Physical Wellness – Page 19

A Better Alarm Clock May Be The Ticket To Better Sleep!

If you have a tough time getting out of bed in the morning, a fun alarm clock that eases the transition into your day may help. Try these alarm clock tips to help get out of the bed more reliably!

Look for an alarm clock that’s functional, not just pretty. Make sure the buttons are easy to find when you’re groggy first thing in the morning.

Skip alarm clocks that emit bright blue light that can interfere with sleep. Opt for one that uses softer amber, orange or red to help you sleep more soundly.

Choose an alarm clock that wakes you with a sound that you enjoy, whether that’s the news, your favorite music or nature sounds. Consider one that gradually increases the volume to gently rouse you.

Look for fun features that make sure you won’t oversleep. Some alarm clocks have a light that turns on slowly at the time you should wake. Others vibrate the bed to help wake you.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Ciabatta Pizza

(Gout-friendly) ciabatta-pizza

Ciabatta, the Italian flat bread popular in paninis (toasted sandwiches), makes a handy pizza base. You can reduce the carbs and calories slightly by pulling out some of the soft interior of the bread.

Ingredients

1 loaf ciabatta, about 12 by 6 inches (about 1 pound)
2 cups tomato sauce (no salt added)
1 small zucchini, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups shredded part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut ciabatta lengthwise and remove some interior bread if desired. Place each half crust-side-down on a cookie sheet.

Spread sauce evenly on both pieces. Layer zucchini and mushrooms as desired—mixed or half and half. Top with mozzarella and sprinkle with basil. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Makes 8 slices

Each slice contains about 263 calories, 13 g protein, 8 g fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 36.5 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, and 554 mg sodium.

This recipe is gout-friendly because it contains food moderate in purines.

Recipe from the StayWell Company, LLC.

Color Your Stress Away

Sharpen your colored pencils and dig out your favorite markers because staying inside the lines isn’t just for kids. Adult coloring books are one of the hottest trends! These coloring books look a little different from what you may remember using when you were a child. Instead of featuring cartoon characters with generous room to fill in the outline, coloring books geared toward a more mature crowd often contain tight spaces and intricate designs.

Color Yourself Happy

The great news is that coloring may be even more than a fun activity. Research shows that it can be a healthy way to help you de-stress and unwind. A study in the journal Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association found that just 30 minutes of an artistic activity, like coloring, is enough to reduce anxiety levels.

If you’re feeling stressed out, give yourself permission to step away and do something else to help take the edge off.
Taking 20 minutes to do an activity that makes you feel good, such as coloring, can help you feel less overwhelmed when you return to the stressful activity later.

So pick up an adult coloring book today and enjoy some relaxing, creative time!

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Healthy Heart Challenge

When: Friday, February 8, 2019 to Friday, March 1, 2019

Where: Manitowoc, Marinette, Sheboygan & Green Bay campuses

Kick Off: Healthy Heart Lunch ‘n Learn at 12:00 to 12:45 pm on February 8th in the Alumni Room of the Union at Green Bay (you can still participate in the challenge if you don’t attend the lunch ‘n learn)

What: Walk around campus, find the AED’s (Automated External Defibrillator), unscramble the heart health-related word posted next to the AED, and write it on your worksheet. Get as many words as you can by Friday, March 1st, and then scan and email your worksheet to wellness@uwgb.edu by Friday, March 8th and you will be entered in a drawing for a wellness prize! The more words you find, the more times your name is entered in the drawing!

Resources:

Worksheet for Green Bay
Worksheet for Manitowoc
Worksheet for Marinette
Worksheet for Sheboygan
AED locations at Green Bay (NOTE: no scrambled words will be posted at Shorewood, in squad cars, or in the Weidner coat check or backstage hallway)
AED locations at Manitowoc
AED locations at Marinette
AED locations at Sheboygan

Questions? Please contact us at wellness@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2203.

Ask your co-workers to take a walk with you and help each other unscramble the words!

Healthy Heart Lunch ‘n Learn

Can you save a life? It’s as simple as the push of a button. Please join us at this Lunch ‘n Learn and get a crash course on how to use the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and learn other simple life saving tips from Public Safety Officer Dave Jones. Feel free to bring your lunch to enjoy during the presentation. Taking 45 minutes out of your day to learn about this could help save your loved one’s life.

Date: Friday, February 8th
Time: 12:00 to 12:45 pm
Place: Alumni Room, University Union, Green Bay
Presenter: Officer Dave Jones, UWGB Public Safety

We’ll kick off the Healthy Heart Challenge at this Lunch ‘n Learn as well! The Healthy Heart Challenge will run from February 8, 2019 through March 1, 2019. Get walking around campus, find the AED’s, unscramble the heart health-related word posted next to the AED, and write it on your worksheet. Get as many words as you can by Friday, March 1st, and then turn in your worksheet by Friday, March 8th and you will be entered in a drawing for a wellness prize! The more words you find, the more times your name is entered in the drawing! The worksheets and AED locations will be available for you to pick up at this Lunch ‘n Learn, and will also be available on the Wellness website on February 8th.

