“27% of Canadian workers claim to have high to extreme levels of stress daily”.
While some stress is unavoidable, prolonged stress increases the risk of depression, heart disease, and substance abuse. Wouldn’t it be lovely if no one had to stress out over work, finances, lack of time, health issues, or family and relationships? The reality is that we can’t eliminate these often-stressful situations, but we can help to prevent some of the damage that long term stress can have on our body and mind.
1. Deep Breathing: This seems obvious, but it’s been shown to help in the treatment of burnout, headache, chronic fatigue, concentration problems, anxiety and phobia, panic disorder, depression, and heart disease. Try taking a long deep breath and notice how your muscles begin to relax, and your mind begins to quiet. Breathing exercises can be done anywhere and they help to reverse your stress response.
Try this: Sit comfortably. Place one hand on your stomach just below your ribs, and one hand on your chest. Take a deep breath through your nose, and feel your stomach push your hand away, without moving your chest. Exhale through your lips like you’re about to whistle. Repeat slowly 3-10 times.
2. Guided Imagery: This is a wonderful way to give yourself a quick vacation, wherever you are. Focus your mind on an environment that you find relaxing. Maybe it’s a beach you’ve napped on while listening to the ocean. Pay attention to the sounds that you would hear in this place, the smells, even imagining how your skin feels, maybe it’s being warmed by the sun.
3. Exercise: Exercise and stress management are closely linked. Exercise provides a distraction, an outlet for frustration, and gives you a lift via endorphins. Exercise also “appears to be an effective treatment for depression, improving depressive symptoms to a comparable extent as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy”.
Article by Nicole Wutschnik Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor
Wearable tech. Apps. Trackers. They are immensely popular in the health and fitness industry. They can help us stay on track with our goals, measure progress and monitor intensity. There are even apps to help us maintain a meditation practice. We have grown keen to earn our steps for the day, burn our daily output of calories, and earn the various points we are seeking. This has changed the world of health and fitness. It has been a catalyst of positive change for many.
In the meantime, as the use of wearable tech and apps has been expanding, a mindfulness movement has also been building. The focus of mindfulness is evident in scientific research studies, growing awareness and sensitivity to mental health issues, as well as in practical use by individuals, groups and corporations.
Naturally, many people are combining their love of tech and mind-body practices. Why not check off multiple boxes by measuring calorie burn in Yoga…while exhaling the stress away? Or track your movement in Pilates…while finding your center? Seems productive, right?!
Sometimes less is more. If your tech is pulling you out of the present moment, causing an obsession, or keeping you from being mindful, you could be sabotaging some of the benefits you deserve. Consider your tech beeping at you in class to work harder, or move faster. Or contemplate the nagging habit of frequently checking your device during class. This could be distracting- not only to you, but to others in the class.
Mindfulness asks us to focus on one task at a time, so we may become more aware moment by moment. With practice, this brings more clarity and richness to our experiences.
It may be time for us to evaluate whether we have an attachment to our gadgets, and ask ourselves if that may be causing a glitch in our mindfulness practice.
Perhaps reserving our tech for certain times, and having other times where we are tech and screen free, can serve us more in our pursuit of balance as healthy, fit and mindful individuals.
Although we designate this time of year for celebration, the holidays can also take their toll on physical and emotional health. Here are some tips to help you have a healthy and happy holiday season.
Stay Active. Holiday parties, relaxed work schedules and cold weather all lead to excuses for skipping workouts. Schedule your workouts and even take advantage of the season. Sledding, ice skating and just running around snow are great ways to stay fit!
Prevent Illness. Tis’ the season for colds and flu. Remember to wash your hands regularly (especially before eating), stay hydrated and ensure your diet includes immune system boosting foods like cruciferous vegetables.
Safety First! Winter weather means icy surfaces. Slow down and ensure proper footwear to reduce the chance of a fall.
Mindful Travelling. Prepare for long lines and inclement weather. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going to reduce the stress of arriving late.
Reduce Stress. Practice daily mediation and stretching, and add a weekly yoga class.
Practice Kindness. The holidays can be especially challenging for friends and family who suffer from depression and seasonal effective disorder. Take an active and positive role in the lives of people who may need your help.
Take Care of Yourself. The holidays are all about giving, but be careful not to over extend yourself. Treat yourself to simple things – a mid day nap or the pumpkin spiced latte you’ve been craving.
Have a happy and healthy holiday season from your friends at Curtis Health!
Successful employers understand that workplace wellness programs need to reach beyond just physical fitness. Wellness workshops can provide a wide variety of useful health education topics in an interactive and engaging format. Hosting professional speakers to educate employees on issues that may be affecting their overall health can create positive behavior change and drive health initiatives within the organization.
Here are some tips to ensure your wellness workshops are successful:
Provide food. The best time to offer a workshop is during the lunch hour. If employees need to push deadlines or cancel meetings to attend, turnout drops significantly. And free food always draws a crowd.
