sweet, sweet summer...aug 08, 2018 · the difference between sugar found naturally in fruits, and...

HEALTH Yourself

Sweet, Sweet Summer

By this point in the summer, your tastebuds have, without a doubt, been overwhelmed by sugar! From fourth of July candy, to ice cream on a hot summer night, to sweet corn on the grill, to even the mouth watering berries at the grocery and in your backyard, summer sure is sweet!

This issue of the Health Yourself NewsleAer will explore several aspects of sugar-‐ arDficial, natural, processed, how it affects your body and mind, and how we can ulDmately become a liAle less reliant upon it to fuel our days-‐ whether it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall!

Let’s start with the basics…

Most of us know that refined sugar is harmful to our health when consumed in excess. But how much is excessive?

The American Heart AssociaDon advises that women limit added sugar to 6 teaspoons (25g) a day, and men to 9 teaspoons (38g). In comparison, Americans consume an average of 19.5 teaspoons of sugar a day-‐ that’s 2-‐3 Dmes more than the recommendaDons.

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t just to switch to diet beverages-‐ in fact, we want to steer clear of arDficial sweeteners as well. Research has linked all arDficial sweeteners but Stevia (since there’s not enough research on it yet) to some of the same condiDons that excess sugar contribute to-‐ like obesity and diabetes. Recent research points to why this is: when animals were fed two common arDficial sweeteners, the arDficial sweeteners changed how the animals processed fat and got energy, and also harmed the cells that line blood vessels, in just three weeks (more on this on p.2).

So what are your op4ons if you are trying to cut down on added and ar4ficial sweeteners? ConDnue reading on page 3.

AUGUST 2018

City & Borough of Juneau * Health Yourself Newsletter * https://beta.juneau.org/human-resources/wellness-program

Mobile App of the Month: FOODSWITCH

Sometimes it can be hard to know which foods are the best choices. This app lets you scan grocery items and rates how healthy a product is. It can offer alternatives with lower salt, sugar, calories, and even gluten-free options. This is a great tool to use if you are trying to ween yourself away from sugar or salt without drastically changing your diet.

Wise words on sugar from Tom Rath,

Author of Eat, Move, Sleep:

“Stop buying junk for friends” Don’t rationalize buying or making

junk foods for others; this is effectively saying “I value your health and

wellbeing less than mine”

“Many foods are better off in the trash than your stomach”

The next time you receive an unhealthy food gift, subtly dispose of it later- you are not wasting food- you

may be saving your life.

“Save the cake for your birthday” Between friends, family and co-

workers, we could have birthday cake almost every day of the year. Find new ways to celebrate each other!

https://beta.juneau.org/human-resources/wellness-program


Taking a break from your computer? Apply some financial wellness…

HEALTHIs Diet Soda

Really that Bad for You?

The short answer is yes! Here’s why:

There is actually very little data to suggest that sugar substitutes help with weight control. In fact, in a sweeping meta analysis of 400,000 people over 10 years found that people who regularly use sugar substitutes are more likely to gain weight, become obese, develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Yikes! Why is this? Research shows that sugar substitutes cause subjects to eat more because they seem to initiate a change in the brain’s reward center- so that appetite signals are amplified- making you feel hungrier. Furthermore, sugar substitutes cause sweet foods to taste better- effectively telling our brain to eat more of them.

Sugar substitutes have also been correlated with changes the microbiome (our gut’s command center) in a way that impairs insulin function- most commonly associated with type 2 diabetes.

In yet another study when stem cells were exposed to sugar substitutes, genes were turned on to amplify fat storage- a mechanism that is not turned on in the same way with exposure to regular sugar.

The takeaway: • Avoid diet sodas- they don’t help

maintain or lose weight • When you want to sweeten foods,

try natural sources of sugar- like molasses, raw honey, or maple syrup to get some minerals, phytochemicals, and antimicrobials.

Yourself

What’s that sweet smell?

Vaping has become popular among current and former cigareAe smokers and also in youth populaDons, and if you’ve ever walked through a coAon candy-‐smelling vape cloud, you can smell and taste why!

For a long Dme, we’ve been waiDng for the science to catch up to this popular trend to assess whether it really is any safer than smoking and we are finally starDng to see some results. We already know that tobacco smoke affects endothelial cells, leading to cardiovascular diseases. New research out of Boston University School of Medicine suggests that vaping flavorings -‐with or without nicoDne-‐ can also damage the same cells.

