Simple, Long-Term Weight Loss

Published by in Corporate Wellness on May 11th, 2015

Written by National Wellness Institute

WellAdvantage - Simple, Long-Term WThe results of a study released by Tufts University in early April 2015 may make understanding and implementing long-term weight control easier.

In a nutshell (excuse the pun) the study (conducted over a 16-year period, involving more than 120 people) found the following:

  • Increasing intakes of red meat and processed meat were most strongly associated with weight gain
  • Increasing intakes of yogurt, seafood, skinless chicken, and nuts were most strongly associated with weight loss—the greater percentage people ate, the less weight they gained
  • Increasing other dairy products, including full-fat cheese, whole milk, and low-fat milk, did not significantly relate to either weight gain or weight loss.

In addition, changes in refined carbohydrates enhanced the weight-gain or weight-loss effects of certain protein-rich foods. For example, it is better to get our carbohydrates from vegetables and whole grains than it is to get them from refined white bread, potatoes, or sweets.

Further, small changes over time in these areas had a big impact on long-term weight gain or loss.

The study, Changes in intake of protein foods, carbohydrate amount and quality, and long-term weight change: results from 3 prospective cohorts was conducted by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University. The results were published on-line in the TheAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

JSmith, J.D. et al. Changes in intake of protein foods, carbohydrate amount and quality, and long-term weight change: results from 3 prospective cohorts. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015; DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.114.100867

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WellAdvantage Partners with Healthiest Maryland Businesses to Promote Employee Wellness

Published by in Press Releases on May 7th, 2015
Healthiest Maryland Businesses

Healthiest Maryland BusinessesSYKESVILLE, MD (May 5, 2015) – As we enter Employee Health & Fitness Month, WellAdvantage is proud to announce its partnership with Healthiest Maryland Businesses, a statewide initiative designed to engage business leaders in maximizing Maryland employees’ well-being.

“We are excited to partner with Healthiest Maryland Businesses and other employers to promote healthy living in the workplace,” shared WellAdvantage CEO Bonnie Monroe. “We are committed to the health and wellness of our employees and the employees of our clients, and this designation helps to strengthen our program and employee offerings.”

As a part of its own employee wellness program, as well as the programs administered for clients, WellAdvantage offers:

  • Health education including skills development, behavior change classes, awareness building brochures and posters,
  • Supportive physical and social environments for health improvement, which includes tobacco free policies, subsidized gym memberships, and more,
  • Employee screenings with adequate treatment and follow up. We offer Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) and biometric screenings to all employees and their families, and
  • Healthy lifestyle mobile app and interactive site to support employees in their daily health and fitness journey.

With the knowledge that most people spend much of their awake time in the workplace, finding ways to partner with employers to help their employees live their healthiest and happiest life is part of the WellAdvantage mission. WellAdvantage continues to stay at the forefront of workplace wellness.

About WellAdvantage™

WellAdvantage is an award-winning preventive health and corporate wellness company. Since 2001, WellAdvantage has developed innovative, customized wellness programs that deliver proven results in health awareness and disease prevention. WellAdvantage offers clients the latest in personal health monitoring and management technology, wellness coaching, biometric screenings, aggregate outcomes reporting and corporate incentive programs. WellAdvantage is MBE/WBE certified. For more information, please visit http://localhost/wellAdvantage.

About Healthiest Maryland Businesses

As the nation and the state implement health reforms to increase access to health care for more Maryland families and businesses, prevention becomes a top priority to improve health and contain rising health care costs.  The Healthiest Maryland Businesses movement uses workplace wellness initiatives to support employees and their families in creating healthier lifestyles that reduce health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, and strokes. Wellness programs often focus on healthier food choices, increasing physical activity in and out of the workplace, and smoking cessation.

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Wellness in 10: Creative Ways to Reduce Stress

Published by in Corporate Wellness on April 19th, 2015

Written by National Wellness Institute

Creative Ways to Reduce StressApril is Stress Awareness Month and Counseling Awareness Month, brought to us by the American Counseling Association (ACA) at www.counseling.org.

