Healthy Body -- Healthy Mind 
     

Our mission is connecting with physicians to actively participate in building a healthy Colorado.  Toward that end, we felt the best way to begin is to focus on Healthy Body – Healthy Mind to encourage our members to choose to live a healthier lifestyle.

                  

What exactly is a healthy lifestyle?

 

“We are not superheroes. We are constantly fed images of the perfect spouse, parent, employee and human being. This relentless pressure to perform and stay on top of everything can prove detrimental to our overall health. What does it mean to live a healthy lifestyle? The common misconception of leading a healthy lifestyle is that it simply consists of eating well and exercising. While these are two important components, they are not the sole definition of a healthy lifestyle.  According to the World Health Organization, “Health is not only the absence of infirmity and disease but also the state of physical, mental and social well-being.”

 

Of course there are different ways to describe a healthy lifestyle. But for the most part it means living life in a way that helps you to be both physically and emotionally healthy. The Center for Reintegration puts it simply: many things go into creating a healthy lifestyle; the main ones include positive relationships, appropriate exercise, proper nutrition and adequate rest.  The Center for Reintegration, a nonprofit organization committed to helping people pursue a meaningful life, maintains that wellness involves both choice and action. According to the Center, the choices you make each day, and the actions you take with those choices, can lead to a healthier lifestyle. Making positive choices in the areas of physical fitness, stress, work, relationships, medication, and nutrition—and then acting on those choices—promotes a sense of accomplishment and well-being.”

 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “A physical healthy lifestyle includes eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, quitting smoking (or not starting) and minimizing stress.”  Excess body fat leads to health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. The National Health and Nutrition Examination survey estimates that three out of four Americans die of either heart disease or cancer each year and approximately 80 percent of those deaths are associated with lifestyle factors, including inactivity. Excess weight and physical inactivity account for more than 300,000 premature deaths each year in the United States, second only to deaths related to smoking, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  It is recommended to get at least one half hour of exercise three times a week, but any amount of exercise is better than none at all! If you do not or can not go jogging or swimming, try going for a brisk walk with a friend, working vigorously in the yard, or riding your bike to work.  The reduction of stress and getting plenty of rest also are key factors in overall health and happiness.”

Reprinted with permission from "What exactly is a healthy lifestyle?" by Jennifer West, AMA Alliance Connections, Fall 2008.
 

Click on the link below to read the entire article in the AMA Alliance Connections, Fall 2008 magazine.  

http://www.amaalliance.org/site/files/625/40828/165415/371537/08Fall_AMAA_FINAL.pdf

  

Accept the Connection New Year’s Resolution to live a healthier lifestyle by …

 

1.       Assessing your own BMI-Body Mass Index to help you set your goals.  Consult with your physician before starting any exercise program.   

2.       Sign up you or your team for the 2009 Challenge Colorado – Walk Colorado Twice.

3.       Eat a variety of nutritious foods.

 

Here are some tips from the AMA “Healthier Life Steps” guide to help you get started

 

The AMA’s Action plan for increasing physical activity

The goal                                               

Every healthy adult 18 to 65 years of age needs at least:

• 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic (endurance) physical activity on five days each week, OR
• 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity on three days each week.

Getting ready

Many people think being physically active means getting a gym membership, running a marathon or working out using a video, class or exercise machine. However, you can be more active by making small changes over time.

Becoming just a little more active can help you:

• Prevent and control chronic diseases, such as

o        High blood pressure

o       Heart disease

o       Stroke

o        Diabetes

o       Cancer

o       Osteoporosis (bone thinning)

o         Stress and anxiety

o         Depression

• Feel less tired and have more energy
• Reduce tension and improve your mood

• Become stronger
• Sleep better
• Keep a healthy weight
• Lose weight

 The AMA’s “Action Plan for Healthy Eating”

The goal

Every healthy adult, every day, should:

·                     Eat 1 ½ to 2 ½ cup-size servings of fruit.

·                     Eat 2 to 4 cup-size servings of vegetables.

·                     Eat mostly whole grains.

·                     Avoid unhealthy trans fats and saturated fats.

·                     Limit salty and sugary foods.

·                     Keep total calories to an amount that is right for his/her height and weight.

