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Wellness In The Workplace
3rd LoneStart HeartSmart Anniversary Issue
February 2009
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In tribute to the American Heart Association's "American Heart Month," we're once again devoting the February issue to ways to keep your (and your employees') hearts healthy, provide some statistics you and your employees may not know, and offer heart health help that we hope will prove beneficial.

Please forward, and share this newsletter -- or the link to the newsletter, with your employees. We hope this information will prove to be a reminder of how important heart health is, and that we all have a role to play.

carrotheart
You can make the difference.

You probably know that what you eat greatly influences your risk of heart disease. But, did you know that changing your diet can cut your risk for heart disease in half? Simply reducing the consumption of foods high in saturated and trans fats, and eating more high-fiber vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, can significantly improve the health of your blood vessels and heart.

An inactive lifestyle is also a high risk factor for coronary heart disease. Regular moderate physical activity helps prevent cardiovascular disease. (On an average day a fit person's heart may beat 50,000 times less than the heart of a sedentary person. In one year that sedentary person's heart must beat an extra 17 million times.) Becoming more physically active can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people. In general, the more vigorous the activity, the greater your benefits. However, even regular moderate activities help: Park further away. Take the stairs (even if you use the elevator and get off a few floors early). And walk whenever you have a choice. (Be sure to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program if you are physically inactive.)

What you can do to promote a healthy heart:


  • People who are sedentary are almost twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as are people who exercise regularly. Sedentary is defined as typical daily living activities such as household tasks, cleaning, taking out the trash, getting the newspaper in the morning.
  • Find ways to put your body in motion. Taking the stairs for a total of 2 minutes, five days a week gives you the same calorie-burning results as a 20 minute walk. It burns 100 to 140 calories.
  • Poor eating habits and physical inactivity both contribute to high blood pressure. With high blood pressure, the heart works harder, your arteries take a beating, and your chances of a stroke, heart attack and kidney problems are greater.
  • Look at the Nutrition Facts label on the foods you buy for guidance. The general rule of thumb is that foods that provide 5 percent of the daily value (DV) of fat or less are low in fat, and foods that are labeled as providing 20 percent or more of the daily value are high in fat. Low is better.
  • A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and one that includes heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids is recommended.
  • For protein, try to consume only moderate amounts of lean beef. Skinless chicken, plenty of fish, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and nuts are good sources of protein.
  • Pay attention to serving sizes and portions. Remember your stomach is about the size of two fists. Eating more than this is too much.
  • Learn new heart healthy recipes and how to substitute healthy ingredients for unhealthy ones. (CLICK HERE for recipe modification tips)
manwithfries
Obesity is now recognized as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack. And according to new figures from the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of obese American Adults now outweighs the number who are merely overweight.

Obesity is defined simply as too much body fat. Your body is made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrates and various vitamins and minerals. If you have too much fat - especially in your waist area - you're at higher risk for health problems, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. About 5.3 million Americans are living with heart failure, and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Obesity:

  • Raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
  • Lowers HDL (good) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is linked with lower heart disease and stroke risk, so reducing it tends to raise the risk.
  • Raises blood pressure levels.
  • Can induce diabetes. In some people, diabetes makes these other risk factors much worse. The danger of heart attack is especially high for those with diabetes.

And, even when there are no other known risk factors, obesity by itself increases risk of heart disease. It also harms more than just the heart and blood vessel system. It's a major cause of gallstones, can worsen degenerative joint disease and is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. Obesity is associated with 53 known medical conditions, including some forms of cancer.

Obesity is mainly caused by taking in more calories than are used up in physical activity and daily life. When people consume too many calories, or too much saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, their blood cholesterol levels often rise, raising their risk of heart disease. And that brings us back to the heart of the matter. If you take care of your heart, it will take care of you.
stethoscope
Is your heart "in the pink?"

It's the only heart you have. Do you know what you're doing to it?

The following statistics are from The American Heart Association unless otherwise noted. They're true, and yes, intimidating. They're also something we all should be aware of.

  • More than 2,500 Americans die from heart disease each day.
  • Every 20 seconds, a person in the United States has a heart attack.
  • Almost 6 million hospitalizations each year (in the United States) are due to cardiovascular disease.
  • Every 33 seconds, a person dies from cardiovascular disease in the United States.
  • Men suffer heart attacks about 10 years earlier in life than women do.
  • When a woman has a heart attack, she has a poorer chance of survival than a man does. The poorer chance of survival is largely because women often have vague symptoms that can result in delayed care.
  • Heart disease kills more women each year than all forms of cancer, chronic lung disease, pneumonia, diabetes, accidents and AIDS combined.
  • While heart disease and stroke kill one in every 3.7 men, one in 2.4 women lose their lives to heart disease and stroke. They are the No.1 and No.3 killers of women. By way of comparison, breast cancer kills one in 29 women. (CLICK HERE to Download Women's Heart Health PDF)
  • People who have excess body fat are more likely to develop heart disease, even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight increases the strain on the heart and influences blood pressure and blood cholesterol.
  • The risk of cardiovascular disease among people with diabetes is dramatic: a diagnosis of diabetes as an adult presents the same risk as already having one heart attack. More than 65 percent of deaths in diabetes patients are attributed to heart and vascular disease. (American Diabetes Association)
  • The most life-threatening consequences of diabetes are heart disease and stroke, which strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as they do others. Most of the cardiovascular complications related to diabetes have to do with the way the heart pumps blood through the body. (American Diabetes Association)
  • Losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds can significantly lower your heart disease risk.
  • Americans can lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82% just by leading a healthy lifestyle. (Dept. Health & Human Services)
Emergency
Time is Critical

Heart attack and stroke are life-and-death emergencies and every second counts. Coronary heart disease is America's No. 1 killer and stroke is No. 3. We should all be able to recognize the warning signs and know what to do if they occur. The following information has been supplied by the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Heart Attack Warning Signs
  • Chest discomfort: Discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back should not be ignored. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  • Discomfort in other areas of the upper body: Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  • Shortness of breath: Can occur with or without chest discomfort.
  • Other signs: May include indigestion, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
(CLICK HERE to download Women's HeartHealthPDF)

Stroke Warning Signs
  • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Cardiac Arrest-strikes immediately and without warning
  • Sudden loss of responsiveness (no response to tapping on the shoulders).
  • No normal breathing (the victim does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds).

How to Recognize A Stroke
 The American Stroke Association offers the following simple test if you think someone is having a stroke. If the individual has trouble with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately.
  • Ask the person to smile.
  • Ask him or her to raise both arms.
  • Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, such as "It is sunny out today."

By adopting healthier lifestyle behaviors we can reduce our risk for these life-threatening conditions --before it's too late.

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If your organization is ready to take responsibility for promoting healthy lifestyles and a healthy work environment, LoneStart is an effective, low-cost and easy-to-administer employee wellness program, which functions equally well as a stand-alone initiative or as a high-impact jump-start to existing or proposed employee wellness strategies.

Contact us today to find out how LoneStart Wellness will change your workplace.

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A Challenge. An Opportunity. A Solution.
LoneStart Wellness
phone: 512.894.3440