To celebrate this special month, Wellness in 10 will feature creative ways to reduce stress. Some of these methods are the result of years of scientific research, and others you might try just for fun!

1. Paint, craft, or otherwise be artistic. According to the American Art Therapy Association (http://www.arttherapy.org/) being creative can help your brain to produce Serotonin which can help to reduce the feeling of stress.

2. Chew gum. According to a 2008 study (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/119826.php), chewing gum may help to reduce cortisol levels and alleviate stress.

3. Get your hug on. Hugs may help to reduce blood pressure, and stress in adults. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15740822)

4. Breathe deeply. The simple act of slowing down and focusing on a simple process like breathing may help to reduce stress and anxiety (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20617660).

5. Get your heart rate up—in a good way! Exercise can cause an endorphin release that can dramatically reduce stress (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469).

6. Laugh. Not only can laughter help you to reduce stress, it can also help to increase your energy levels (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456).

7. Get a massage. Massage can help with current stress and may help with the body’s reaction to stress over all (http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/massage-therapy-stress-relief-much-more).

8. Play some tunes. Music can help us to relax, lower our blood pressure, and reduce stress (http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/stress).

9. Write, keep a journal…better yet, keep a gratitude journal. Writing and/or journaling has meditative qualities that helps our brains to slow down and process the world around us with more clarity (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21140872). Take this practice one step further and spend a few minutes reflecting each day on what you are thankful for and how you are blessed. The practice may help you to reduce your stress!

10. Join Fido, or Furball, or Fluffy for some good animal-bonding time. There are many notable benefits to pet ownership (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1534428), stress reduction is just one of those benefits.

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Reducing Workplace Stress: WellAdvantage Featured in The Daily Record

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health, Stress on March 20th, 2015

 

WA THE DAILY RECORD ARTICLE ON WORKPLACE STRESS_2

Communication key to reducing workplace stress

“Stress’s potential is lurking behind every deadline, every presentation you have to give, every, scheduling conflict — your overall workload.

About a quarter of employees in the United States view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives, while problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.”

Read the full article here

 

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Sleep Better With Mindful Meditation

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health on March 6th, 2015
WellAdvantage - Sleep Better With Mindful Meditation

WellAdvantage - Sleep Better With Mindful Meditation

A new study shows mindfulness meditation practices have a significant ability to aide sleep. The study comes just in time since we lose an hour this weekend!

From the Mindful Meditation Man Himself

Jon Kabat-Zinn, a famous teacher of mindfulness meditation and the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.”

In the case of sleep, an individual might work on being aware of all of the sensations in their body as they are lying in bed. They might consciously work to notice their breathing, the rise and fall of their chest, the feeling of the skin against the bedding, muscles relaxing and so forth. As their mind begins to wander, the practice of mindfulness is to bring the mind back to all of the immediate feelings associated with resting and being present in the restful moment.

So How Does Mindful Meditation Help Us Sleep Better?

According to this most recent study, mindfulness practice helped older adults who had moderate sleep difficulties. According to the study’s authors, sleep disturbances are a medical and public health concern with 50 percent of individuals 55 years and older experiencing some sort of sleep problem. These disturbances are tied to fatigue, disturbed mood, depression, and a decreased quality of life.

The study compared individuals who practiced mindfulness with a group that practiced sleep hygiene techniques (going to bed at a set time, avoiding stimulants after a certain hour, using the bed only for sleep and not watching T.V., etc). The mindfulness group showed greater improvement compared to those in the sleep hygiene group. In addition, the mindfulness group showed less of the associated symptoms of insomnia, depression, and fatigue symptoms.

For more information on sleep Awareness visit the National Sleep Foundation.

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Cheers to Reduced Risk of Heart Failure

Published by in Corporate Wellness on February 19th, 2015

Written by National Wellness Institute

Full red wine glass goblet, bottle and grapesNew research (January 2015) released by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) provides evidence that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol is linked to reduced risk of heart failure.

Cheers to that!!

The Study

According to the study’s authors, evidence already exists linking moderate amounts of alcohol consumption to reducing the risk of developing heart conditions, but this research goes farther to show how moderate alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of developing heart failure specifically. Moderate consumption for this study is defined as one drink per day or 14g of alcohol (one small glass of wine, less than pint of beer, and less than a shot of liquor).

