Eat healthy, exercise, get plenty of rest and write in a journal. What?! Just what you need, one more thing to do. Plus, how is writing your thoughts and feelings going to improve your health? Take our short two-question quiz to find out if writing could help you be the best you. 

True or false: Journaling can improve your mental well-being. 

True. If your first concern when reading this quiz was “How will I find time to do this,” chances are you are already stressed. Although some stress is beneficial, continued high levels of stress can wreck your life with headaches, upset stomachs, trouble sleeping, weakened immune systems and the list goes on and on. 

According to a study by the Cambridge University Press, the good news is that writing about stressful events can reduce stress and help you identify and solve problems. Even better, you don’t have to do it every day. The study recommends 15 to 20 minutes a day, three to five times over four months. 

True or false: Journaling can heal physical wounds faster. 

True. No, that is not a misprint. In 2013, New Zealand researchers found 76% of adults who journaled about their thoughts and feelings for 20 minutes, three days in a row, two weeks before having a biopsy were fully healed within 11 days. Of the group that did not journal, only 42% recovered as quickly.  

Still wondering if journaling can help you in life? We can’t promise that you will write the next blockbuster or become a leader who will be remembered for centuries, but there may be something to it as some of history’s most successful people from various professions kept journals, including Winston Churchill, Marie Curie, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Frida Kahlo, George Lucas, Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci and Mark Twain. 

Eat healthy, exercise, get plenty of rest and write in a journal. What?! Just what you need, one more thing to do. 

Your shoes can make or break your fashion style any day of the week. Many people fall victim to wearing uncomfortable shoes – but hey, they look great! Comfort might not be the only thing you may be giving up for fashion. Long-term damage to your feet, and the rest of your body, can happen if you aren’t careful.  

The following tips on good footwear may prevent toe, foot or ankle problems now – or later in life. 

• Have your feet measured regularly. The size of your feet may change as you grow older. 

• Have both feet measured. Often one foot is larger than the other. The shoes should be fitted to the larger foot. 

• Don’t choose shoes based on the size marked inside. Sizes vary among shoe brands and styles. Pick shoes by how they fit your feet. 

• Choose a shoe that conforms as nearly as possible to the shape of your forefoot (the front, widest part of your foot). 

• Look for roomy footwear that has a wide toe box with more room for your toes and the ball of your foot. You should be able to wiggle your toes in your shoes. 

• Make sure your heel fits comfortably in the shoe with a minimum amount of slipping. 

• Avoid high-heeled, narrow and pointed-toe shoes if you can. High-heeled shoes increase pressure on the front of the foot. If you can’t avoid wearing pumps or high-heeled shoes, look for a pair that gives your toes more room. 

• Choose shoes with heels that are no more than 2 inches high. 

• Alternate these shoes with flat, roomy shoes to give your toes a chance to move freely. 

• Look for shoes made of materials that give or stretch. They will be the most comfortable for your toes and feet. 

• Look for shoes that do not have seams. This will prevent rubbing or irritation of the skin. 

• Consider sandals, soft leather flat shoes, slippers or inexpensive cloth shoes for at-home wear. If you have an enlarged toe joint, cut a hole in the cloth shoes. 

• Plan to buy your shoes at the end of the day when your feet are most swollen. Foot size may vary half a size from the morning to the evening or after a day at work. And wear the type of socks that you will most often wear with the shoes to be sure they fit. 

• Stand during the fitting process because the foot gets longer when you stand. 

• Walk around the shoe store to make sure that the fit feels right in both shoes. 

Many people fall victim to wearing uncomfortable shoes – but hey, they look great! Comfort might not be the only thing you may be giving up for fashion.

Separate Fact from Fiction  

There are a lot of health claims out there today. Here are some common ones. Find out which claim might work for you.  

 “Although weight is an important measure of health and can help you prevent and control many diseases, it’s not the only thing to consider.”

Myth: You can’t be healthy if you are overweight. 

Fact: “Although weight is an important measure of health and can help you prevent and control many diseases, it’s not the only thing to consider,” said Sarah Brauning, R.D., L.D., C.D.C.E.S., Genesis Diabetes & Nutrition Education. Instead, we should focus on positive health behaviors. In fact, the stigma of being overweight may cause more mental health concerns than being overweight. 

Myth: Get 10,000 steps daily to be healthy. 

Fact: The “10,000” as the magic number for daily tracking steps is arbitrary. In a recent study, it was found that you may able to reap health benefits by taking half that number of steps each day. For older women, researchers found taking as few as 4,400 steps per day was associated with a 41% lower risk of dying. Also, it doesn’t seem to matter if you take those steps power walking, cleaning your house or running errands to get the benefits. 

Myth: Drink eight glasses of water a day or you will get dehydrated. 

Fact: Drinking eight glasses of water a day is not necessarily true. If your urine is dark yellow, make sure you are getting enough fluid. Eight is not the miracle number. Even if you’re not thirsty, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Plus, beverages other than water and the foods you eat also help you get the fluids you need. 

Myth: If you want to lose weight, be sure to eat breakfast. 

