May 2011

The Wellness Exchange

National & Everyday: Sports Month G Play outdoors Household and yard chores With summer just around the corner, many G Care for the pets fun and new adventures beckon at the beaches, G G Pick up and put away toys and games mountains, forests, and the pool. With so much G Walk to the store for milk or bread to do, summer time offers a great opportunity to show our children how important regular G Walk the dog can be in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Get Physical Tips for a More Active Family: Between the internet, video games,  Make a new house rule: no television, and cell phones and other Get Results still during television hand-held devices, today’s kids are evolving commercials into America’s most sedentary, and obese, Regular physical activity in childhood and sub-population. Developing a love of sports adolescence can:  Walk around the block after a meal and a habit of regular physical activity as a G Improve strength and endurance child can be the foundation for a long and G Help build healthy bones and muscles  Limit TV time and keep the TV out healthy life. G Help control weight of a child’s bedroom G Reduce and stress  Encourage schools to hold G Increase self-esteem recess prior to lunch to increase Get Motivated G Improve blood pressure levels physical activity before mealtime The key to motivating children is to make G Improve cholesterol levels  Volunteer to help with physical activity fun. Children tend to pick afterschool physical activity fitness activities that they enjoy. Take small In addition, positive and fun experience with programs or sports teams steps. Encourage your children to swim, bike, sports and physical activities starting at a or play ball with friends and schoolmates. young age lays the foundation for being For more information, visit: regularly active throughout life. Below are

Think about planning a 10-minute activity some recommended physical activities for www.fitness.gov break (like recess at school) while your kids kids: www.letsmove.gov are watching TV or playing video games. Encourage them to participate in school- organized sports and phys ed classes and 2 - 3 times a activities. week: G Swinging Your EAP services are a free and G Tumbling confidential program provided Get Moving G Push-ups or pull-ups by your employer for you and your Children should be active for at least 60 G Dancing household members. The EAP can help minutes a day. Running, skating, bike riding G Martial Arts resolve personal and professional problems. and climbing are just a few of the ways to get Call Today! children moving. Cutting down on solitary 3 - 5 times a week: and sedentary activities like video games for G Biking 1-800-8786025 prolonged periods, allows children the G Skateboarding opportunity to get involved with more G Rope Climbing wellnessworklife.com physical activities leading to a healthy, G Volleyball physically fit lifestyle. G Kickball G Basketball Get Involved G Soccer G Skiing Be a role model! Get the entire family G Swimming involved with games, active play, and good G Running nutrition. Getting involved in your children’s fitness routine will show your support and help foster a better relationship regarding physical fitness. In addition, by participating in physical activities together, you can increase the amount of quality time you spend with your children.

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Osteoporosis: Myths vs. the fracture. This is usually due to Facts complications related to the fracture or to is a of the human skeleton. the surgery to repair it such as pneumonia It is best described as deterioration in bone mass or blood clots in the lung. Additionally, which leads to the bones becoming fragile and, more than 25% of people who survive a hip in turn, leads to an increased risk in fractures. fracture will require long-term nursing home If you are like most Americans, you have heard care. a lot of “ facts” about osteoporosis. Beware, some of what you have heard may not be true! Read Myth: Osteoporosis isn’t on for some of the common myths about this expensive disease, and to learn some important Each hip fracture costs in excess of $40,000 information that may help you or a loved one. in total medical costs. By 2030, the cost of osteoporosis is expected to be more than $60 Myth: Only older women get it billion. Both women and men can develop Myth: Osteoporosis is a rare Risk Factors: osteoporosis at any age. 20% of individuals condition  Current low bone mass with osteoporosis are men. In fact, men over In fact, osteoporosis and low bone mass  Being female 50 years of age are more likely to suffer an affect 55% of individuals aged 50 and older,  Having a small frame or being thin osteoporosis-related fracture than develop or 52 million American men and women.  Older age prostate . An estimated 80,000 men  A family history of osteoporosis experience a hip fracture each year, and men  Estrogen deficiency are almost 2 times as likely as same-aged Myth: I would know if I had it  Abnormal absence of women to die within the first year of Osteoporosis is often called “the silent menstrual periods(amenorrhea) breaking a hip. disease” because it progresses slowly over  Anorexia nervosa time, with no symptoms, until a bone  Not getting enough calcium fracture occurs. Bone mineral density tests  Vitamin D deficiency Myth: Osteoporosis is can measure the amount of bone in different  Low testosterone levels in men inevitable parts of the skeleton and can predict the risk  A sedentary lifestyle  Current cigarette smoking Osteoporosis is mostly preventable, with of future fractures.  Excessive use of alcohol prevention occurring throughout an individual’s life. There are several things For more information, visit: Myth: Once I have it, there’s www.nof.org that can be done to improve bone health nothing I can do about it and prevent osteoporosis, including: It’s never too late to take steps to protecting your bone health. Consume the G Eating a balanced diet, rich in both recommended amounts of calcium and Your EAP services are a free and calcium and vitamin D vitamin D; start regular weight-bearing confidential program provided by your G Engaging in weight-bearing , and quit smoking today to help employer for you and your household members. The EAP can help resolve G Refraining from smoking slow bone loss. In addition, many treatment Limiting alcohol consumption personal and professional problems. Call G options are available to slow bone loss and Today! G Getting a periodic density screening test build new bone. Talk to your doctor or health professional about treatment 1-800-828-6025 Myth: Only Caucasian options that may be right for you. wellnessworklife.com women get osteoporosis In women over 50, 20% of non-Hispanic, white and Asian women, 5% of non- Hispanic African-American women and 10% of Hispanic women are estimated to have osteoporosis.

Myth: Osteoporosis isn’t serious Osteoporosis causes devastating and painful consequences. Hip fractures are serious business; about 20% of individuals who suffer a hip fracture will die in the year after