 

For the AMA’s “Action Plan for Healthy eating” go to http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/433/hl_eating.pdf

 

  Healthy Body -- Healthy Mind

 

2009 Challenge Colorado -- Walk Colorado Twice      

Make a difference in YOUR health...one step at a time!  Get your team together to mark the miles around the great state of Colorado.  From north to south and east to west, it’s only 1326 miles; therefore we are challenging you to make the journey twice!  Together, our steps will be stronger and an important part of living a “Healthier lifestyle.”  Winning teams will be announced at Annual Meeting, September 10-14 in Breckenridge.  An event kickoff was held at the Board and General Membership meeting on Monday, February 9 at the CMS office.  The Healthy Lifestyles Action kit can be found on this website.  Just click on the "Challenge kit" tab to the left.  

Form a team of five people and each of you walk the 2,652 miles to symbolize your journey around Colorado twice.  Be sure to enjoy all the great sites Colorado has to offer along the way.  Members should report miles every other month with due dates of March 31, May 30, July 31, and September 7, which is the day the challenge ends. The same team's miles, i.e. the scores of the same 5 members of a team should be reported each time.  If you would like to be on a team and need help forming a team of five, let us know and we'll connect you with others.

Consistent low or moderate exercise such as walking is associated with important cardiovascular health benefits.  It also reduces anxiety and tension and aids in weight loss. 

What you need to get started:
     Good walking/ running shoes 
      A walking friend or group
     A pedometer (this is optional but is great for measuring steps)

Many other activities besides walking can be used to reach your goal of 2652 miles, such as skiing, bicycling, aerobics, swimming, skating, golf and tennis.  A conversion chart is included in the kit to help your convert your activities to steps.  And remember, 2,000 steps = 1 mile.  A chart to keep track of your miles is also included. 

This is the Healthy Lifestyles Action kit. The kit contains important information and/or links to help you get started.  

1.              Obesity Facts

2.              Stress Facts

3.              Tips for Exercise Success

4.              Diet Recommendations

5.              AMA Action Plan for Healthy Eating

6.              Heart Attack and Stroke Warning signs

7.              Links to the AMA Alliance Youth Nutrition and Body Image fact sheets.

8.              2009 Challenge Colorado -- Walk Colorado Twice

9.              BMI Information and link to the Conversion chart  

10.       Team Chart

11.       Link to the Activity and Steps to Distance Conversion Charts

12.       Link to the Walking Log sheets

 Sign up for the ...
“Walk Colorado Twice” Challenge

Team Name: 

Team Members: 

 

2009 TOTALS:

February__________                              March ____________

April _____________                             May______________

June_______________                           July_______________

August_____________                           September__________

My “Walk Colorado Twice”  Total:  _______

Team Total:  __________

To register your team, please e-mail Mary Rice @ mlyonsrice43@yahoo.com with team members, including the team captain, contact person and contact information, or ask to be teamed up with others.  If you prefer, complete the form included in the kit with this information and mail it to Mary Rice at 17326 W Highway 160, Del Norte, CO 81132. 

Assess your own BMI-Body Mass Index

BMI stands for Body Mass Index, a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height. BMIs are good indicators of healthy or unhealthy weights for adult men and women, regardless of body frame size. BMIs under 25 are considered healthy, while higher BMIs are associated with significantly increased health risks. People with BMIs of 25 or higher are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors.

Excess weight increases the heart's work. It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It can make diabetes more likely to develop, too. Losing as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk.

Use this link to find your Body Mass Index ...

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3048134

Important links to useful tools for the 2009 Challenge ColoradoWalk Colorado Twice --       
Activity and Steps to Distance Conversion charts link

http://www.amaalliance.org/site/files/625/51472/202623/351588/Shape_Up_for_Life_Conversion_Charts.doc

 

 

Walking log link

http://www.amaalliance.org/site/files/625/51472/202623/355429/Start_Walking_Log.pdf

 

 

Healthy Body -- Healthy Mind     

Obesity – an epidemic

The Colorado Medical Society Connection is focused on building a healthy Colorado through healthy bodies and healthy minds.  While Colorado is recognized as one of the healthiest and leanest states in the nation, we have a rapidly growing obesity problem.  According to current trends, two out of three Coloradans will be overweight or obese by 2017.  We chose this focus because obesity is an epidemic in our country – and childhood obesity is a particularly troubling manifestation of the problem.  

