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Perspectives
HEALTHY
“Your Source For A Happy and Healthy Lifestyle”
INSPIRE TO MOVE
January 2015
Exercising Away the Germs:
When to Exercise and When to Rest
Being under the weather can really throw a wrench in your exercise routine.
Depending on how sick you are, physical activity may be the last thing on
your mind, but sometimes it could be just what the doctor ordered.
A general rule of thumb is if symptoms rest mainly in the head
(nasal congestion, headache, runny eyes, or a minor sore throat)
that it’s likely safe to participate in moderate exercise. It is still
important to know your limits and do only what you can.
• Walk or take a short, low intensity bike ride outdoors
– fresh air coupled with low-intensity cardio can open
up nasal passages and temporarily relieve congestion.
• Restorative yoga – gentle stretches can give you energy
and lift your spirits.
If you have a fever, chest congestion, respiratory distress,
upset stomach, and/or muscle aches, it’s best to take a
break from exercising all together.
So, next time you come down with a bug, remember
to listen to your body and be gentle on yourself.
If you’re not sure, consult a physician.
“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.”
~ Lily Tomlin
Scan this code or
visit http://ow.ly/COc4m
for CNN’s Best and worst
exercises when you have a cold.
1 INSPIRE TO MOVE
2 NOURISHING YOU
3 HEALTH HARMONY
4 GOOD DECISIONS
NOURISHING YOU
Make A Plan,
Not A Promise
All Sugared Out
Another holiday season full of cookies, cakes, brownies, and other sweet
treats has come and gone. Now the rational side of your brain may
realize that it’s time to back off the sugary sweets, but another part of
your brain is screaming for more! Why is that and what can you do to
tame the sugar addicted beast?
Don’t underestimate the power of sugar. It affects our brain in the
same way that addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin can. The more
sugar you eat, the more you crave. The best way to break the bond
to sugar is to avoid eating it. Of course, drastic changes are hard to
sustain, so making changes such as cutting your sugar consumption in
half to start and making simple changes can help.
A FEW STRATEGIES INCLUDE:
Non-sugary ways to find comfort from stress (a good book, warm
bath, time with a friend).
The New Year seems like a perfect time to start
changing habits like healthier eating. While this
is a noble goal, without a plan it is likely to be a
goal that is abandoned after the first week. The
key is to make a plan, not a promise. Instead of
a general goal like “eat better”, think of specific
small steps to change habits, such as:
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Aim for at
least 5 a day and fill half your plate at each
meal with fruits and veggies.
Eat breakfast every day. Include lean
proteins like eggs and fish and whole grains
like oatmeal or quinoa.
Track your food. Recording what you eat
with a journal can help you think twice about
food choices.
Drink more water and avoid sugary drinks.
You can make a fresh start with easily
attainable healthy eating goals.
Reach for juicy berries and fruit.
Don’t believe the “I’ll only eat one lie”. An alcoholic can’t have one
drink and it’s likely not going to end with one cookie either.
Throw it out. Don’t let in or keep sugary sweets in the house. Give it
away, throw it away or wash it down the drain. It’s NOT wasteful.
Scan this code or visit http://ow.ly/COwSZ
to view a slideshow for help
to Kick the Sugar Habit.
“Chocolate is an antidepressant, which is especially
useful as you start to gain weight.” ~ Jason Love
Quick and Easy Berry Breakfast
1 English muffin
tta cheese
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese or rico
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
ese on each muffin half,
Split English muffin in half, spread the che
oven on medium to high
top each with berries and toast in toaster
until berries bubble.
Scan this code or visit http://ow.ly/GZUDv
to test your nutrition knowledge with this
short nutrition quiz.
HEALTH HARMONY
A Day in the Life of
A Germ
3 Relaxing Routines To
Better Sleep
Why can’t the transition to sleep be as easy
as lying down and closing our eyes to visit
dreamland? A lot goes on during the day and
your brain needs to gradually disengage from
the world by relaxing and quieting thoughts.
The senses are hard to turn off and the brain
naturally starts to re-cap the day we finished
plus the day ahead. Let go of the worries and
concerns that surface by practicing these
routines at bedtime.