Please contact us at wellness@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2203 if you have any questions.

Teriyaki Chicken and Mango Salad

Marinade

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Salad

1 boneless chicken breast
3 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
6 cups mixed baby lettuce greens
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin slices
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free poppy-seed salad dressing

Directions

Combine marinade ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and shake to blend. Add chicken and turn to coat. Seal bag and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning the bag at least once. Remove chicken from marinade and place over moderately hot coals on a grill coated with cooking spray. Cook for 6 to 9 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so, until brown on the outside and no longer pink inside. Remove from grill and allow to cool before cutting into thin slices. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms. Slice into thin slices. Lightly coat a medium-sized nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

To serve, combine the chicken, mushrooms, greens, mango, and scallions in a salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss gently to coat.

Serves 4

Each serving contains approximately 303 calories, 3 g fat, 52 mg cholesterol, and 673 mg sodium.

Recipe from the StayWell Company, LLC

Relieving Eyestrain

You spend most of the day at work looking at a computer. At home, you check emails, pay bills, and read books all using your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Sound familiar? All of this technology may have an unexpected side effect, called computer vision syndrome.

Computer vision syndrome is a group of symptoms involving vision problems and eye discomfort. Your eyes may feel sore, tired, and dry. You may also have blurry vision and headaches. The syndrome doesn’t cause permanent damage.

The cause? Electronic media has smaller type, bright backlighting, and lower contrast, eye doctors explain. We may also blink less often when looking at digital versus print media, research suggests. Surveys show that up to three-fourths of computer users experience eye discomfort.

Try these tips today to prevent eyestrain and relieve soreness:

Assess your setup. Move your monitor back so that you are about 25 inches away from the screen. Adjust your monitor and seat height so that you can look slightly down at the screen and place your feet flat on the floor.
Be screen smart. The brightness of your screen should match the light level in the room. Use an anti-glare display when possible, and keep it clean and dust-free. And make sure there’s as much difference between the background and text as possible by adjusting the screen’s contrast.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Shift your vision to a spot 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
Give your eyes some R and R. When your eyes feel sore or tired, close your eyelids and cover them with a warm washcloth. Make sure to get enough shuteye, too. Your eyes replenish nutrients and relax as you sleep.
Wear your glasses or contacts. Uncorrected vision problems put extra strain on your eyes. Some people wear different lenses when using a computer. Special lenses with different designs, powers, and tints can help your eyes adjust to screen use.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

8 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

You know that exercise is important, but there are plenty of times you may not feel up to it. Here are eight ways to stay motivated to stick with your exercise program. Try at least one of these tips today. You’ll be glad you did!

Choose activities you enjoy. Hate running? Don’t do it! Maybe you prefer walking around your neighborhood in the evening or taking an exercise class at the gym after work. If you enjoy the activity, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Get others to join you. Whether it’s a family member, friend, or coworker, you can encourage each other to get out there and exercise even on days when you don’t feel like it.
Do 10 minutes at a time. If fitting 30 minutes of exercise into your day feels too daunting, aim for two or three 10- to 15-minute bouts of activity.
Plug it into your calendar. Schedule exercise sessions just like you would any other important event in your week.
Focus on how you’ll feel afterward. Think about how much better you’ll feel, how much more energy you’ll have, and how glad you’ll be that you did it.
Set goals. Do you want to lose weight? Run your first 5K? Get clear about your goal and create a plan for achieving it. Thinking about your goal can encourage you to exercise even when the couch is calling your name.
Track your progress. Once you identify your goals, keep track of your achievements along the way. Seeing your progress can inspire you to keep going.
Celebrate your success. Plan a reward for achieving milestones in your fitness journey. Choose non-food-related prizes, such as a new item of clothing, a pedicure, a night out with friends, or concert tickets.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

Get energized in the morning today!

Sure, an endless pot of delicious hot coffee can give you a morning jolt. But there are other ways to wake up raring to go. Try one for a more energized start to your day:

Say no to the snooze button. Those five extra minutes of sleep aren’t going to be restorative ones. Set your alarm for the time you actually need to get up.
Let the light in. Open your curtains or turn on the lights as soon as you awake. It’ll signal your body to stop producing melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.
Put your sneakers on. Physical activity gets your blood flowing and ups your endorphins for a morning mood boost. Take the dog for a stroll, do an exercise DVD, or walk your kids to school.
Eat a healthy breakfast. You won’t be dragging after a fruit-and-Greek-yogurt smoothie, a vegetable omelet, or wheat toast topped with peanut butter and banana.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC