Take the Stairs this Week

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator this week will not only help to keep your heart healthy, but will also help you to burn extra calories for the day. On average, a 150# person can burn approximately 10 calories per minute by using the stairs. Although it may seem small, these extra calories add up throughout the day. Ten minutes of stair climbing and you’ve burned an extra 100 calories for the day.

Balance Your Wellness Wheel

There are six different dimensions of wellness:

Physical exercising, eating right, avoiding harmful habits, and medical self-care

Emotional ability to feel and express emotions and control them rather than letting them control you

Intellectual engage in ongoing learning for personal and occupational growth

Environmental being aware of and protecting yourself from environmental hazards

Social fostering relationships and communication with family, friends and coworkers

Spiritual developing a meaningful purpose in life; having morals and ethics to guide you


When any one or more dimensions of the wellness wheel are neglected, our lives may feel unbalanced and incomplete. As we enter different stages of life we encounter new challenges. This may require us to focus more on one aspect of wellness in order to promote health and well-being.

Revamp Your Diet From the Ground Up

March is National Nutrition Month® This year's theme is "Nutrition From the Ground Up". Take this week to look at your diet and make sure you are eating enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Keep a food record of all the foods you eat. At the end of the week, check to see what foods you have chosen. Did you get the fruits, vegetables, and whole grains you needed? Did you try any bean based meals this week? Not sure how many servings you should have? Check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Choose Whole Grains

Choosing whole grains may help to reduce your risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes, as well as manage weight. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend at least three servings (or 48 grams) of whole grains per day. To help determine if you are choosing whole grain foods, check the ingredient list. The first ingredient should say “whole” followed by whatever grain it is. Buying “multigrain”, “100% wheat” or “high fiber” does not necessarily mean you are buying whole grain foods. Choose foods that contain the Whole Grains Council Stamp. To learn more about whole grains and labeling of whole grains check out the following website http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/