 

Building healthy communities should begin with you and me; therefore we have compiled the information contained in this kit to start you on your road to living a healthy lifestyle.  Our concern about obesity and desire to advance solutions to that is shared by many other organizations, including the AMA, CMS, AMA Alliance, Colorado Children’s Campaign, the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Coalition, LiveWell Colorado, the Junior League of Denver and many others.

 

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that obesity-related deaths soon will be the leading cause of preventable deaths, killing more people than smoking.  In Colorado, obesity is related to more than one-third of premature deaths, according to the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition Coalition.

 

• Children who are overweight are more likely to develop diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes and to experience low self-esteem and depression. Obesity rates are rising while those of every other risk factor for heart disease are decreasing.
• While Colorado is one of five states with the lowest childhood obesity rates, the trend is reversing. The Colorado Children’s Campaign reports that 14 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 14 are overweight or at risk of being overweight, and 10 percent of high school students are overweight. More than half of adults in our state are overweight or at risk of being obese. Should current trends continue, 76 percent of all Coloradans will be overweight or obese by 2020. 

• In a recent presentation on childhood obesity at the Dorsey Hughes Symposium sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation, Dr. Reginald Washington, a pediatric cardiologist and chief medical officer at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital, summed up this state of affairs by saying “We live in an obesogenic environment.”

 The economic cost is significant.

·        Overweight/obese adolescents are more likely to be overweight/obese adults. In Colorado, annual obesity-related medical costs for adults are approximately $874 million. Of that, $139M was financed by Medicare and $158M by Medicaid, according to an analysis published in the journal Obesity Research. In other words: we, as taxpayers, pay the cost of obesity.

 

But the social toll is even more troubling. Evidence points to obesity as one of the reasons for a host of physiological, emotional and intellectual problems within adults and children.

 

Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the man who created the practice of “aerobics” decades ago, also spoke about childhood obesity at the Dorsey Hughes Symposium. He cited some data that I want to call to your attention.

·        Researchers have discovered a link between marked obesity in toddlers and lower IQ scores, cognitive delays, and brain lesions similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease patients

·        Children who are severely overweight are four times more likely than healthy weight children to report impaired school functioning. Overweight children are more likely to have behavior problems, to be placed in special education or remedial classes and to score lower in math and reading tests.

 

Eating fast food, empty calories and living sedentary lifestyles has contributed to these staggering statistics.

 

But both children and adults will reap significant rewards from greater levels of physical activity. Research is showing that physical activity and exercise lead to emotionally, intellectually and physically healthier individuals: 

·        Studies have shown that physical activity programs improve social skills, mental health and reduce risk-taking behavior (CCC).

·        Physical activity can lead to higher test scores – a study in California showed that scores in math and English-language arts increased in proportion to the number of ‘fitness standards’ achieved.

·        Emerging research is also showing that physical activity sparks biological changes that encourage brain cells to bind to one another.  For the brain to learn, these connections must be made.

 

 Frequently Asked Questions

How is obesity defined?

Overweight and obesity are defined as ranges of weight that are greater than what is considered healthy for a given height.  For adults obesity is determined by using weight and height to calculate your ‘body mass index” or BMI.  To calculate your own BMI visit   http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.

Why is Obesity such and important issue?

The negative consequences of obesity include higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure as well as other related health problems.  In Colorado the direct costs of obesity exceed $870 million according to the Centers for Disease Control.   This includes $158 million in costs to the state’s Medicaid program.  These dollar amounts do not include indirect costs such as absenteeism and early disability.  The journal of the American Medical Association (AMA) recently reported that obesity related deaths soon will be the leading cause of preventable deaths, killing more people than smoking.1

What impact does obesity have on children?

Childhood obesity is on the rise in Colorado and across the nation.  Diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, once primarily found in adults, are now increasingly found in children.  Many experts now believe that today’s generation of children will be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.

What is causing higher increases in obesity in children?

Americans as a group are leading a more sedentary lifestyle.  This has had a particularly negative impact on our children.  Access to fast food, larger portions, fewer kids walking to and from school and spending more time in front of the television and computer have created a situation where more energy is coming in and less energy going out.  That equates to childhood obesity.

Does Obesity Impact National Security?