Findings showed that at high concentraDons, all of the nine tested flavorings damaged endothelial cells which line arteries, veins, and the inside of the heart. They also found that specifically, the vanilla, mint, cinnamon, clove, and burnt flavorings impaired producDon of nitric oxide-‐ a molecule that inhibits inflammaDon and clo_ng and helps vascular funcDon. Loss of nitric oxide is one of the first indicators of heart disease and is associated with heart aAacks and stroke.

While more research is needed, the public health field is concerned with the candy-‐like appeal of these flavorings to adults and youth alike.




A new round of Health MaAers starts this month!

Health MaAers is the diabetes prevenDon program designed to reduce your risk of developing diabetes in you are either pre-‐diabeDc or at high risk for diabetes. The curriculum was designed and tested by the CDC-‐ and has shown to reduce risk by 58%.

What: Health MaAers Diabetes PrevenDon Program When: Wednesdays 5:30-‐6:30 at BartleA, starDng 8/22. The course is 16 weeks + 6 monthly follow up meeDngs Why: Diabetes is a growing health concern in our naDon and community-‐ but if you can make some lifestyle changes with the help of our coaches, you can reverse this trend and feel beAer too! Cost: $295 for the year. If cost is an issue, ask Cynthia about a Health Yourself scholarship. How to apply: for more informaDon and to apply before 8/13, contact Cynthia Gordon-‐Nickerson at 796-‐8649.

The great debate: is natural sugar better than refined sugar? The answer: well, kinda. One of our employees was reading some wellness information on sugar for Health Yourself points (you can too- on a wellness topic of your choosing), and provided the following insight from her research:

The difference between sugar found naturally in fruits, and the white stuff you bake with is the ‘sugar delivery system’. Sugars in plants- like an apple, carrot, or even a beet- are encapsulated by the plant cell wall. It takes time for the body to break down these foods, so the sugars are more slowly released into your system and don’t spike your blood sugar as would a candy bar or soda.

Did you know? You would have to eat six navel oranges to get the amount of sugars (71 grams) in an orange soda.

The bottom line… plant-based foods usually have lower sugars that are easier for our bodies to metabolize, BUT they do still have sugar! If you are truly trying to get a handle on your sweet tooth, beware of simply replacing refined sugar with sweet fruits; consider amping up the savory side of your diet with vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains to help reset your tastebuds.


HEALTHYourself



YourselfSafety Page

HEALTH


Recommended Prac4ces for Iden4fying and Assessing Workplace Hazards

Hazard idenDficaDon and assessment is one of the OSHA recommended pracDces for any successful safety and health programs. In the recently updated OSHA guidance1, this pracDce is defined as a “proacDve, ongoing process to idenDfy and assess hazards that are present or that could have been anDcipated.” At home or at work, recognizing and evaluaDng hazards before and during work is key to prevenDng mishaps and injuries.

Interested in avoiding pain and costly incidents? Consider applying these six acDon items:

1. Collect exis4ng informa4on about workplace hazards

a. Ask those who have done the work before what goes wrong. Take a few minutes to review the risks of whatever you are doing so you are prepared for

the tasks.

2. Inspect your work environment for safety hazards

a. Looking around periodically for safety hazards is so simple it is ooen overlooked. Mental notes made when in the middle of a job aren’t typically effecDve at correcDng the hazards, so pause once in a while to jot down a note or shoot a text to remind yourself of correcDons that should be made.

3. Iden4fy health hazards

a. Coughing, aching, eyes burning and discomfort are all signs that your work environment is not safe. Don’t risk your long-‐term health to save a few minutes on a job.

4. Conduct incident inves4ga4ons

a. InvesDgaDons don't have to be complicated-‐ just start asking quesDons if you ever have something go awry. It’s simply a maAer of learning from mistakes.

5. Iden4fy hazards associated with emergency and non-‐rou4ne situa4ons

a. Unfamiliar tasks require a liAle bit extra planning, but a liAle planning can go a long way.

6. Characterize the nature of iden4fied hazards, iden4fy interim control measures, and priori4ze the hazards for control

a. Most of the Dme at home your scope of work isn’t so large that the list of hazards is beyond your control. If it ever gets to be that way, like it does in the workplace, start by making sure the most hazardous condiDons are controlled first and work your way to other hazard controls from there.

References: 1-‐OSHA. Recommended Prac,ces for Safety and Health Programs. Oct, 2016

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/OSHA_SHP_Recommended_Practices.pdf


https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/docs/OSHA_SHP_Recommended_Practices.pdf


HEALTH


Sugar Swappin’ Recipes Some of the most common places for added sugar to hide in otherwise healthy foods are in salad dressings, yogurt, and pasta sauces. Here are 3 easy and delicious recipes to make a lower sugar version at home!

