3 Ways to Exercise While Working at Your Desk

An easy way to improve worksite wellness at your workplace is to encourage employees to perform small, low-effort exercises at their desks. Sitting for long periods of time can have a lot of negative health effects on the body, which stretches and exercises like the following can help mitigate: 

1.     Do some leg lifts while sitting – If you spend a lot time sitting in one place at your desk, taking the opportunity to stretch your legs is very important. To give your legs a minor workout while on the clock, lift one of your legs up so that it is extended straight, and hold it in that position for two to three seconds; then lower your leg back down so that your foot hovers just above the floor, and hold that position for the same length of time. Do this 15 times per leg.

2.     Perform some desk squats – Waiting for a particularly slow web page to load? Standing around waiting for paperwork to print? Little moments of downtime like these are the perfect time to get in some one-legged desk squats. Holding on to your desk for support, lift one leg off the ground while slowly lowering your body up and down with the other. Once you've worked out the first leg thoroughly, switch to the other and repeat.

3.     Exercise your core while seated at your desk – The legs aren't the only muscles that need some extra exercise during a long day seated at the desk. To work out your arms and your core, grip the arm rests of your chair firmly and lift your body out of the seat, holding the position for a few seconds, then lower yourself back down, stopping just short of putting your rear back in the seat. Hold that position for a few seconds as well, then repeat. 

Looking for more ways to improve your company's health culture? Speak with a Wellsource representative today by calling 800-533-9355.

Our kind of town: Staying social at HIMSS15

At HIMSS15 in Chicago, there were the usual wall-to-wall session offerings, evening events and impromptu chances to meet with colleagues. Increasingly, there is also a virtual space for engagement running alongside the real-life conference action. While social media can quickly turn into a noisy echo chamber, we found that – with the right approach – it enhanced the conference experience.

In particular, the HIMSS15 App proved to be a powerful tool, rather than a gimmick some feared it might be. It made organizing your schedule and appointments much easier, with the chance to compare agendas and link up with other users – a far cry from scrawling things on the back of business cards and folders. 

If you wanted to meet the people and organizations that were most highly engaged in the conference, you could consult the handy social media leader board.  We had the chance to attend the HIMSS15 Social Media gathering hosted by John Lynn – further evidence this whole thing has moved beyond mere fad. 

Across several platforms (LinkedIn and Twitter, in particular), attendees shared useful, real time information so that we could be in two places at once – especially helpful if you were needed to staff a booth. The rules of engagement are simple: to offer a value proposition (not sales spam) and do it in an interesting way. If you've got followers re-tweeting your up-to-the-minute conference analysis or laughing out loud (with you, hopefully), you’re probably in the right ballpark.

Not all business

We came to HIMSS15 to learn and accomplish a number of business objectives, but conferences - especially in a world-class town like Chicago – aren't all work.

We also enjoyed the serendipity of the conference and city. DHIT team members took part in the HIMSS15 Wellness challenge, tracking the many steps we took to cover the 22 football fields’ worth of exhibition space and sharing our experience with other HIMSS15 app users. Our stay at the newly-opened Virgin Hotel came complete with a ride in a Tesla (at right). We got an up-close look at a Verizon robot designed to facilitate care in immuno-compromised  patient settings. And we got to experience a little bit of the Chicago nightlife.

It all served as a reminder for why we exist as a company – to pursue innovation and have fun doing it. 

HIMSS15 Chicago: Winds of change in Health IT

Conferences are tricky things. They’re exciting, chaotic and thoroughly exhausting. But, when that final session comes to a close, it’s an open question whether meaningful connections are made and objectives are met. It can be all too easy to drown in the sea of attendees, sessions and swag.

Luckily, the HIMSS Annual Conference has historically provided a great mix of “big, booming conference in a fun city” and real opportunities for substantive engagement with the industry the conference represents. HIMSS15 was no different. 

Chicago FHIR

Meeting of minds: Dynamic Health IT, HL7 and MaxMD

FHIR-related puns – and the Twitter hashtag #FHIR – were popular at HIMSS. And for good reason, FHIR is ablaze (sorry!) with potential as a major tool in unlocking true interoperability in health IT. DHIT met with Grahame Grieve – the original architect and “man on FHIR.” Our colleagues at MaxMD joined in too, with a discussion of shared goals in these two highly flexible, powerful health IT tools: FHIR as a set of standards and Direct as a transport protocol.

Grahame and HL7 International got in on the FHIR/fire fun by featuring a “Sparky the FHIR dog” Dalmatian at their booth.

DHIT President Jeff Robbins facilitates an impromptu 

discussion of DIRECT and FHIR.

Patient Portals

FHIR was just one of many hot topics (pun intended) at HIMSS15. Patient Portals continue to be much talked about, though with little consensus. Jim Tate posted his entertaining and illuminating article on the “death” of View, Download and Transmit last week. This shift in Meaningful Use policy raises questions about the future of patient engagement. How do tailor portal development for specific patient populations? How do we make patient engagement about population health and patient objectives, rather than arm-twisting? How do we ultimately measure engagement?