Yes.  According to researchers at John Hopkins and the University of Buffalo, if the U.S. military needed to recruit a large numbers of Americans quickly, they would face a severe shortage in eligible men and women due to the weight requirements. “This study shows that obesity is not just a public health issue but a national security issue as well,” said Carlos Crespo, Dr., PH, study co-author and associate professor of social and preventative medicine at the University of Buffalo.” We’re not physically fit enough to defend ourselves.”

Is obesity considered a disease?

Colorado does not mandate that private insurance companies or the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) programs cover obesity as a disease.   Because it is not recognized as a disease, insurance coverage for preventive measures is rare even when there is documented evidence that it is more cost effective to focus on prevention rather than the secondary  effects of obesity, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

For more information on Youth Nutrition and Youth Body Image, click on the these links:

http://www.amaalliance.org/site/files/625/42071/164416/231021/Healthy_Lifestyles_and_Nutrition.pdf

 

http://www.amaalliance.org/site/files/625/40308/163378/311579/Final_ABI_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Healthy Body -- Healthy Mind     

Stress and the Impact on our Lives

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain.

Stress and obesity are linked and can feed off each other.  As our lives get busier and we get more stressed, we have a tendency to make poor food choices.  Foods that are sugary, fatty and salty seem to be more attractive than healthier choices such as carrots or sunflower seeds. That coupled with a metabolism slowed due to stress can cause weight gain. Reducing stress is important as it directly relates to obesity. 

Over the next year, we will be offering information regarding how to deal with stress as well as address other issues related to achieving a Healthy Body and Healthy Mind. 

Stress- Frequently Asked Questions

What is Stress?

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. However, not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. There are a few different types of stress that we encounter:   Eustress, a type of stress that is fun and exciting, and keeps us vital; Acute Stress, a very short-term type of stress that can either be positive or more distressing (what we normally think of when we think of ‘stress') ; this is the type of stress we most often encounter in day-to-day life; Episodic Acute Stress, where acute stress seems to run rampant and be a way of life, creating a life of relative chaos; Chronic Stress, the type of stress that seems never-ending and inescapable, like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job this type of stress can lead to burnout. (Elizabeth Scott M.S., About.com).

What happens to your body when it is under stress?

Stress can trigger the body’s response to perceived threat or danger, the Fight-or-Flight response. During this reaction, certain hormones are released, speeding the heart rate, slowing digestion, shunting blood flow to major muscle groups, and changing various other automatic nervous functions giving the body a burst of energy and strength. Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run away when faced with danger, it’s now activated in situations where neither response is appropriate, like in traffic or during a stressful day at work. When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation, but in our times of chronic stress, this often doesn’t happen enough, causing damage to the body. (Elizabeth Scott M.S.)

What health impact can stress have?

With more exposure to chronic stress, however, more serious health problems may develop. These stress-influenced conditions include, but are not limited to:

·         depression

·         diabetes

·         hair loss

·         heart disease

·         hyperthyroidism

·         obesity

·         obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder

·         sexual dysfunction

·         tooth and gum disease

·         ulcers

In fact, most it’s been estimated that as many as 90% of doctor’s visits are for symptoms that are at least partially stress-related! (Elizabeth Scott M.S.)

What can be done to cope with stress?

There are several ways to learn how to deal with chronic stress.  The first step is to recognize stress and to set aside time to take care of one self.  Exercise and good nutrition also are critical elements to dealing with stress. Eating breakfast, drinking less caffeine and exercising 30 minutes a day, are just a few steps to begin to reduce chronic stress.

Chronic Stress, the type of stress that seems never-ending and inescapable, like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job can lead to potential health problems.

Healthy Body -- Healthy Mind     

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, causing someone to gasp dramatically, clutch her heart and drop to the ground. No one has any doubts about what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often the people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help.

Here are some of the signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

       Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

       Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

       Shortness of breath. This feeling may occur with or without chest discomfort.

       Other signs of discomfort. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you or someone you are with has chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the other signs, don't wait longer than five minutes before calling 9-1-1 for help.

Stroke Warning Signs

Stroke is a medical emergency. Learn to recognize a stroke, because time lost is brain lost. Warning signs include:

       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

Not all these warning signs occur in every stroke. If you or someone with you has one or more stroke symptoms that last more than a few minutes, don't delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the EMS number so an ambulance - ideally with advanced life support - can quickly be sent to you.