Staying Healthy. Living Well.

OutlookH E A LT H , W E L L N E S S , P R E V E N T I O N

Fall 2014

Healthy Heart

>> Dress for success. Wear sweat-wicking material like polyester or wool. Cotton retains moisture, so avoid jeans. Hats and sturdy boots also are a must. And layer up so you can remove or add clothing to suit the weather.

>> Pack smart: Add a cell phone, first-aid kit, map, sunscreen, well-packed food, toiletries, trash bag, flashlight, matches or lighter, knife, water bottle, and reflective blanket. Then practice carrying the pack.

>> Break in your boots. Stiff boots can leave you with blisters, so begin breaking them in a few weeks in advance. Start by walking around the house, then wear them while walking the dog, mowing the lawn or running errands to loosen them up.

>> Check the weather report for upcoming storms and pollen levels. If conditions are dangerous or will cause breathing problems, try again another day.

>> Make it a group outing. You’ll find safety in numbers.

>> Have a plan. Know your route ahead of time and take a map along. Websites like www.trails.com show hiking routes in your area.

>> Store food properly in airtight containers. Never leave food unat-tended or you may attract animals.

>> Review basic first-aid treat-ments. Be prepared for scrapes, stings, twisted ankles and other minor problems and have an emer-gency plan. Pack plenty of bandages, gauze, scissors, antibiotic ointment, insect repellent and over-the-coun-ter pain medications along with any prescriptions you need.

>> Communicate. Always let someone know where you’re going and when and where you’ll return. Consider toting two-way radios—cell service is spotty in the woods.

>> Respect the environment. Pick up after yourself, including trash, food, toilet paper and anything that didn’t originate from the woods.

Take a Hike!Take advantage of the crisp air and hit the trails. It’s the perfect way to spice up your exercise routine and help you keep your ticker in top shape. Are you new to hiking and not sure where to start? These tips will point you in the right direction:

A study published in the journal Stroke found that most American women have trouble identifying the signs of a stroke. It’s time to review: Remember FAST.

Do you know the signs of stroke?

Face drooping

Arm weaknessSpeech difficulty

Time to call 911

FAST

2 Healthy Heart Outlook | Fall 2014

For people with heart disease risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following guidelines for living a healthy lifestyle:

4 Eat a healthy diet, including foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and high in fiber. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit sodium in your diet.

4 Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your health care provider to calculate your body mass index (BMI), and work to keep it in the healthy range. You also may learn more about and calculate your BMI at: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm.

4 Exercise regularly. The Surgeon General and American Heart Association recommend that adults exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Before starting or making changes to your exercise routine, check with your health care provider to be sure that you are healthy enough to do that particular level of physical activity.

4 Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products. If you do use tobacco, your health care provider can suggest ways to help you quit.

4 Limit alcohol use to no more than one drink a day for women and two a day for men as part of a meal.

The information in this publication is not intended to be a substitute for medical care or advice provided by a health care provider. Always consult your provider for appropriate examinations, treatment and care recommendations. If you have any questions about this information, you should call your provider. Specific treatments and therapies may not be covered by your health plan. For questions about your benefits, please consult your health plan. Any reference in this material to other organizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorse-ment or warranty of the services, information or products provided by those organizations or companies. All models are used for illustrative purposes only. © 2014 Healthways, Inc.

You’ve been told often to brush teeth twice daily and floss to keep your pearly whites healthy and bright. But can brushing up your oral health also keep heart disease at bay? The short answer: Possibly. Research has shown a connection between heart disease and poor dental health, but there is no conclusive evidence that one causes the other or that flossing regularly can prevent heart disease. Some heart-damaging habits and diseases (smoking and diabetes for example) also can harm the mouth. Along with brushing and flossing every day and visiting your dentist twice a year, these heart-healthy changes also will benefit your mouth: quit smoking; avoid sugary foods and drinks; eat a balanced diet; and avoid over-snacking. Some medications used to treat heart disease can cause dry mouth, which can lead to dental problems, so be sure to discuss possible treatments with your health care provider.

How is dental health related to heart disease?

A CLOSER LOOK

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Good Health GUIDELINES

It’s common knowledge that your risk for heart disease increases as you get older—but why? For one, arteries stiffen naturally over time (called arte-riosclerosis). Then the heart’s muscle walls thicken in order to better pump blood through stiffened arteries. Plus, fatty deposits called plaque build up in arteries (called atherosclerosis) and may cause narrowing and decreased blood flow. The size of the heart’s chambers and valves change as you age, too, and your heart can’t beat as fast while you’re working out as it did when you were younger. This is why your risk for heart disease increases over time.

