Happiness Is …

A Digital

Media Diet

You’re probably

reading this on a

screen right now.

Phone,

tablet,

computer?

What’s your digital

diet look like? Maybe

you’re in front of a

computer all day,

check your phone

often, or binge‑watch shows after work.

New research

suggests that as your

screen time goes up, your

happiness

level goes

down.1

In the study, happiness

started to go down

after just 1 hour of screen

time. Maybe

you can’t

cut your screen time down to an hour

on a workday.

But on the

weekend? Unplug.

Relax. Reconnect

face‑to‑face. Go on a digital media diet.

And be happy.

Send comments to

the editor:

evan.jensen@wellsource.com

TH

E Y

AX

IS

Try these avocado recipes

tinyurl.com/ajh3yav

MORE

Score a Healthy-Fat Touchdown with Avocados

INFORMATION FOR KEEPING HEALTHYFEB 2018

Recipes abound for avocados that are sliced, diced, mashed, and pureed for fruit smoothies, ice cream, pudding, sandwiches, and salads.

Health benefits of avocados

Show up to the game-day party, and serve up a little avocado wisdom. They have more fiber than any other fruit. And the healthy fats and antioxidants in avocados:3

• Reduce the risk for a heart attack or stroke

• Lower blood pressure

• Improve good cholesterol levels

• Lower triglycerides

• Support brain function

If you’re looking for a way to liven up your menu and be healthier, eat avocados. Super Bowl Sunday not required. Add diced avocados to a salad. Use mashed avocado in place of mayonnaise on a sandwich or bagel. Or make your own guacamole, and enjoy.

Can You Heal Your Heart with a Daily Dose of Exercise?Physical activity improves heart health

Discover the health benefits of avocados

Even if you don’t follow football, you’ve probably seen ads, commercials, and sales for Super Bowl LII. The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the New England Patriots on Feb. 4. Here’s what you need to know:

More than 70,000 fans will pack the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. About 100 million people will watch the game on TV. And there’s at least one more stat you can announce at game time: Football fans will consume about 128 million pounds of avocados on Super Bowl Sunday.2

Game-day party grub isn’t exactly known for being at the top of the healthy food chain. But avocados deserve a little respect.

The green-colored fruit has officially joined the ranks as a party “must-have.” (Yes, it’s a fruit.) It’s used in salsa and guacamole.

Did you know someone can have a heart attack and not know it? That’s the case with one in five heart attacks. If you see any of the warning signs, call 911 right away:

✓ Chest pains

✓ Pain in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach

✓ Shortness of breath

✓ Or sometimes a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness

COMMENTS?

Your doctor may have you take medication. And there are other things you can do, like don’t smoke, lose weight if you need to, and eat a plant-based diet. Taking steps to control blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose can help, too.

But there’s at least one more lifestyle factor you can change to improve heart health as you age. Be more active.

Getting treatment as soon as possible gives you the best chance for surviving.

Lifestyle medicine and heart health

Preventing a heart attack is ideal. But your risk for a heart attack, heart disease, or heart failure (https://tinyurl.com/ycbfsf9t) increases as you age. What should you do?

How much do you know about

fiber? Take the quiz to find out

T F

1. n n The average adult in the U.S. only

eats 15 to 18 grams of fiber per day.3

2. n n For best health, women should eat 25 grams of fiber per day. Men should get 38 grams of fiber per day.4

3. n n Fiber is only found in plant-based foods.4. n n Eating a lot of fiber may help reduce

the risk for stroke, high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.5

5. n n One cup of split peas has four times as much fiber (16 grams) as one cup of oatmeal.

How did you do? If you answered any of these statements incorrectly, you could benefit from learning more about the health benefits of fiber. If you don’t know how much fiber you eat in a day, read food labels, and keep track. Once you know where you are, simple changes to your diet can help you get more fiber and improve your health.

Answers. 1. True. 2. True. 3. True. 4. True. 5. True.

Monthly Health Challenge™

Feast on Fiber

When Michigan resident Bree Maloney went to work at a

desk job, she usually packed a lunch or went out to eat.1 And even though her choices were relatively healthy, her stomach didn’t seem to agree. She felt bloated. She was tired most of the time. And she was gaining weight.