Don’t make them mandatory. Health education is a choice and should not be forced. Successful workshops are filled with engaged participants, not those busy constantly checking their watch.
Make sure your topics are relevant to your workforce. Do your employees work long hours in a high-stress environment? Try a work-life balance workshop. Are food options onsite limited? How about a workshop on easy ways to pack a healthy lunch? If you know your employees, you know the issues they are faced with.
Hosting wellness workshop for your employees shows that you care about their health and well-being, which leads to improved morale and greater retention rates.
Curtis Health has a wide variety of workshops offered at an affordable cost. Contact us today and find out how we can help your employees adopt healthy lifestyle choices! https://curtishealth.com/wellness-programs/workshops/
When I was eight years old, I started smoking. Well, I didn’t start smoking until I was twelve. But when I was eight, I had my first cigarette.
My mother was a smoker. In 1960’s California, it was the thing to do. I remember seeing a picture of her and her friends on a beach blanket, Pacific Ocean in the background, smiling and laughing with cigarettes in hand. This same image would be used for decades by cigarette companies to show you how fun and exciting their product was.
When I was eight, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. My friend and I stole a cigarette from my mother’s pack and retreated to the side of the house. After some initial fumbling with the matches, we got it lit and puffed in the smoke, coughing and wondering why anyone would engage in such a painful activity.
In the 1980’s, things changed. Doctors and researchers were finally able to break through the deep pockets of the tobacco lobby industry and go public with news the cigarette companies did not want you to know – smoking causes serious diseases, and could kill you.
My mother continued to smoke, but thought that she could escape the potential damage by “cutting down,” a time-tested trick of the addictive mind to lessen the chances of adverse reactions to dangerous substances. She adjusted her smoking habits to deal with the shame that came with doing something that had been proven to cause serious physical problems. She hid her cigarettes from plain view, would only smoke outside, and became embarrassed if you ever caught her with one in her hand.
Even armed with so much information about the dangers of smoking, no warning is stronger than a teenager trying to fit in. My first day of high school reunited me with old friends that had attended the local Catholic school. All of them were smokers, and I wanted to be a part of their tribe. I asked to borrow a cigarette, and started a smoking habit that would span my teenage years and most of my adult life.
Over the years, my mother and I attempted to quit using every method available. Cold turkey, nicotine patches, medications, even hypnotism. Nothing worked. Some resulted in varying breaks of tobacco use, but we always returned to our addiction. In the late 1990’s, my mother and I briefly worked with one another, taking our breaks together to smoke. With every drag, came a hint of shame. For her, seeing that her habit transferred to me, and for me, showing her that even though I knew it was wrong, I was unable to quit myself.
In 2001, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. After several rounds of chemotherapy, my mother’s life was temporarily extended, but less than six months after diagnosis, she had passed away.
Even after losing my mother to a smoking-related death, I continued using tobacco. It would less frequently – with a drink, at a party or any other excuse I could dream up to justify inhaling tobacco smoke after seeing my mother buried at fifty-two from a smoking-related disease.
In 2008, my wife informed me that she was pregnant with our first child. I instantly dialed up the memory of stealing a cigarette from my mother in 1983 and lighting it up. I also remembered the constant harassment my mother was exposed to by my father and siblings for her smoking habit and the dangers associated with it.
By using these memories, I had finally had found my motivation to quit smoking forever. I wasn’t going to be responsible for giving my future child a reason to pick up a cigarette. I wasn’t going to deal with the guilt that came with the label “smoker.” And I wasn’t going to leave this world before my time because of a disease that I had brought on myself.
Finding your motivation to stop unhealthy habits can come from numerous influences. A doctor who issues a strong warning, running out of breath while playing with a child, waking up with pain instead of energy and even the overwhelming feeling of guilt that is often associated with addictive behaviors.
When you do find your motivation, it is always helpful to enlist people and programs that can help you stay on track. Aligning yourself with health professionals can turn your motivation to be healthier into positive, lifelong behaviour changes. Curtis Health has numerous programs designed to help turn your motivation to be healthier into a reality. Contact us today to find out how!
For a healthy physical heart, a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and alternative protein sources and healthy fats, like olive oil is the way to go. If you have been diagnosed with pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you may need to make it more restrictive. Please consult your doctor or a registered dietitian for help in creating the right eating plan for you or visit the Dietitians of Canada website.
Did you know that food can have a powerful effect on your mental health? I’m referring to those of us who suffer from mild depression and/or anxiety. Serious mental illness requires the help of a mental health professional. Read More→
Curtis Health Is Partnering With Kintec: Footwear + Orthotics
Kintec is offering all Curtis clients (including friends and family) expert shoe fitting to best suit your needs at a 15% discount on regular price footwear.
You’re not alone.