Here’s the good news: You can take steps to improve your heart health no matter what age you are. You can set yourself up for a lifetime of heart health early on with good eating habits and regular exercise, but research has shown that getting in shape even into middle age can reduce heart failure risk. And seniors can feel encouraged by the fact that workouts even as short as 10-15 minutes have been shown to have heart health benefits.

How does age affect your heart?

Good Question( )

Fall 2014 | Healthy Heart Outlook 3

Skillet Gnocchi With Chard and White Beans

( )Preparation Time: 30 minutesMakes: 6 servings

Ingredients:1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin

olive oil1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi1 medium yellow onion4 cloves garlic½ cup water6 cups chopped chard leaves1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian

seasonings1 15-ounce can white beans ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

cheese¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. 2. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Nutrition Facts: Nutrition Per Serving: 327 calories; 56 g car-bohydrates; 14 g protein; 6 g fiber; 7 g fat; (2 g saturated, 3 g monounsaturated); 8 mg choles-terol; 587 mg sodium; 360 mg potassium*Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (50% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Calcium & Iron (19% dv)Diabetic Exchange: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 fat

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Recipe from EatingWell.com. © Eating Well, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Accountability partners are helpful tools in the weight-loss journey, and keeping your weight

down is important to heart health. Research has shown that long-term follow-up leads to greater success keeping weight off, and studies have shown that telephone and face-to-face video confer-encing can be just as effective as in-person meetings.

+ Team up with friends—with care. Be honest with yourself about whether you’d be happy with a friend, family member or spouse holding you accountable. If not, try another source of accountability, such as health care providers, and ask friends and partners to be cheerleaders instead.

+ Join a support group. Many local community and health centers host free

groups. Ask your health care pro-vider for suggestions.

+ Check out online support. There are many websites and smartphone apps designed for weight loss. Decide which tools will help you most (weekly weigh-ins, food diaries, exercise logs, etc.) to find the best fit.

+ Enlist a personal trainer or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Ask your health care provider about the types and sources of support that would best meet your needs.

+ If your accountability partner is an individual, consider drawing up an “accountability contract.” Agree on how often you’ll check in, lay out weight-loss goals and handle slip-ups, and discuss the types of encour-agement and support you’re seeking.

Keeping Tabs on Weight Loss

Flu vaccine: Different viruses cause the flu each year, so a different vaccine is made every year for that season’s flu. Most everyone 6 months of age and older should get the current flu vaccine every year as soon as it becomes available, especially if you have a chronic illness. Talk to your health care provider about vaccination if you have: a severe allergy to chicken eggs; a history of severe reaction to a flu vaccination; a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (you should wait until you are better to get the vaccine); or a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a severe paralytic illness, also called GBS). Healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49 who aren’t pregnant may choose to get the nasal-spray flu vaccine instead. Check with your health care provider to find out if the nasal-spray flu vaccine is a safe option for you.

Pneumonia vaccine: Adults age 65 and older, and anyone age 2 and older with a chronic illness that increases the risk for pneumonia, should get a pneumonia vaccine. Adults who smoke or have a diagnosis of asthma also should get the vaccine. A second dose is recommended for people 65 years and older who got their first dose when they were younger than 65 and five or more years have passed since the first dose. Check with your health care provider to find out if you should have a pneumonia vaccine.

Vaccine Reminders

Not sure what vaccines you need? Contact your health care provider.

Fall 2014Staying Healthy. Living Well.

Health or wellness or prevention information HW

Raking, bagging, cleaning out the gutters—these all are fall tasks you’ve got

on your to-do list, but be sure to stay safe while cleaning up. These are physi-cal activities, so be sure to warm up with some light

stretching ahead of time like you would before a work-out. Slather on the sunscreen and wear protective gear like

gloves, safety glasses, sturdy closed-toe shoes and a hat. Wear layered cloth-ing so you can remove or add clothing if you get too hot or cold as you’re working. Always have a spotter at the bottom of a ladder. And review the signs of heart attack—yard work can put a strain on your heart. Symptoms include chest discomfort, pain in one or both arms, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea and lightheadedness.

Yard Work Safety Tips