Healthier You in 2011
January 26, 2011As another year rolls around, many of us stand determined to tackle another New Year's resolution related to our health and well-being. We set goals to lose weight, eat a healthful diet and stop smoking. After a few weeks of being on our best behavior, however, many of us relapse into our old, unhealthy habits.
Read tips from Amber Bishop and Taryn West, wellness coordinators for MultiCare's Healthy@Work program, on how to make this year successful.
Chat Host
12:04 PM
Welcome to MultiCare's E-Health Connect Chat. We will get started in a couple minutes.
Chat Host
12:07 PM
Today's topic is a Healthier You in 2011 with the Healthy@Work Wellness Coordinators from MultiCare Health System.
Taryn West
12:07 PM
Greetings! We are happy to be here with you today.
Chat Host
12:08 PM
We are going to start today with Taryn West and move to Amber Bishop half way through.
Chat Host
12:09 PM
Taryn, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your credentials?
Taryn West
12:10 PM
I am one of the Healthy@Work Wellness Coordinators for MultiCare Center for Healthy Living. I help coordinate MultiCare's employee wellness program which reaches over 9,000 employees.
Taryn West
12:11 PM
I have a Master's degree in Public Health and hold certifications in CHES (certified health education specialist) and ACSM Health Fitness Specialist.
Chat Host
12:12 PM
For those of us that have new year's resolutions to get healthy and active. What would you suggest to be the number 1 best advise to stay on course?
Taryn West
12:14 PM
My recommendation is to choose an area that you want to focus on and set SMART goals for yourself. Often times people try to tackle too much at once. Remember, in terms of lifestyle change, slow and steady wins the race!
Chat Host
12:14 PM
What is a SMART goal?
Taryn West
12:16 PM
SMART means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-Specific. A SMART goal provides information about the steps necessary to accomplish the goal, the time-line for completion, and the resources and skills necessary.
Chat Host
12:18 PM
We hear so much about the bad effects of tobacco on our overall health. Can you give us some facts about the seriousness and what resources are available?
Taryn West
12:20 PM
On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers and the harmful effects of cigarette smoking account for about 438,000 deaths each year in the US. Washington State has a QuitLine available to anyone interested in quitting. The contact number is 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.quitline.com.
Chat Host
12:21 PM
So, in addition to our goals of weight loss and healthy eating, would it be a good idea to tackle quitting smoking at the same time?
Taryn West
12:23 PM
If you have a goal to quit tobacco, then that should be your main focus since quitting tobacco is such a challenge for many people and can often take multiple attempts. It is important to eat healthy but if you are also looking to lose weight this might be too much of a challenge to take on at the same time as quitting tobacco.
Chat Host
12:23 PM
If I were needing to choose between losing weight and quitting tobacco, which should I chose to tackle first and why?
Taryn West
12:24 PM
Tobacco use does nothing good for our bodies and can lead to cancer, heart disease, stroke and lung diseases. So...my recommendation would be to tackle quitting tobacco first.
Chat Host
12:26 PM
Our lives roll at such a hectic pace that stress seems like a normal part of life. How do you know when stress is becoming harmful?
Taryn West
12:27 PM
A certain level of stress is good for us but when that stress occurs consistently over time and starts affecting our sleep, weight, blood pressure and overall health, it's time to find more balance.
Chat Host
12:28 PM
What can you to reduce stress and find that "balance?"
Taryn West
12:28 PM
There are many effective coping skills used to deal with stress and its symptoms including meditation, time management, hobbies and exercise.
Chat Host
12:29 PM
You mention exercise. How much exercise should we get in each day?
Taryn West
12:30 PM
The recommendation from ACSM (
Taryn West
12:31 PM
American College of Sports Medicine and AHA (American Heart Association) is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days a week (or a total of 150 minutes per week).
Taryn West
12:32 PM
Oops...sorry for my error. Am just getting excited about exercise!
Chat Host
12:32 PM
You also mention time management before. What are some tips to get in that 30 mins a day?
Taryn West
12:33 PM
I reccomend breaking up that 30 minutes into 'chunks' of time. For example, you can walk 15 minutes on your morning break and 15 minutes on your afternoon break. So...right there you got in your recommendation for the day!
Chat Host
12:34 PM
I hear about ensuring that your heart rate reaches a certain level for physical activity to have a significant. impact. Can a "walk" achieve that?
Taryn West
12:36 PM
Absolutely! When walking, try to aim for a moderate pace. This means you should be able to carry on a conversation, but not necessarily sing a song.
Chat Host
12:38 PM
I also hear that exercising regularly can have a positive impact on achieving restful sleep. Is this true and what is the importance of sleep in our overall health?
Amber Bishop
12:39 PM
Hi, this is Amber Bishop, I'm joining the chat in place of Taryn.
Amber Bishop
12:41 PM
Yes, it is true. However, it is important to realize that exercising within the three hour window before bedtime can increase difficulty in falling asleep. So, to get the best sleep quality stick to your exercise routine and make sure you're finished a few hours before you plan to go to bed.
Chat Host
12:42 PM
Welcome, Amber. Can you tell me a little about yourself and your credentials?
Amber Bishop
12:43 PM
I'd be happy to! Taryn and I are co-workers at MultiCare and I too am a Wellness Coordinator.
Amber Bishop
12:44 PM
My Bachelor's degree is in Kinesiology and Health Education and my Master's Degree is in Physical Education. I also hold a few certifications, two from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and one from the American College of Sports Medicine.
Chat Host
12:45 PM
Thanks, Amber!
Chat Host
12:45 PM
If someone wants to have a healthier diet. What are some quick tips you can provide them with for their next trip to the grocery store?
Amber Bishop
12:47 PM
An easy change to implement is to make sure you're consuming the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day.
Amber Bishop
12:47 PM
At the grocery store take time to stroll through the produce section and pick up a variety of fresh yummies to enjoy at meals and for snacks.
Amber Bishop
12:48 PM
Remember, your shooting for two cups of fruit and two and one half cups vegetables each day. Make sure you have a variety of choices and colors.
Chat Host
12:49 PM
Sometimes eating fresh fruits and vegetables can be cost prohibitive. Can you give some tips on how to economize and still get the nutritional bang-for-your-buck?
Amber Bishop
12:51 PM
Often times, eating produce that is in season will save you money. Additionally, shopping at local farmers markets is a great way to support local business and get fresh produce at a great value.
Amber Bishop
12:52 PM
Frozen fruits and veggies are a good option...buy frozen berries to add to your morning protein smoothie:)
Chat Host
12:52 PM
Thank you so much Taryn and Amber to joining us today. Very informative.
Amber Bishop
12:53 PM
We are both honored to chat with your today - thank you for your time!
Chat Host
12:54 PM
Join us next month when we speak with Kathleen Thomas, RN, Clinical Implementation Manager for the Good Samaritan Patient Care Tower. She will tell us how we are opening the new facility February 17.