Wellness at NIH

Ways to Stay Fit During Fall

Are you thinking about becoming more physically active? Maybe you already exercise consistently but are getting bored with your normal routine. Now that fall has arrived, and temperatures are cooling, outdoor activities may seem more appealing. Whether you are an adventurous person or not, there are several activities you can take advantage of before the winter cold hits. Here are a couple of ways you can be active during the fall:

Simple: Go Outside and Walk! 

Walking is an activity fit for all ages, activity levels, and it’s FREE! You do not need a gym membership to incorporate this in your life, just a little motivation. If you struggle finding time to fit walks into your schedule, think outside the box. If you often have business meetings during work, make them walking meetings. Another option is to perform several short walks rather than long ones. For example 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes on your lunch break, and 10 minutes in the evening. Walking can be a great way to relieve stress, bond with family or friends, and achieve the proper amount of daily physical activity.

Join a Recreational Sport. 

Fall is notorious for many sports including football, softball, and basketball. Recreational sports are typically offered year-round and accommodate people with a range of experience levels, age groups, and disabilities. Joining a team sport may provide many additional benefits beyond being more physically active. They may provide positive social support groups, improved self-worth, and lead to new friendships. For more information on joining a recreation team, contact your local parks and recreation department.

Explore the Great Outdoors. 

This is the time of year when nature begins to transform right before our eyes, displaying its beautiful fall colors. Be active and take in the beauty of the great outdoors at the

same time. There are a plethora of state and national parks filled with beautiful scenery, safe trails, campsites and much more. Plan a trip to a park near you and go for a hike, try out some climbing, or go camping. The National Park Service web page provides an interactive and easy way to search for parks in your area and can help you plan for an upcoming visit.

Take a Bike Ride. 

Riding bicycles can be a great alternative for commuting to places like work or the grocery store, while getting your physical activity in. Biking can also be done locally in your neighborhood or along paths in various parks across the United States. If you are a parent to young children, there are bicycle attachments that allow your children to ride with you, or if they are able, have them ride on their own. Many of us enjoyed bicycling as children, so try to find that enjoyment again. Sure, you may be rusty at first, but after a few laps around the block you will become more comfortable.

Take the stairs.

Due to elevators and escalators, the importance of taking the stairs has been overshadowed and nearly forgotten. Of course, if you work on the 20th floor of an office building taking the stairs may not be practical, but each stair you take will benefit your health. If you start to take the stairs and become fatigued, do not give up! Over time your body will adjust and the stairs will gradually become easier. Also, you can try goal-setting to achieve more stairs taken each day. For example, this week you walk one flight of stairs each day; next week you walk two flights of stairs each day.

Holiday Season Stress Free

The holidays allow for celebration and reflection on another year gone by, as well as the excitement and anticipation of a new one ahead. For some of us, they provide much-needed time off from work or school and reunite family members with loved ones. For others, workloads increase and long-awaited reunions might not meet expectations.

As much as people may view the holidays with fondness, they are often filled with stress. Whether it comes from entertaining guests, coping with loneliness, lacking the money to buy gifts, or feeling social pressure to spend more money than is comfortable, stress is a very real concern for many people as the holiday season approaches.

The winter season can also bring on other health concerns.

Seasonal affective disorder (aptly called SAD) is a real health issue that is caused by a lack of sunlight. The lack of light affects the body’s internal clock and circadian rhythms, resulting in hopelessness, increased appetite with weight gain (conversely, weight loss is more common with other forms of depression), increased sleep (conversely, too little sleep is more common with other forms of depression), less energy and ability to concentrate, loss of interest in work or other activities, sluggish movement, social withdrawal, unhappiness, and irritability.

It is estimated that up to 10% of people are affected by SAD during the winter months in places with the least sunlight.

SAD is a serious depressive condition that can be improved with light therapy. However, milder winter blues are more common and may contribute to the anxiety and worry surrounding the holiday season.

Stress has a significant impact on our bodies.

Chronic stress often leads to headaches, irritability, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, back pain, and a number of other unpleasant side effects. Stress also weakens the immune system, increasing the likelihood of getting an infection such as influenza or strep throat.

 It can be easy around the holidays to neglect self-care, but it is important to take care of oneself during stressful times.

Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function optimally, so it’s important to make sure you get enough sleep. Eating healthy is another way to take care of yourself during the holidays. It can be as simple as having a second helping of vegetables before dinner or not saving room for that extra cookie at dessert. Exercise can mean taking a walk around the neighborhood with your family to look at lights and decorations.

Alcohol and drugs are often used as coping mechanisms for stress.

However, drinking to excess on a particular occasion, especially when one seldom drinks, can trigger cardiac abnormalities. The problem is nicknamed “holiday heart syndrome” because people who don’t usually drink may consume too much alcohol during the holiday season.  Instead of drinking to cope with stress, try using relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, guided imagery, and yoga.

The holidays are also a time when many people make a commitment to improve their health.

The Surgeon General encourages people to take time during the holidays to talk about family health history and learn about mental health conditions that exist in their family. Indeed, since 2004, the Office of the Surgeon General has declared Thanksgiving to be National Family Health History Day. If you don’t know where to start, use the My Family Health Portrait tool at                                                                                     www.surgeongeneral.gov.  Increasing one’s knowledge now can be an important way to improve health down the line and significantly reduce stress.

There are so many things you can do this season to stay healthy, cope with stress, and enjoy the holidays, but getting lots of sleep, eating nutritious foods, and exercising regularly are the simplest steps toward healthy living.

For more information please visit: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/publichealthreports/archive.html

9 Tips for Eating Well this Holiday Season

The holiday season can be a difficult time a year to continue healthy eating goals, but with a little thought you can maintain your waistline and still enjoy the season! Here are nine tips to help you eat well this holiday season.

1. BYOP – Bring Your Own Potluck:

Holiday parties are often potlucks, so do yourself and friends a favor by bringing a fruit or vegetable item to help round out the choices. Easy options are a fruit or vegetable tray or a great green salad.

2. Limit Alcohol:

Drinking too much alcohol adds unnecessary calories but can also affect your decision making ability. If you are driving, stick to water or sparkling water with lemon. If you have a designated driver, try mixing white wine with sparkling water for a festive spritzer. Just remember – if alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.

3. Avoid Mindless Grazing:

Holiday hors d’oeuvre calories can add up fast, so enjoy one small plate and then socialize away from the food. A great recipe to try: Bruschetta

4. Sharing is Caring:

See a dessert that is too hard to resist? Consider sharing with a friend or loved one.

5. Prep for the Party:

An hour or so before an event, snack on an apple. This can help prevent overindulging by taking the pang off your hunger.

6. Fill up on Veggies:

During holiday meals, fill half your plate with vegetables! This leaves less room on your plate for less nutritious options. Choose vegetables that are lightly seasoned and are not covered in heavy cream or cheese. Cinnamon Glazed Baby Carrots is a great simple recipe to try.

7. Bake Strategically:

Baking is fun but having too many treats around can be a recipe for disaster. Try a new healthier recipe like Mock-Southern Sweet Potato Pie.

8. Indulge deliberately:

Pick one special holiday treat to indulge in but skip the treats that are not in season. For example have a gingerbread cookie, but skip the chocolate chip cookie since they are not special to the season.

9. Get Moving!

Don’t forget to exercise during the holiday season. Time may seem scarce, but taking a walk to enjoy holiday lights or getting in a yoga session can help relieve stress and help you feel your best.

Savina Sparker, MBA, RDN, LD

Wellness Manager and Registered Dietitian – Eurest