Your HEALTH Counts: Eat Your Way to Better Health

Sometimes it’s hard to come up with ways to eat healthier, especially when life gets busy. Here are seven easy ideas to improve your nutrition:

1. Use whole grain pasta or whole grain bread instead of regular white.

2. Replace your baked potatoes with baked sweet potatoes.

3. Steam broccoli as a side dish to any meal.

4. Slice up mangos or apricots and eat them on top of yogurt and granola.

5. Make the switch to nonfat milk and fat-free yogurt.

6. Add fish to at least one meal per week.

7. Use liquid oils, like olive oil, instead of hard fats, such as butter and margarine.

ODS Health offers members free one-on-one health coaching for nutrition and healthy lifestyles.  For more tips about your health, tune in each day to “YourHEALTHCounts Minute” sponsored by Associated Industries and ODS Health on one of these radio stations:

Your HEALTH Counts:
Bike to Work Week

I am really hoping for good weather, and trying to figure out how to get work clothes to my office, so I can bike to work during the week-long event that runs in Mid-May. I've tried to do this before, and one thing or another -- usually road conditions -- have been too daunting. But once early spring arrives (and the snow is gone!) I hope to develop a strategy and figure out how I'll make it to meetings that are scheduled and plan my least-treacherous route. I used to bike to work all the time when I lived in Minnesota ... I can do this!

Plans are in formulation, but if you're interested in participating, here's the tentative Bike to Work schedule:

• May 1-31: Commute Challenge. How many people can you inspire to ride this month? Prizes are available to whoever gets the most friends/co-workers/family to register here; make sure they name you/your team as helper!
• Kickoff Breakfast: Monday May 14, Riverfront Park, 7-9 a.m. REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS ONLY, so RSVP.
  
• Energizer Stations: Check the Bike Spokane website for details. Gathering points around the county (bike shops, schools, businesses) for snacks and meet-ups.
• Ride of Silence: Checkout Bike to Work Spokane on Facebook for details.
• After-work Wrap-up Party: Usually held at the popular Steam Plant Grill the last Friday of Bike to Work Week, 4:30-6:30 p.m. REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS ONLY. Get in your RSVP.

Want more information? Unable to ride, but want to volunteer to help out? Check out the Bike to Work website!

P.S.If your employer is not one of hundreds of member companies – representing thousands of employees and their families – that contract with Associated Employers Trust (AET) and ODS HEALTH to provide their employees with quality healthcare and disability program, and the "Your HEALTH Counts!" wellness program, maybe it's time to ask if you can find out more about this excellent program.

Your HEALTH Counts:
Fun-in-the-Sun No Matter the Season

When we have a winter like this year's in Spokane Wash. -- with lots of sun and snow in the mountains -- people are out more than is typically the case. And even though the temps may not high, that lucky ole' sun has nothing to do, but roll around heaven all day. 

A WORD TO THE WISE: No matter the season, if you're out playing in the sun, time to find some sunscreen.

Since I haven't had my sunscreen out for a while, I had to wonder: Is there an expiration date on sunscreen?

For an answer, I went to a really great website for medical minutia...MayoClinic.com. There I found a Dr. Lawrence Gibson, who explained that sunscreens are designed to remain stable and at original strength for about three years. He suggested anything older should be discarded.

OK ... well the tube I had came with me when I moved west from Minneapolis ... well over a decade ago. It didn't take higher math for me to determine that it was time to say good-bye to that old friend and head for the drug store. Apparently much has changed since my last sunscreen expenditure, because -- even in the winter -- my local store devoted an entire aisle to sun-care products, and I not only had to choose between brands, I also had to choose between SPF's.

I finally chose one with a SPF of 15 ... but what does that mean? Once again, the answer was as close as my computer, in a YOUTube video on Sun Safety. The doctor in the video explains that  "SP" stands for sun protection, and an SPF of 15 - 50, is best. He says to also look for zinc and titanium oxide as ingredients, and choose cream form as it lasts longer So easy-speezy. Now I can take to the Sunday slopes, or go for a walk in the park, with no worries. And so can you!