Bree wasn’t always chowing down on fast food, soft drinks, and sugary snacks like the typical American office worker. But there was one specific nutrient she was missing. Fiber.

“I decided to ditch the processed junk,” says Bree. “I started incorporating more soups, beans, roasted veggies, fruits, and salads into my workplace diet. And I noticed an enormous difference. I had more energy, slept better, felt lighter, and more importantly, I had not as much belly bloat.”

How much fiber do you eat in a day? If you don’t know, you’re not alone. But if your diet looks anything like typical fast-food fare, you’re probably not getting enough. Fortunately, a few changes to your diet can fix that. Take the month-long health challenge and Feast on Fiber to improve your health.

CHALLENGE

Eat more fiber-rich

foods to improve

your health

Health Benefits of FiberIf you think the classic childhood lecture, “Eat your fruits and vegetables,” was just a ploy to get you to follow the rules, think again. Foods high in fiber are good for your health in many ways and help prevent disease. (It’s OK. Call your mom, and tell her she was right.) Research shows that eating a fiber-rich diet can help:2

✓ Reduce the risk for heart disease

✓ Prevent stroke

✓ Lower blood pressure

✓ Improve absorption of nutrients from food

✓ Control or prevent diabetes

✓ Support weight loss and weight management

✓ Improve digestion

✓ Control cholesterol levels

✓ Strengthen the immune system

✓ Prevent certain types of cancer

Requirements to complete this HEALTH CHALLENGE™

1. Read “Feast on Fiber.”2. Plan out your meals for a day or a week at

a time, and include foods high in fiber.3. Keep a record of your completed health challenge

in case your organization requires documentation.

10 simple ways to

increase fiber in your diet

tinyurl.com/y9yvgbpq

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

Fiber is only found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. And it’s likely you need to eat more of it. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends:1. Women: 25 grams of fiber per day2. Men: 38 grams of fiber per day

© Wellsource, Inc.All Rights Reserved.

Take the February Health Challenge!Feast on Fiber: Eat more fiber-rich foods to improve your health

Ask the Wellness Doctor:This month Dr. Joe Raphael answers the question:

What can I do to keep my heart healthy?

Boost your memory by eating right

tinyurl.com/ybxf4thr

Food for Thought: What You Eat Can Make You SmarterHealthy fats may improve brain function

Can You Heal Your Heart with Exercise? (continued from page 1)

In the science fiction movie Limitless, Edward Morra (played by Bradley Cooper), feels like his life is unraveling because of writer’s block. Then he pops a pill, writes a law-school essay, and pens a book. He learns several languages, and perfectly predicts the stock market to make a lot of cash. All within a matter of days.

No, a pill like that doesn’t exist. But what you eat may make you smarter.

A recent study looked at brain images, blood tests, and intelligence scores for a group of healthy adults.

It turns out that people who scored the highest on intelligence

Get more heart-healthy exercise

tinyurl.com/y7dfta3q

MORETake a daily dose of exercise

A recent study found that 30 minutes of exercise four to five times a week can help strengthen your heart. Doing this may even help reverse heart damage linked to aging.4

tests all had something in common. They ate healthy fats, or foods that contain monounsaturated fatty acids.5

The study helps explain how nutrition can impact thinking and brain health. Healthy fats may help improve networks in the brain used to solve problems, improve focus, and handle tasks that require attention to detail.

Put this brain food on the menu

So what foods are high in healthy fats? Follow a plant-based diet and eat these brain foods: Avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, tofu, and even a little dark chocolate.

“This dose of exercise has become my prescription for life,” says Dr. Benjamin Levine. He’s a University of Texas Southwestern researcher who helped direct the study. “I think people should be able to do this as part of their personal hygiene, just like brushing your teeth and taking a shower.”

MORE

Spinach and

Mushroom

Quesadillas

Hungry for some

healthy quesadillas?

Skip the restaurant

or take-out menu.

You can make your

own with spinach,

mushrooms, and a

few other ingredients.

Salsa and hot sauce

optional. Here’s the recipe:6

Ingredients

10 oz. spinach, chopped

2 C shredded cheese

2 T butter or olive oil2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 sliced portobello mushroom caps

4 10-inch flour tortillas1 T olive oil

Directions1. Preheat oven to

350 degrees.