Health Yourself Recipe Page

A Simple Twist on Pasta Sauce

Ingredients: • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • 1/2 medium sized onion, diced • 4 cloves of garlic, diced or crushed • 3/4 cup chicken broth • 1 (24 oz) can of whole or diced

tomatoes • 1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste • 1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1/2 teaspoon sugar • 1 teaspoon dried parsley • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions: 1. Heat a large saucepan with the oil in

it over medium heat and add the diced onion. Cook unDl onions are soo and translucent.

2. SDr diced garlic into the pan and cook for another minute or two.

3. Add the chicken broth and scrape the pan to get all the flavor well mixed in.

4. Add in diced tomatoes-‐ if using whole, crush them by hand for a unique texture.

5. Add in the tomato paste and seasonings except parsley and basil. SDr to combine and bring to a soo boil. Turn the heat to low and cover.

6. Let it simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, sDrring occasionally, and add the parsley and basil at the end.

A Creamy Dressing to Live for

Ingredients: • 4 tablespoons olive or avocado

oil • juice from 1 lemon • 2 tablespoons whole milk

unsweetened yogurt • 1 ripe avocado • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 jalapeno • OpDonal: 4 mint leaves minced

Directions: 1. Combine ingredients in a

blender and blend unDl smooth.

2. Taste and adjust salt to your liking.

3. Thin the dressing with up to 1/4 cup of water if needed.

4. Enjoy over a bed of greens (recommended with spinach, arugula, peas, avocado, nectarine, strawberries, and/or and feta)

Breakfast Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients: • 3/4-‐ 1 cup unsweetened yogurt

(Opt for Greek if you like it thicker)

• 3/4 cup of ripe berries of your choice

• Generous sprinkle of cinnamon and cardamon

• Dash of vanilla or lemon juice-‐ depending on your preference

• Mix and match the following add ins to your liking: • Oat Bran • Ground Flax • Chia seeds • Hemp seeds • Cocao nibs • Unsweetened coconut flakes • Almonds • Walnuts

Directions: 1. Mix ingredients together and

enjoy! 2. You may be tempted to add some

honey, but taste it first to see if it’s necessary-‐ if you use ripe berries, you get a dose of anDoxidants and plant-‐based sweetness! The cinnamon also helps to impart a sweet-‐like flavor without adding sugar.



HEALTH Yourself


UPCOMING

ACTIVITIES

Fountain of Youth August Challenge Are you ready to grow young again? Join Health Yourself in the month of August and focus on two habits from the list provided to help your brain, body, and spirit stay young. Email Jess Brown to register for the challenge and receive weekly resources to support your youthful habits. Access the challenge at: https://beta.juneau.org/human-resources/wellness-program Completing the challenge earns employees 15 HY points

Fountain of Youth August Challenge Are you ready to grow young again? Join Health Yourself in the month of August and focus on two habits from the list provided to help your brain, body, and spirit stay young. Email Jess Brown to register for the challenge and receive weekly resources to support your youthful habits. Access the challenge at: https://beta.juneau.org/human-resources/wellness-program Completing the challenge earns employees 15 HY points

Fountain of Youth Roundtable lunch n’ learn Thursday, 8/16 at noon in Bartlett admin classroom 204 A&B. Bring your lunch and come learn from experts in movement, nutrition, and mindfulness on how to stay young. Attending will earn you 5 HY points. RSVP by emailing Jess Brown

August Hikes

Join us on familiar and not so familiar trails to see our community from a different perspective, and move your body a bit too! Participating earns employees 5 HY points- RSVP by emailing Jess Brown . • 8/18 Granite Creek Basin: start time: 10am. Estimated distance/time: 7 miles/ 4.5 hours with a

break to enjoy lunch and the view! • 8/21 East Glacier: start time: 5:30. Estimated distance/time: 3 mile loop/ 1.5 hours- plenty of time to

climb all those stairs.

Early Bird Blood draws Skip the longer lines this fall and get your fingerstick (fasting if you want) blood draw early! You will get your cholesterol and glucose readings and get a head start on the discount. • 8/16, 8:30-11 in BRH Employee Health across from the gift shop • 8/17, 8:30-11 in my downtown CBJ HRRM office



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sweet, sweet summer...aug 08, 2018 · the difference between sugar found naturally in fruits, and...

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