The Findings

The researchers, for a period of 24-25 years, looked at nearly 15,000 men and women in early to middle age (45-64) who drank no more than seven drinks per week. This rate of consumption was associated with a 20% lower risk of men and 16% of women developing heart failure in the future when compared to people who did not drink at all.

According to the study’s authors, the difference between men and women was associated with the differences in how men and women metabolize alcohol. Additional findings included an increased risk of death of 47% for men and 89% of women who reported consuming 21 or more drinks a week at the start of the study.

Heart failure describes a state when the heart can no longer pump blood around the body. Heart failure is often the result of heart attacks, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart valve problems, an irregular heartbeat, viral infections, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, consuming recreational drugs, and the side-effects of radiotherapy treatment for cancer.

Journal Reference:

Goncalves, A., Claggett, B., Jhund, P.S, Rosamond, W., Deswal, A., Aguilar, D., Shah, A. M., Cheng, S., Solomon, S.D. Alcohol consumption and risk of heart failure: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. European Heart Journal, 2015; DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehu514

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WellAdvantage Announces New Growth Strategy and New CEO

Published by in Press Releases on January 27th, 2015
WellAdvvantage

Former VP of Operations Bonnie Monroe takes on new leadership role, as Jeanne Sherwood transitions to President and Founder

WellAdvantage CEO Bonnie Monroe
SYKESVILLE, MD (January 27, 2015) – WellAdvantage™, a preventive health and corporate wellness company, today announces that its CEO Jeanne Sherwood will transition into a new role as President and Founder, focusing on leadership and advocacy within the growing field of corporate wellness. Taking on the role of CEO is Bonnie Monroe, who has served as Vice President of Operations for the last two years, ushering the organization through its largest growth phase thus far.

With the strategic reorganization of its leadership, WellAdvantage will direct its efforts toward making a greater impact on workplace wellness through industry leadership, education and advocacy, as well as safety and wellness integration.

“I have been the CEO of WellAdvantage since starting the company in 2001. This transition means realizing a dream come true. As President and Founder, I will focus on sharing best practices and industry knowledge through national and international speaking engagements, advocacy efforts, research and other published works,” shares Ms. Sherwood.

Since joining WellAdvantage in 2013, Ms. Monroe has implemented numerous strategic initiatives through change management, built cross-functional teams and maximized employee performance and outcomes. She introduced the company to new, cutting-edge technology, which has since been implemented throughout its various programs. With this innovative approach to wellness services, WellAdvantage has reduced maintenance efforts and increased customer engagement.

“WellAdvantage has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years. I could not be more proud of the WellAdvantage team and all that we have accomplished to date. We are working on several new initiatives and services, and I’m excited to lead the organization through this new growth phase,” adds Ms. Monroe.

For more information about WellAdvantage, please visit http://localhost/wellAdvantage or call (410) 795-7579.

About WellAdvantage™
WellAdvantage is an award-winning preventive health and corporate wellness company. Since 2001, WellAdvantage has developed innovative, customized wellness programs that deliver proven results in health awareness and disease prevention. WellAdvantage offers clients the latest in personal health monitoring and management technology, wellness coaching, biometric screenings, aggregate outcomes reporting and corporate incentive programs. WellAdvantage is MBE/WBE certified. For more information, please visit http://localhost/wellAdvantage.

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What Triggers Emotional Eating and How to Break the Habit

Published by in Health, Nutrition on January 26th, 2015

A WellAdvantage Coaching Institute Presentation

Emotional Eating - WellAdvantage Presentation

Emotional Eating

Do you crave chocolate when you’re stressed? Maybe ice cream when you’re happy or potato chips (or more chocolate) when you’re sad?

We’ve all experienced emotional eating, and many of us no longer notice when we eat in response to feelings rather than hunger. Stress, comfort, reward–we all have our reasons, but when eating to fill emotional needs rather than to fill our stomachs becomes habitual, it is time to get motivated and kick the habit to the curb.