2. Place tortillas on flat baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 C of cheese. Bake

5 minutes.

3. Heat butter or oil in a pan over medium

heat. Stir in garlic and mushrooms.

Cook 5 minutes.

Add spinach. Cook

another 5 minutes.

4. Spoon mixture on

to tortillas. Fold tortillas in half.

5. Heat a little oil in skillet. Cook

quesadilla for

3 minutes on

each side.

References

1. Twenge, J., et al. (2018). Decreases in psychological well-being among American adolescents after 2012 and links to screen time during the rise of smartphone technology. Emotion, 18:1. From: https://tinyurl.com/y83onbr7

2. Bellamore, T. (2017). From the Grove: All eyes east: Part two. California Avocado Commission. From: https://tinyurl.com/ycspyetq

3. Harvard University. (2017). The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between. Harvard Health Publishing. From: https://tinyurl.com/y8czjw86

4. Howden, E., et al. (2018). Reversing the cardiac effects of sedentary aging in middle age: A randomized controlled trial. Implications for heart failure prevention. Circulation, 137:4. From: https://tinyurl.com/ychdvzmm

5. Marta, Z., et al. (2017). Nutritional status, brain network organization, and general intelligence. Neuroimage, 161:241. https://tinyurl.com/y94a5xlm

6. Regale, M.S., Spinach and mushroom quesadillas. AllRecipes. From: https://tinyurl.com/ya422b37

Your heart is always

working. It beats 60 to 100

times a minute. It pumps an average of 2,000 gallons

of blood every day. It’s a muscle that keeps you alive. That’s why heart healthy habits are so important.

Heart disease is the leading

cause of death in the world.1 But it’s largely preventable.

“The lowest-tech approach – diet and lifestyle – can undeniably reverse heart disease,” says

Dr. Michael Greger. He’s the author of the book: How Not to Die: Discover

the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease.2

Here are eight ways to

keep your heart healthy:

1. Eat more plants like fruits,

vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods are packed with vitamins and nutrients. They’re low in calories. Eating this way can keep your heart healthy, and even reverse heart disease.3

2. Be more active. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day. Run if you want. But you can also walk, swim, or cycle. If you’re extra busy, break it up into 10-minute chunks of exercise. Even a little exercise burns calories, and helps control weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

3. Maintain a healthy weight, or

lose weight if you need to. About

71 percent of all adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese.4 Being

overweight makes it harder for your heart to pump blood. It also raises your risk for other health

problems linked to heart disease.4. Don’t smoke, or quit if you do.

Smoking damages arteries in the heart. This can reduce blood flow,

Close social bonds and a sense of community can help you live longer.

“People who are lonely and depressed are three to 10 times more likely to get sick and die prematurely,” says Dr. Dean Ornish. “Those who have a strong sense of love and community live longer. I don’t know any other single

factor that affects our health…to such as strong degree.”7

8. Get a check-up. At least once a year, schedule a check-up with your doctor. Check your blood pressure. Get a basic blood test. These exams can measure risk factors for heart health.

Want to keep your heart healthy? Make an effort to do these eight lifestyle choices.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(2017). Leading causes of death. From: www.cdc.

gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

2. Greger, M. (2015). How Not to Die: Discover

the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease. New York, N.Y.: Flat Iron Books.

3. Caldwell, E., et al. (2014). A way to

reverse CAD? The Journal of Family Practice. 63(7):356-364. From: dresselstyn.

com/JFP_06307_Article1.pdf

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(2016). Obesity and overweight. From: www.

cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm

5. World Health Organization. (2018).

Tobacco-free initiative. From: www.who.

int/tobacco/quitting/benefits/en/

6. Valtorta, N.K., et al. (2016). Loneliness and

social isolation as risk factors for coronary

heart disease and stroke: systematic

review and meta-analysis of longitudinal

observational studies. Heart, 102:1009-

1016. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308790

7. Ornish, D. (2016). Love & Survival:

8 pathways to intimacy and health.

New York: N.Y.: Harper Collins.

