T.H.A.N.K.S. for the Holiday

Posted on November 16, 2017 by argerlac

As you sit down around the table and give thanks for your family and friends, be sure to also give thanks for your health. Whether you have lifestyle changes you are struggling to make, have successfully made a healthy transition, or have not even considered the importance of healthy living, use this opportunity to appreciate yourself. The best way to appreciate yourself, your body, and your health, is to treat yourself right, and by modeling that behavior so your children and other family members will see that they can make healthier choices as well.

Here are six ways to give T.H.A.N.K.S this year from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation:

T—Trade. If you are cooking for your family, trade fattening ingredients for healthier alternatives. Reduce the use of oil and butter in baked goods, and use olive oil instead of vegetable oil. Olive oil has a lower content of unhealthy fats and even provides some health benefits.
H—High fiber. Start your Thanksgiving with a high-fiber breakfast. Skipping breakfast in an attempt to “save room” will only lead to over indulgence. Eggs, whole-grain items and fruit will keep your body satisfied and your metabolism steady in the hours leading up to your Thanksgiving meal.
A—Add dessert. Eliminating your favorite dessert around the holidays is painful and unnecessary, so add some to your plate! What is important is portion control. Take a smaller serving and be sure to scout out the dessert table before choosing so you don’t go back for that second dessert you overlooked the first time around.
N—No excuses. Cold weather is no excuse for sitting on the couch after dinner. If it isn’t warm enough for a family football game or other outdoor activity, plan something indoors. Games such as Twister, Charades and Simon Says can be fun for the whole family and will get everyone moving!
K —Keep Moving. Keep the whole family up and moving by making table clean-up fun! Instead of immediately retreating to the television, turn off the TV and turn on some of your favorite music while you and your loved ones clear the table and wash the dishes.
S— Stop stuffing. Stuff the turkey, not yourself! If you eat slowly and talk with other guests between bites, your food will fill you up before you get the chance to stuff yourself. It is important to acknowledge when you are full—there is no need to store up food for the winter!

https://www.healthiergeneration.org/news__events/2016/10/06/862/give_thanks

Healthy Horizons Lunch ‘N Learn: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot?

Posted on October 31, 2017 by argerlac

An estimated 6,000 American women reach menopause every day. Symptoms experienced prior to and after menopause have been shown to negatively impact a woman’s quality of life and productivity at work. During this presentation, common symptoms and strategies to treat them will be discussed.

Bring your lunch and join us Wednesday, November 8 from noon–1:00 PM in Pharmacy Building, Room 205. Veronica Vernon, PharmD, will present. RSVP to healthyhorizons@butler.edu by Friday, November 3.

Lunch ‘n Learn: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot?

Posted on October 18, 2017 by argerlac

You are invited to a Healthy Horizons Lunch ‘N Learn

Wednesday, November 8th, 2017

12:00-1:00 PM, Pharmacy Building 205

It is estimated 6,000 American women reach menopause every day. Symptoms experienced prior to and after menopause have been shown to negatively impact a woman’s quality of life and productivity at work. During this presentation, common symptoms and strategies to treat these will be discussed.

Bring your lunch and join us. RSVP to healthyhorizons@butler.edu by November 3rd.

Healthier Food Choices

Posted on October 16, 2017 by argerlac

How can I make healthier food choices?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer tips for healthy eating in Dietary Guidelines for All Americans.

Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits — fresh, frozen, canned, or dried — rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. For a 2,000-calorie diet, you will need 2 cups of fruit each day. An example of 2 cups is 1 small banana, 1 large orange, and 1/4 cup of dried apricots or peaches.
Vary your veggies. Eat more:
- dark green veggies, such as broccoli, kale, and other dark leafy greens
- orange veggies, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash
- beans and peas, such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas, and lentils
Get your calcium-rich foods. Each day, drink 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk. Or, you can get an equivalent amount of low-fat yogurt and/or low-fat cheese each day. 1.5 ounces of cheese equals 1 cup of milk. If you don’t or can’t consume milk, choose lactose-free milk products and/or calcium-fortified foods and drinks.
Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta each day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta. Look to see that grains such as wheat, rice, oats, or corn are referred to as “whole” in the list of ingredients.
Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. Vary your protein choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
Limit saturated fats. Get less than 10 percent of your calories from saturated fatty acids. Most fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. When choosing and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
Limit salt. Get less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt) each day
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/overweight-obesity-and-weight-loss

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention

Posted on October 10, 2017 by argerlac

You Can Prevent Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Do have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
Do install a battery-operated or battery back-up CO detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds leave your home immediately and call 911.
Do seek prompt medical attention if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseated.
Don’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, or garage or near a window.
Don’t run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
Don’t burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn’t vented.
Don’t heat your house with a gas oven.
Don’t use a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.

https://www.cdc.gov/co/guidelines.htm

Lunch ‘N Learn Reminder: Sleep from A to Zzzz’s

Posted on October 4, 2017 by argerlac

Come and experience new thoughts and ideas for maximizing your sleep experiences.

Please join the Healthy Horizons staff and our guest speaker, Michelle Newton, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Butler University. This event will take place on Friday, October 6th from 12:00-1:00 PM in Pharmacy Building Room 404. Dr. Newton will be exploring sleep hygiene. Ideas to improve your sleep, help you get back to sleep, and deal with insomnia and other challenges will be discussed. Bring your lunch and learn with us. Perhaps you are only a step away from enjoying all the benefits of good sleep habits.

Spooky Music Family Break

Posted on September 29, 2017 by argerlac

Opportunity for a Family Fun Night

Yard Work – How Many Calories?

Posted on September 28, 2017 by argerlac

This is the place where you can really burn some calories and build strength, so don’t hire out all your yard work. “Depending on the season, you can always do something that’s very energy-consuming: shoveling snow in the winter, raking and bagging leaves in the spring, summer, and fall,” says Joshua Margolis, a personal trainer and the founder of Mind Over Matter Fitness in New York City.

How many calories do typical outdoor activities burn? It varies a lot depending on your size (the heavier you are, the more you burn), age (younger people burn more calories), and how much muscle you have (muscle burns more calories than fat). But on average, here’s what you might expect to burn per hour while cleaning up your yard:

Shoveling snow: 400-600 calories per hour
Heavy yard work (landscaping, moving rocks, hauling dirt): 400-600 calories per hour
Raking and bagging leaves: 350-450 calories per hour
Gardening: pulling weeds, planting flowers, etc.: 200-400 calories per hour
Mowing the lawn: 250-350 calories per hour

“Raking and bagging leaves is particularly good because you also do a lot of bending, twisting, lifting, and carrying — all things that can build strength and engage a lot of muscle fibers,” says Margolis. “You just have to be careful to do these things properly, bending at the knees and not straining your back. Gardening is great, too, because you’re constantly getting up and down, stretching, bending, and reaching to pull the weeds.”