Take Advantage of the County's Employee Assistance Program 

Living a productive and fulfilling life requires a healthy mind and a healthy body. Sometimes managing the daily stresses of work, home and family can have a negative effect on our overall health and well-being. For many of us, life is quite simply "out of balance," leaving us feeling overwhelmed and stressed-out. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP), offered through Magellan Health Services, can help. It is an employer-paid benefit for all employees that provides short-term counseling for both personal and work-related. All employees (including contract and temporary) and the members of their household of any age, including domestic partners, elderly parents, stepchildren, and others such as children in college who may be out-of-state, may use the EAP services.

The EAP provides a full range of counseling and referral services for marital concerns, stress and job-related matters, child and domestic abuse, and legal and financial issues. Counseling is available by phone or in person, depending on your preference.

For assistance, call 1-888-213-5125

What are the Risks of Sitting too Much? 

How many hours per day do you sit at your desk? For some, the hours could range from 7-9 hours each day. As we begin to analyze our entire day's worth of sitting, we may find that we spend approximately 14 - 16 hours each day sitting.

Researchers have linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels). Sedentary lifestyles, also referred to as physical inactivity, is the main cause for approximately 21-25 percent of breast and colon cancers, 27 percent of diabetes and approximately 30 percent of heart disease cases (World Health Organization).

One solution to better health is to sit less and move more.

Some solutions to sit less at work include:

• Standing while talking on the phone or walking after lunch.
• Walking to talk to a colleague, instead of sending them an e-mail.
• If you work at a desk for long periods of time, try standing once per hour.
• Implement walking meetings. Walk laps with your colleagues rather than gathering in a conference room for meetings.

The impact of movement, even leisurely movement, can be profound. For starters, you'll burn more calories. Even better, the muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall and your health risks increase. When you're standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action.

Reduced sitting time will definitely improve your health!

References: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sitting/AN02082

Public Health Bikes to Work

Over 101 County employees strapped on their helmets and pedaled to work on Wednesday, April 17 in support of "Bike to Work Day." Among the road warriors were Public Health employees Tina Wegner, Connie Ballard, David Dube, Polly Turbin, Marcus Johnson, and Laura Weber (from left to right.)

YMCA Memberships: Physical activity has many health benefits. To round out your physical activity offerings, Maricopa County offers its employees reduced membership rates to all Valley of the Sun YMCA's. Find out more about YMCA memberships.

Take the Stress Out of Weighing In

Instead of allowing a “bad” weigh-in to ruin your mood and sap your motivation, you can learn to use the scale as a helpful tool.

Here are three things you can do to take the stress out of your weigh-ins.

1. Be clear with yourself about what that number on the scale really means. That number on the scale only tells you how much you weigh at that moment. It tells you absolutely nothing about what kind of person you are; what life has in store for you; whether or not you’ll ever look the way you want to look or feel the way you want to feel; or how other people see or think about you. 
2. Remind yourself that you are choosing to use the scale as a weight loss tool. It is NOT your judge, jury and executioner. It’s probably a good idea to post this reminder where you will see it each time you step on the scale. It can help to include a short list of the most important reasons why you are trying to lose weight in the first place.
3. Use the number on the scale to actually help your program work for you. Try keeping a journal or a computer spreadsheet where you track your weigh-ins (daily, weekly or monthly), your total calories eaten during that time period, and your calories burned through exercise. Once a month, add the numbers up and see if things are going the way they “should” be. Figure out your total calorie deficit for the month, and see if your weight actually behaved according to the "3500- calorie deficit equals one pound lost" formula.

Above all, keep in mind that it is NOT a lower number on the scale that makes all the work you are putting into your weight loss efforts worthwhile. What makes it worthwhile is the increased happiness and other benefits that come with doing the best you can to eat a healthy diet, being as fit and active as you can, and doing all the other things that make you feel good about yourself. These benefits depend much more on your attitude and the quality of your efforts than on any number you see on a scale.

Shifting your focus from the scale to the quality and consequences of your own attitudes, perspectives, and efforts is the first step in moving from a “diet mentality” (which doesn’t work) to a “lifestyle change” (which can get you where you want to go).

Source: sparkpeople.com

__________________________________________________

Your Health Coach can help you with setting up health-related goals. Contact Heather Lehman at 602.372.8802 to schedule a FREE health coaching session.

Low-Fat Fajitas for your Cinco de Mayo Celebration

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 red or white onion, sliced
1 red, orange, or green bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole chicken breasts, grilled and cut into strips

1/2 c salsa
1/4 c nonfat sour cream
4 whole-wheat tortillas, 7"-8" in diameter (Variation: spinach or corn-flour tortillas)
1 c shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and sauté briefly. Add meat, reduce heat to medium, and sauté until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in salsa and chili powder to taste. Sauté for 5 more minutes.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream in a thin layer on each tortilla. Divide the meat mixture on top of tortillas, sprinkle each with cheese, wrap, and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving (Chicken): 222 cal, 7 g fat (3.5 g sat), 504 mg sodium, 27 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 15 g protein. (Beef): 263 cal, 9.5 g fat (4 g sat), 526 mg sodium, 27 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 22 g protein

Make it a meal
Whisk together 2 Tbsp diced cilantro with 1 Tbsp light olive oil, 1 tsp lime juice, and garlic powder to taste. Toss 2 cups each hearts of palm, sliced tomatoes, and cucumber with dressing.

Source: Women's Health

Blood Drive

Wednesday, May 29, 2013
7:00 am - 3:00 pm
Administration Building | 301 W. Jefferson St.

Click here to schedule an appointment. Sponsor code is "Maricopagov"