P.S.If your employer is not one of hundreds of member companies – representing thousands of employees and their families – that contract with ODS HEALTH through Associated Employers Trust (AET) to provide their employees with quality healthcare, and the "Your HEALTH Counts!" wellness program, maybe it's time to ask if you can find out more about this excellent program.

Your HEALTH Counts: 'Tis the Season

As much as we enjoy the holidays, sometimes they can bring on stress. Here are four tips to help keep a healthy, stress-free balance: 

Want to take your resolve into the New Year? ODS health coaches use evidence-based practices to work with members who have specific wellness goals. You can receive one-on-one support from an ODS health coach for customized guidance and help with goal-setting. For more information, go to ODSWell@Work>.

Your HEALTH Counts:
Workplace wellness is a bottom line defense

Many employers today are faced with "sticker shock" when it comes to their company's health insurance premiums. But no matter what form your insurance coverage takes, your organization – whether large or small – can help lower healthcare costs and improve worker health and well being by incorporating a general workplace wellness philosophy into your company culture.

Employee and employers benefit from workplace wellness. In fact, studies show that when companies promote wellness in the workplace, they not only often see lower healthcare costs, with an average decline in employee medical care costs of 26.5 percent, they have also experienced an average 40.7 percent reduction in Workers’ Compensation costs.

Your HEALTH Counts: Workplace wellness is a bottom line defense

Did You Know?  Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, but there are many lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk and even small changes can make a difference.

Embracing a healthier life is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves and those we love.  To take a big step toward a healthier life, get your personal heart score and a custom plan from the American Heart Association.

They offer seven simple steps you need to start living your best life. The steps aren't expensive to take and even modest improvements to your health will make a big difference. Start with one or two. This simple, seven step list has been developed to deliver on the hope we all have--to live a long, productive healthy life.

Need more help? ODS health coaches use evidence-based practices to work with members who have specific medical needs. You, your employees and/or their dependants receive one-on-one support from an ODS health coach for customized guidance and help with goal-setting in areas including Cardiac Care and Lifestyle Coaching. Wellness is a bottom-line defense for business. For more information, go to ODSWell@Work.

For more information about your health, tune in each day to “Your HEALTH Counts Minute” on one of these fine stations:

• KQNT 590AM/SPOKANE             8:44 AM  M-F
• KXLY 920AM/SPOKANE               7-8 AM    M-F
• KJAQ 96.5 FM/SEATTLE                8-9 AM    M-F

P.S.If your employer is not one of hundreds of member companies – representing thousands of employees and their families – that contract with Associated Employers Trust (AET) to provide their employees with quality healthcare through ODS Health, and the "Your HEALTH Counts!" wellness program, maybe it's time to ask if you can find out more about this excellent program.

Your HEALTH Counts:
Getting Smart with our SmartPhones

Have you ever felt an awkward moment at a party and pulled out your cell phone, pretending to check your email? Are you guilty of texting while driving even though you know it’s risky? Are you uncomfortable leaving your phone at home when on vacation or a special date?

Doctors tell us they are starting to see evidence of some unhealthy side effects of too much cell phone use -- behavior issues such as information overload and insomnia. And physical dangers like allergic reactions and hearing problems.

Even something called “Text Neck” and “Cell Phone Elbow!” And these things aren’t just happening to teenagers. We all do love our electronics.

So maybe it’s time we learned to tame our devices. Let's get smart with our smart phones and take a healthy break from them occasionally – to enjoy the view instead of a video, or to take a few hours to actually talk to the people we can reach out and touch!

And remember, your health counts.

P.S.If your employer is not one of hundreds of member companies – representing thousands of employees and their families – that contract with Associated Employers Trust (AET) to provide their employees with quality healthcare through ODS Health, and the "Your HEALTH Counts!" wellness program, maybe it's time to ask if you can find out more about this excellent program.