Meaningful Use and Certification

There was also substantial interest Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) and the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). While CMS has worked to align the PQRS program with CQMs used in its other EHR Incentive Programs, there are still many obscure details at play that providers and EHR developers need to monitor. 

DHIT enjoyed giving demos and sharing expertise for years in the trenches with CQMs. We were grateful for the chance to meet up with subject matter experts like Tate and Joy Rios, who blogs at HITECH Answers and just wrote a book on PQRS (ABCs of PQRS, Greenbranch Publishing).

DHIT also attended sessions on 2015 Edition Certification Measures and a detailed presentation of Stage 3 ONC Certification. Although our industry is still sorting through much of the aftermath of Stage 2 – particularly the new release of updated/expanded measures for 2015 reporting – make no mistake that prepping for Stage 3 Certification has begun.

The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Blood Sugar Level

Ensuring proper blood sugar levels is a key component  of lifestyle assessment. Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects millions of people, and it can lead to blindness, heart problems, and a host of other serious medical issues. 

To avoid the health problems associated with high blood sugar and diabetes, try these helpful blood sugar management tips: 

·       Switch to whole grains – Whole-grain breads with at least 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein can help bring down blood sugar levels, and also prevent overeating. The complex carbohydrates in whole-grain bread result in a lower glycemic index that slows the body's absorption process. And the extra fiber also makes whole grains more filling than white bread.

·       Increase fruits and vegetables– A plant-based diet incorporating lots of fruits and vegetables can help keep blood sugar levels down, too. Choose fruits that are naturally low-glycemic like berries, apples, peaches, and bananas.

·        Watch your fat intake – The link between saturated fat levels in the blood and the development of diabetes is clear: The higher your saturated fat intake, the greater your risk for diabetes, and the less your body processes glucose. Cutting back on fatty foods and getting regular exercise are both important steps to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. 

Want more great health tips? Speak with a Wellsource representative by calling 800-533-5355 today.

Eating Healthy Doesn't Have to Be Difficult

Encouraging healthy eating habits is one of the easiest ways to improve corporate wellness. Instead of trying to follow complicated diet plans and intense weight-watching regimens, adopting these three easy healthy eating strategies can help improve diet habits without too much thinking or planning: 

·       Add variety – A lot of serious dieters count the exact value of fat, calories, and other nutritional information of every bite they eat. If you don't have that kind of stamina or commitment to maintaining a detailed food journal, you can still get a proper nutritional balance in your meals by eating a variety of food groups. Fruits, veggies, grains, and protein all have different nutritional benefits, and making sure to include a variety in your meals will result in a better balanced diet.

·       Drink more water – People often spend a lot of mental effort finding ways to stop snacking between meals or resisting second helpings, but there's a very simple trick that reduces hunger, and which can help stop overeating. The more water you drink, the more full you feel. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips or other unhealthy snack, try drinking 32 oz. of water instead. That way you'll not only be sure to stay properly hydrated, you'll be so full you’ll lose the food cravings at the same time.

·       Focus on how food makes you feel – Having trouble getting excited about choosing salad over fries? Focus on how you feel after you eat a healthy meal, and how your body feels after eating fried, greasy food. Healthy foods make you feel more energetic, alert, and overall healthy. Once you make eating well a habit, you’ll be less tempted to go back. 

Ready to learn more about corporate wellness plans? Call 800-533-9355 today.

5 Great Tips for Improving Your Memory

Part of a good worksite wellness program is finding ways to improve memory. Memory retention is an important part of life, work, and normal brain function, and can be improved by: 

1.    Getting enough sleep – Lack of sleep can have a negative impact on memory retention, creative thinking, problem solving, and overall brain function. If you're having trouble remembering things, it might be because you're not getting enough sleep for your brain to fully recharge. The body needs seven to eight hours of sleep a night, on average, to function properly. If you're not getting enough shuteye, your memory will suffer as a result.

2.     Having a laugh – They say that laughter is good for the soul, but it's also good for the memory. Laughter engages multiple parts of the brain, including the areas that affect memory and data retention. Tell jokes, watch comedies, and otherwise find time to enjoy yourself. You'll not only get a few good chuckles, but your memory should improve as well.

3.     Exercising – Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, which in turn improves your ability to remember and process information. Brain health and overall body health are related to each other, so if you want to improve your mind, give the rest of your body a workout.

4.     Going out with friends – Humans are social animals, and making meaningful relationships with other human beings stimulates the brain and improves memory. Making friends, spending time with family and acquaintances, and owning a highly social pet like a dog can all help improve memory.

5.     Eating brain-boosting food – Changing your diet can also be an effective way to improve memory. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, walnuts, squash, and soybeans) and antioxidants (like spinach, broccoli, kale, bananas) can all improve brain function and help with memory retention. On the other hand, saturated fat, empty calories, and high volumes of alcohol can all decrease memory function in the brain. 

 

Get more corporate wellness information by calling 800-533-9355 today.

 

Webinar: What You Need to Know About HRAs for Medicaid/Medicare Enrollees

Get the facts about HRAs for Medicare/Medicaid at this April 23 webinar. Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5887558577354691841