A.Q.What can I do to keep my heart healthy?

raise cholesterol, and up the risk for a heart attack or stroke. Quit and stay smoke-free for a year, and you’ll cut your risk for heart disease in half.5

5. Avoid or limit alcohol. If you drink,

limit alcohol to no more than two drinks per day for men. One drink per day for women, zero if pregnant. Or just avoid alcohol. Why? Alcohol can increase blood pressure and triglyceride levels. It can even disrupt your heartbeat.

6. Manage stress in healthy ways.

Stress can lead to choices that harm heart health. Maybe you overeat, start smoking, or drink too much when you’re stressed out. Find other ways to deal with

stress like exercise, meditation, yoga, volunteer work, or

enjoying a hobby.7. Develop healthy relationships.

You can’t measure this like weight or blood pressure. But it makes a difference. A recent study found that social isolation increases the risk of heart disease by 29 percent.6

© Wellsource, Inc., Clackamas, Oregon. All rights reserved. For personal use only – do not make unauthorized copies.Written by Joseph Raphael, DrPH, MBA, LMFT, MA, CHES, HAPM

Your Heart Healthy

8 Ways to Keep

How much do you know about

fiber? Take the quiz to find out

T F

1. n n The average adult in the U.S. only

eats 15 to 18 grams of fiber per day.3

2. n n For best health, women should eat 25 grams of fiber per day. Men should get 38 grams of fiber per day.4

3. n n Fiber is only found in plant-based foods.4. n n Eating a lot of fiber may help reduce

the risk for stroke, high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.5

5. n n One cup of split peas has four times as much fiber (16 grams) as one cup of oatmeal.

How did you do? If you answered any of these statements incorrectly, you could benefit from learning more about the health benefits of fiber. If you don’t know how much fiber you eat in a day, read food labels, and keep track. Once you know where you are, simple changes to your diet can help you get more fiber and improve your health.

Answers. 1. True. 2. True. 3. True. 4. True. 5. True.

Monthly Health Challenge™

Feast on Fiber

When Michigan resident Bree Maloney went to work at a

desk job, she usually packed a lunch or went out to eat.1 And even though her choices were relatively healthy, her stomach didn’t seem to agree. She felt bloated. She was tired most of the time. And she was gaining weight.

Bree wasn’t always chowing down on fast food, soft drinks, and sugary snacks like the typical American office worker. But there was one specific nutrient she was missing. Fiber.

“I decided to ditch the processed junk,” says Bree. “I started incorporating more soups, beans, roasted veggies, fruits, and salads into my workplace diet. And I noticed an enormous difference. I had more energy, slept better, felt lighter, and more importantly, I had not as much belly bloat.”

How much fiber do you eat in a day? If you don’t know, you’re not alone. But if your diet looks anything like typical fast-food fare, you’re probably not getting enough. Fortunately, a few changes to your diet can fix that. Take the month-long health challenge and Feast on Fiber to improve your health.

CHALLENGE

Eat more fiber-rich

foods to improve

your health

Health Benefits of FiberIf you think the classic childhood lecture, “Eat your fruits and vegetables,” was just a ploy to get you to follow the rules, think again. Foods high in fiber are good for your health in many ways and help prevent disease. (It’s OK. Call your mom, and tell her she was right.) Research shows that eating a fiber-rich diet can help:2

✓ Reduce the risk for heart disease

✓ Prevent stroke

✓ Lower blood pressure

✓ Improve absorption of nutrients from food

✓ Control or prevent diabetes

✓ Support weight loss and weight management

✓ Improve digestion

✓ Control cholesterol levels

✓ Strengthen the immune system

✓ Prevent certain types of cancer

Requirements to complete this HEALTH CHALLENGE™

1. Read “Feast on Fiber.”2. Plan out your meals for a day or a week at

a time, and include foods high in fiber.3. Keep a record of your completed health challenge

in case your organization requires documentation.

10 simple ways to

increase fiber in your diet

tinyurl.com/y9yvgbpq

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

Fiber is only found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. And it’s likely you need to eat more of it. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends:1. Women: 25 grams of fiber per day2. Men: 38 grams of fiber per day

References

1. Maloney, B. (2017). How fiber changed my life. LinkedIn. From: https://tinyurl.com/y7fgbqcw2. Anderson, J.W., et al. (2009). Health benefits of dietary fiber. Nutrition Reviews, 67(4):188-205.

doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00189.x3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Recent findings on dietary intake.

