By David Daggett on 4/13/2009 6:54 AM

A Little Stress Relief

      We all need a little stress relief at times. This spring has been very active around our office with the Safe Sober Prom Night program, a new office in Statesville, serving clients, and keeping up with our daily activities.

      This Thursday, April 16, is National Stress Awareness Day. According to the American Psychological Association the rate of stress in our lives is on the increase. Stress has adverse health consequences including stress-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and depression.

      April is also designated as Stress Awareness Month. The purpose is to help inform and make people aware about the dangers of stress, and to learn strategies to help deal with and lessen stress in our lives.

      Having a positive attitude, a supportive family, and maintaining physical health are ways to deal with stress. Establishing a priority list of things to be done, and accomplishing them, is an ideal way to lessen the stress in our lives.

       Spending time with friends and family is recognized by the experts possibly the best way to relieve stress. This is good old fashioned in person fellowship - not texting, not cell phone, not e-mail - rather face-to-face, person-to-person interaction. Perhaps the decline in our social interaction is a reason for the societal increase in stress.

      Interestingly, according to the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine people who go for even a single massage are able to reduce their blood pressure by seven points. Certainly, lower blood pressure helps us handle and deal with stress more effectively. Accordingly, we have a surprise treat for the folks on our office on Thursday to help lower their blood pressure, deal with some of the stress, and to let them know how much we appreciate them.

      In our busy action-packed lives let's be sure we take a little time to make sure to handle and lower the stress in our lives. It will make us healthier, more productive, and more fun to be around.

 

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By David Daggett on 2/9/2009 8:50 AM

Heart Healthy

     February is American Heart Month. That seems to make sense since hearts also coincides with Valentine’s Day! So, let’s review a few tips to help keep our heart healthy.

     Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in our society. The American Heart Association has many resources and events to help raise awareness. Hopefully these efforts will turn the rising tide of heart disease.

     The risk of heart disease significantly increases as excess weight increases. Excess weight puts significant stress on the cardiovascular system. We can all start by eating better. A few really simple dietary rules can get us on track.

     Limiting or moderating food and total calorie intake is a good start. Three easy rules can get us on the road to better body composition. Reduce intake of saturated fats, reduce intake of simple sugars, and try to eliminate all trans fats such as hydrogenated oils. Doing this leaves us with a diet of lean meats, whole grains, and lots of fruit and vegetables.

     Smoking is another activity that drastically increases the risk of heart disease. There are many resources to help reduce and quit smoking. For smokers simply stopping is the number one most healthy thing you can do.

     Starting an exercise or fitness program can substantially reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderately strenuous exercise at least five times per week. Working exercise into your daily routine can be fun, healthy, and allow you to live better and longer.

     Most of all, our heathier lifestyles will set a positive example for the coming generation so we can all enjoy a healthier, happier, and more productive community. Join our Lewis and Daggett team in working toward a healthier 2009!

 

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