all face some form of it almost every single day. It can feel like a frustrating or annoying part of life, but did you know that it can affect us mentally and physically? Stress impacts all systems of the body, including our musculoskeletal, respiratory, nervous, reproductive, digestive, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Learning how stress can affect our entire body can help us choose better ways to manage it. How Stress Affects the Body Musculoskeletal System. Stress causes muscles to tighten. Over time this can lead to muscle pain and body aches. Chronic tension can be a trigger for headaches and migraines. Respiratory System. Stressful situations can cause rapid breathing. These quick breaths can leave you feeling short of breath and may trigger panic attacks. Nervous System. The nervous system triggers the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, frustration, stress, wellness|

Top 10 Outdoor Activities for Spring

Spring is the time of year when exercise starts to sound a little more motivating again. Warmer temperatures and more daylight might make it easier to be active outdoors, but where do we even begin? Grab the whole family and check out 10 of our favorite ways to get moving this season. Take a Walk After a long winter, fresh air and sunshine feel so good! Walking is a great form of exercise and can even help with stress management. Try hiking a trail in a local park. Or get the entire family involved and go for a short walk after dinner. Plant a Garden Planting a garden can be a relaxing and rewarding activity. Whether you’re planting colorful flowers or delicious fruits and veggies, you’re sure to add a pop of color to Spring. Tending and watering the garden [...]

Tags: activity, corporate wellness, daylight savings, exercise, spring|

Sleep and Heart Health

We’ve all been there – we didn’t get enough sleep the night before, and then the next day are tired, unfocused, cranky, and slugging through the day. Sleep can impact a multitude of things, but it can also affect our health. Did you know that adequate sleep is an important part of heart health? How Does Sleep Affect the Heart? Studies have found that getting enough sleep helps manage blood pressure, improves blood sugar, and even regulates part of the brain that controls hunger (CDC). This can help with the management and prevention of hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and obesity. Adequate sleep can benefit heart health more indirectly by encouraging healthier behaviors. The more rested we are, the easier it is to make mindful choices about sleep, exercise, stress, and many other habits. Serious sleep conditions like Sleep Apnea [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, heart health, sleep, sleep hygiene|

Exercise before Bedtime

A consistent exercise routine is great for getting better quality sleep. However, can the time of day you exercise negatively impact it? We’re going to take a closer look at the research around sleep and exercise, the best time for activity, and tips for creating healthy routines. How Does Exercise Affect Sleep? For years many have believed that evening and late-night exercise would disrupt sleep. Recently, more studies have explored this notion to figure out how physical activity affects sleep quality. Exercise raises heart rate, body temperature, and adrenaline levels which can impact the body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. However, the Sleep Foundation’s findings from a compilation of studies indicate that those who exercise after 8 pm fall asleep quickly and have similar amounts of deep sleep as those who exercise between the hours of 4 [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, exercise, sleep, sleep hygiene, sleep month, wellness|

Social Media and Sleep

Is Social Media Keeping You Awake? Social media started to gain popularity in the early 2000s with platforms like MySpace. Over the last 20 years, it has expanded immensely to become part of everyday households. The ease and accessibility of modern social media has made it more common than ever to communicate at any time of day with the press of a button. It’s no wonder endless scrolling can keep us awake at night. Benefits & Drawbacks of Social Media Social media has opened so many doors for communication and networking. It can strengthen our connections with others beyond the confines of demographics, distance, and time. It can be a great outlet for those searching for support and interaction. Social media can even help us stay connected to loved ones through messages, pictures, and videos. While these benefits are numerous, [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, screen time, sleep, sleep hygiene, sleep month, social media, wellness|