WellAdvantage is here to help you do just that. Learn how to break this habit with the help of a health coach from WellAdvantage who will help you identify common triggers and reveal strategies to help you overcome emotional eating! The event is free and open to the public, so please stop by, say hi, learn a lot, and bask in the motivation.

Meet the Coach: Laura Remaly

Laura Remaly - WellAdvantage Coaching Institute

Laura Remaly, MBA, FAWHP, has been a wellness coach at WellAdvantage for three years. She has been actively employed in the Fitness and Wellness Industry for over 30 years. She has multiple certifications in Group Exercise, Smoking Cessation and Nutrition.

See you there!!

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Hand Washing 101… Plus a little science!

Published by in Corporate Wellness, Health on December 4th, 2014

National Hand Washing Week December 7-13

National Hand Washing Week

Next week, December 7-13, is National Hand Washing Week. In honor of the week we would like to supply you with these vital tidbits of how important the simple 20-second task of hand washing truly is.

Vital Times to Wash Your Hands

  • Food: Before, during (especially when handling raw fish, chicken, and meat), and after preparing food, and before eating
  • Illness & Wounds: Before and after caring for someone who is sick , before and after treating a cut or wound, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • Human & Animal Waste: After using the toilet, changing diapers, helping a child who has used the toilet, or touching animal waste
  • Animals: After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste, and after handling pet food or pet treats
  • Garbage: After touching garbage

How to Wash Your Hands: 5 Easy Steps

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Did you Know?

Alcohol-based hand-sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol is not as effective when hands are visibly soiled or greasy. And in general, hand sanitizer is not as effective as washing hands in reducing potentially harmful microbes. Head for the soap and water and get to scrubbin’!

A Little Science

According to a 2009 article on LiveScience.com (http://www.livescience.com/3686-gross-science-cough-sneeze.html), the average human cough expels about 3,000 droplets of saliva. Some of them fly out of the mouth at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Sneezing is worse. As many as 40,000 droplets of liquid traveling as fast as 200 miles per hour. These droplets can, depending on their size, stay suspended in the air indefinitely. So even if you didn’t sneeze or see someone sneeze, you could be walking through or touching a droplet covered object. A great reason to regular wash your hands that often come in contact with your eyes, mouth, and nose!

According to the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/why-handwashing.html), a single gram of human feces can contain one trillion germs. Many of the germs are naked to human eye. Even if you are fastidious about hand washing, others may not be. Wash your hands often especially when visiting public places.

The CDC estimates (http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsFoodborneEstimates/) that each year 1 in 6 Americans get sick from food-borne illnesses. Causes of food-borne illnesses include contaminating food with dirty hands and transferring microbes from raw food, among other sources of contamination.

There you have it. A task that takes 20 seconds can save you and those around you days or weeks of sickness. Now excuse me while I go fiercely wash my hands after reading this!

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December Inspiration: Quotes to Help Us Overcome Adversity

Published by in Corporate Wellness on December 2nd, 2014

Maintain happiness and positivity this December and holiday season.

Adversity comes in all shapes and sizes–don’t let it get the best of you! Allow the below quotes to inspire you and help you overcome adversity:


December Inspiration

There is no education like adversity.
-Benjamin Disraeli

In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends.
-John Churton Collins

Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.
-Ralph Blum

It has been my philosophy of life that difficulties vanish when faced boldly.
-Isaac Asimov

All misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune.
-Henry David Thoreau

Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.
-Jonathan Kozol

All sunshine makes the desert.
-Arabian Proverb

Adversity is the mother of progress.
-Mahatma Gandhi

Success in the affairs of life often serves to hide one’s abilities, whereas adversity frequently gives one an opportunity to discover them.
-Horace

Times of great calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm.
-Charles Caleb Colton

Obstacles are great incentives.
-Jules Michelet

In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer.
-Albert Careb

There can be no rainbow without a cloud and a storm.
-J. H. Vincent

Look up and not down; look forward and not back; look out and not in; and lend a hand.
-E. E. Hale

What is defeat? Nothing but education; nothing but the first steps to something better.
-Proverb

Happy December!

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