Take a Vacation from Work, Not from Your Workout

August 1, 2014 By W3 Insurance

Going on vacation? It is good to get away from the grind of a schedule and stress. Use this time to charge up your batteries with daily vacation workouts. Your body will feel more refreshed when you get back. It just takes a little planning and a lot of motivation.

The planning starts when you are packing your suitcase. Don’t forget to pack your running sneakers and your iPod for your music. Download some playlists that will keep you motivated. Also, if you are traveling by plane and you do not have much room in your suitcase you can bring resistance bands (they are available at any Target or sports store). These bands are great for stretching and strength training. While in the airport, don’t sit for hours, get up and walk around the terminals often. Remember you will be sitting for a long plane ride so exercise when you can. Also, check with your hotel to see if they have a fitness center and challenge yourself visit it 30 minutes a day.

If you are not traveling by plane, the staycations are great because you can pack exercise equipment in the car. This could be equipment like yoga mats, kettlebells, push-up bars, pull up bars, stability balls, etc. Try visiting some parks and nature trails during your staycation. Kayaking, jogging, swimming, and biking are all great summer activities but make sure to hydrate before, during, and after your workouts.

Remember summer is vacation time from work, not your workout!

Festive & Healthy 4th of July Treats!

July 2, 2014 By W3 Insurance

Three cheers for the red, white, and blue…

Make your plate colorful with bright red, white, and blue fruits and vegetables.

The brighter the color (natural coloring, not dye), the healthier it is.

The red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene and other nutrients that reduce the risk of prostate cancer and tumor growth. They can also help with your blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), and support joint tissue. Examples of these are: red apples, cherries, cranberries, strawberries, red grapes, pomegranate, raspberries, tomatoes, red cabbage, and red peppers.

The white fruits and vegetables contain Vitamin C, potassium, and other nutrients. They can help reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers and help boost your immune system. Try to add some bananas, white pears, cauliflower, garlic, parsnips, mushrooms, onions, and shallots to your daily diet. Avoid the white (or bleached) foods such as white breads, rice, or cereals.

Don’t forget to add blue fruits and vegetables to your plate for their nutritional value. Many blue (or indigo) fruits and vegetables contain lutein, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, and other nutrients. Blackberries, blueberries, black currants, and figs will aid in lowering your bad cholesterol (LDL), boost your immune system, fight inflammation, and limit the activity of cancer cells.

So celebrate 4^th of July on your plate every day for a healthier you!

Make Father’s Day Last A Month

June 17, 2014 By W3 Insurance

The best Father’s Day gift is to give your family a healthy dad. Make this the month to schedule your screenings.

Are you taking responsibility for your health? Do you know all the screenings that are suggested for your age group? To view a checklist of men’s health screenings categorized by age, please click the link below. (If you are in a high risk category or have family medical history, please consult your physician regarding the possibility of earlier screenings.) Do it for them. Do it for your father.

http://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/pdfs/GetItChecked.pdf

Be Active, Be Healthy

April 9, 2013 By W3 Insurance

Instead of investing an hour at the gym, what if you could become more fit with 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there throughout your day? The American Heart Association suggests at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). Thirty minutes a day, five times a week is an easy goal to remember. However, you will also experience benefits even if you divide your time into two or three segments of 10 -15 minutes per day.

The best ways to increase your motivation to exercise is to understand the importance of it.

Everyone can gain the health benefits of physical activity – age, ethnicity, shape or size do not matter.

www.heart.org

https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/american_heart_month.htm

February is National Heart Month

February 14, 2013 By W3 Insurance

February is the month that we promote heart healthy behaviors. For those of us over 40, or those with multiple risk factors, it is important to calculate the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years. Many first-ever heart attacks or strokes are fatal or disabling. Prevention is key to staying healthy because cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.

The American Heart Association has made this process simply. Log onto their website http://mylifecheck.heart.org to find seven simple improvements that we can make to our daily lives to prevent a heart attack.