1.Set a cut off time. Select a time that is
the end of your day. This is an hour or two
BEFORE your bedtime. Put work aside, turn
off the phone and ignore unfinished tasks
until tomorrow.
2.Reflect. Recall three good things that
happened in the day. Identify them in your
mind or even better, write them down in a
journal.
3.Identify relaxing activities. Some people find
reading, taking a bath or listening to music
help them unwind.
Day breaks as the sun rises at an ordinary
office building in a town like any other.
An employee who woke up with a mild
sore throat and cough pulls up in the parking
lot. To the excited germ in the car, this employee
is just a host to hitch a ride on. The germ has one
goal; to multiply and spread itself around. Our host coughs in their
hands, scratches the bottom of their nose and walks to the front door
for the adventure to begin:
8 am: The cold bug sees the door handle in sight. It is hoping to leave
some of itself in this nice common surface. As our worker grasps the
handle, the germ has allowed itself to stay on the hand AND spread
onto the door handle. He yells to his germ buddies to spread far and
wide then turns to wait at the main entrance for more people to
arrive at work.
8:05 am: The host touches the elevator buttons and holds the door
open for a co-worker who is greeted with a handshake.
8:15 am: Our germs relax and enjoy the ride now on our original
host, the co-worker in the elevator and everyone who touched the
same surfaces. Infected co-worker heads to the coffee-pot, opens
the refrigerator door for cream. “Hurray!” cries the germs, “a porous
surface with little grooves in it! We can get real comfortable here!”
9:30 am: Our once lonely germ has now spread itself throughout the
building, up the handrail on the stairs, the bathroom doors and even
onto several keyboards.
10 am: A non-suspecting germ carrier who took the elevator this
morning has a problem with their computer and IT comes to take a
look. All the germs partying on the keyboard are jumping with the
excitement of another host.
12 pm: By lunchtime, the bug has spread itself to about half of the
common surfaces in the building. The building has been overtaken by
microscopic troublemakers who only fear hot water, soap and hand
sanitizer!
“A sad soul can kill you quicker than a germ.”
~ John Steinbeck
Secrets to be GERM FREE
Scan this code or visit http://ow.ly/CR2uD
to prevent sleep sabotage with
Huffington Post pre-bedtime timeline
to prevent sleep sabotage.
•Wipe your desk, phone,
•Keep hand sanitizer at
keyboard and mouse with
your desk and wash your
a disinfecting wipe once a week. hands often.
•Wash coffee mugs and glasses. •Don’t go to work when
you’re sick.
GOOD DECISION$
HAPPINESS; Why It’s Worth the Wait
What does buying concert tickets, booking a vacation, or
making a date have in common? You get the same pleasurable
effects long before having the experience! People get excited
and savor the anticipation for the experience, sometimes
more than the actual event.
We don’t get bored with happy memories as we do
with material objects. Having something to look
forward to makes the future seem bright. Extend the
joy of happy events in your life with these stages:
1.Anticipation - expecting a positive experience.
2.Enjoying the moment - savoring the time.
3.Reflection - Share your pleasure with others
and a savor the memories.
Scan this code or
visit http://ow.ly/CRplG
to track your happiness and find
out more about what factors truly
make you happy.
“It’s not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
HALCYON SERVICES CAN HELP
Regrets about the past or worries about the future
make it hard to focus on what is important right
now. Mindfulness is a way of giving attention to your
thoughts and feelings as you experience them. Studies
have shown that the practice of mindfulness can
help reduce stress, let go of bad habits, and improve
health. Halcyon EAP is ready to help you practice the
techniques of mindfulness.
Available anytime, any day, Halcyon EAP is a free,
confidential program to help you balance your work, family,
and personal life.
Support for everday issues. Every day.
Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-888-HAL-4800
(425-4800)
Local Phone Number: 559-751-0015
Website: www.halcyoneap.com
username: EDCARE
The information in this publication is meant to complement the advice of your health-care providers, not replace it.
Before making any major changes in your medications, diet or exercise, talk to your doctor. ©2015 Inspired Perspectives LLC.
www.IPWellBeing.com • [email protected] • 904.641.1208 • For constant wellness updates, LIKE US on Facebook!

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