National Center for Health Statistics. From: https://tinyurl.com/y94ocnql4. Larson, H. (2017). Easy ways to boost fiber in your daily diet. American Academy

of Nutrition and Dietetics. From: https://tinyurl.com/qhr6heu5. Greger, M. (2017). Fiber. NutritionFacts.org. From: https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/fiber

© Wellsource, Inc., Clackamas, Oregon. All rights reserved.

VIDEO:

Can oatmeal

reverse heart

disease?tinyurl.com/

ybyn9jj5

QUIZ:

What do

you know about dietary fiber?tinyurl.com/

y8xrjjrj

Easy Ways to Eat More FiberIt’s easy to say you’re going to eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. But if you’re not eating enough fiber right now, what can you do to change your eating habits? Here are some easy ways to eat more fiber:

n Choose whole-grain breads

and cereals instead of white bread and sugary cereals.

n Leave the skin on potatoes,

apples, and carrots. The outer layer is highest in fiber.

n Go nuts. Snack on a handful of nuts, seeds, or raw vegetables instead of cookies or chips.

n Add cooked beans and

peas to pasta, soups, stews, casseroles, and salads.

n Choose an orange or grapefruit instead of juice for breakfast. (Juice doesn’t have a lot of fiber.)

n Eat fresh or dried fruit for desserts or snacks.

n Make a smoothie with fresh fruit and toss in high-fiber foods like flaxseed, avocado, and leafy greens.

n Choose high-fiber grains like brown rice, bulgur, quinoa, and couscous instead of white rice and white flour.

n Puree vegetables and add to sauces and stews.

n Replace white rice with chopped cauliflower (cooked).

n Make pancakes with

buckwheat flour instead of white flour or a packaged mix.

Eat These High-Fiber FoodsIf you want to eat more fiber to improve your diet and your health, put these fiber-rich foods on your menu:

Get Used to Eating More

Fiber, One Day at a Time

If you’re not getting enough fiber in your diet now, start by eating more fiber than you did yesterday. Then gradually eat a little more fiber each day. And keep track of how you feel. When Bree Maloney, started eating 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, she felt a lot better, less tired, and less bloated. Like Bree says, “Get out there and get your diet and your mind focused on fiber, fiber, fiber.”

n Add raw sprouts to sandwiches and salads.

n Sneak in flaxseed meal with oats, smoothies, yogurt, and baked goods.

n Drink plenty of water. The more fiber you eat, the more water your digestive system needs to break down food. If you don’t, you could end up with constipation.

n Keep a food log and read

food labels to track how much fiber you’re eating per day. Aim to eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber. Keeping track will remind you to choose food high in fiber.

Food Fiber (per cup)

Split peas 16.3g

Lentils 15.6g

Black Beans 15g

Lima Beans 13.2g

Peas 8.8g

Food Fiber (per cup)

Bran Flakes 7g

Raspberries 8g

Blackberries 7.6g

Avocados 6.7g

Broccoli 5.1g

Fast food, soft drinks, and sugary snacks don’t offer much in terms of fiber. For example:

• A chocolate chip cookie contains 2 grams of fiber.

• A slice of white bread: 1 gram of fiber.

• Even a typical cheeseburger only contains 2 grams of fiber.

• And some foods like meat, fish, and dairy products don’t contain any fiber.

Instructions

1. Post this calendar where you will see it daily (bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, or add to your digital calendar).

2. Plan out your meals for a day or a week at a time, and include foods high in fiber.

3. Use the calendar to record your actions and choices to make eating more fiber a regular part of your diet.

4. Review your progress at the end of each day, each week, and at the end of the month. Then keep up the practice for a lifetime of best health.

HC = Health Challenge™ ex. min. = exercise minutes MONTH:

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAYWeight

& weekly summary

______ Number of days this month I feasted on fiber

______ Number of days this month I exercised at least 30 minutes

Other wellness projects completed this month:

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Name _______________________________________________ Date __________________________

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

HC

ex. min._______

Health Challenge™ Calendar

Feast on Fiber

© Wellsource, Inc., Clackamas, Oregon. All rights reserved.

CHALLENGE

Eat more fiber-rich

foods to improve

your health