Fact: Eating breakfast is a successful strategy for some, because it can help prevent you from eating more later in the day. However, a Cornell University study found that the non-breakfast eaters didn’t overeat at lunch and dinner, and instead they ended up eating about 400 fewer calories a day.  

There are a lot of health claims out there today. Here are some common ones. Find out which claim might work for you.

One of our sweetest addictions is killing us. Sugar has been linked to weight gain and cavities for decades, as dentists worldwide often remind us. Beyond ruining your beach body or perfect smile, sugar is also linked to cardiovascular disease.  

According to a 2014 study in The Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine, participants who consumed 17% to 21% of daily calories from added sugar not found naturally in foods had a 38% higher risk of dying from heart-related problems than those who consumed 8% of their calories from added sugar. The takeaway is frequently indulging in cake and sugary sodas increase your odds of dying from heart disease.  

The whole reason we are in this mess is that sugar typically makes things taste better and last longer. So how do you continue to enjoy food and take steps to extend your life? Try these tips. 

1. Replace sugary sodas with water. The American Heart Association recommends men consume no more than 35 grams of sugar a day and 25 grams a day for women. Most cans of soda have around 40 grams. Yep, one can and you are likely to be over the limit for the day. 

2. Replace cookies and cakes with fruit. 

3. Check ingredients while shopping and know sugar has several aliases, and an alias is never a good thing. Sugar also goes by brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, trehalose and turbinado sugar. 

4. Avoid canned fruit in heavy syrup. 

5. Add fresh fruit to unsweetened cereal. 

6. Reduce sugar in recipes by one-third to one-half. 

7. Try subsisting sugar with almond, vanilla, orange or lemon extracts. 

8. Replace sugar with spices like ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg. 

9. Use unsweetened applesauce instead of sugar in recipes. 

Beyond ruining your beach body or perfect smile, sugar is also linked to cardiovascular disease.

Did you know one out of three adults in the U.S. doesn’t get enough sleep? When it comes to kids and teens, the problem is even worse: A recent study found that more than 70% of high school students and nearly 58% of middle school students don’t sleep enough on school nights. 

Why does this matter? It’s not just because you’ll feel tired the next day. 

“A lack of sleep is linked with many chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity and mental health issues,” explains Thomas E. Rojewski, M.D., a board-certified sleep medicine physician who heads the Genesis Sleep Disorders Center at Genesis HealthCare System. “There are also related problems such as auto accidents caused by a drowsy driver and errors made on the job, which can cause serious injuries, disability or death.” 

How much is enough sleep? Here’s what experts say: 

• Ages 6-12: Should regularly sleep nine 9 to 12 hours every 24 hours 

• Ages 13-18: Should sleep eight to 10 hours every 24 hours 

• Adults: seven or more hours a night 

What’s happening? 

For some, a lack of sleep might be caused by something they can control – such as keeping their smartphone out of the bedroom at night to avoid temptation. 

But for other people, lack of sleep can be caused by a medical issue such as obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes the windpipe to collapse or restless legs syndrome, which is an uncontrollable urge to move the legs or limbs. Narcolepsy, a neurological sleep disorder that affects the sleep-wake cycle, is another medical issue and reason people seek help to get a better night’s sleep.  

Diagnosing a sleep disorder  

A patient who has sleep issues or believes he or she may have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea should first consult a sleep expert. During this time, the patient and sleep expert will discuss the patient’s health history and suspected sleep problems.  

“A sleep study is very similar to getting a stress test for chest pain,” explains Dr. Rojewski. “For example, we monitor 19 body functions during a night-time study. This data helps us determine the best treatment for each patient.” 

Treatment solutions range from the latest in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) breathing technology to lifestyle changes, medications and for some, surgery. 

“Many people have heard of CPAP machines for sleep apnea,” explains Dr. Rojewski. “But what they may not know is how they’ve advanced in recent years. They are smaller and quieter than in the past, and now they are Wi-Fi enabled, so sleep centers can receive patient data every day through a secure server. That allows physicians to monitor patients and adjust the CPAP machine if needed to provide a better night’s sleep.” 

Tips for a better night’s sleep 

For people who aren’t suffering from serious sleep issues but would like to get better sleep, here are some suggestions: 

1. Remove electronic devices from your bedroom so you aren’t tempted to use them when you should be striving for better sleep. 

2. Keep your bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature. 

3. Keep a consistent sleep schedule. 

4. Only use your bed for sleep. 

5. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening. 

Did you know one out of three adults in the U.S. doesn’t get enough sleep? When it comes to kids and teens, the problem is even worse.

You usually don’t have symptoms from high blood pressure until it has caused serious health problems. That’s why it’s important to have it checked regularly. Early diagnosis and simple, healthy changes can keep high blood pressure from seriously damaging your health.

Thinking about having a baby or already trying to get pregnant? It’s never too early to start getting ready. Experts agree being well-informed and adopting healthy lifestyle habits prior to pregnancy is one of the smartest things you can do. 

Even if you’ve been pregnant before, check out our Top 10 Pregnancy Prep Tips to make sure you’re not missing anything. 

1. Talk with your doctor 

Before getting pregnant, talk to your doctor first. Your doctor will ask you about your health history, medications you are taking and previous pregnancy problems you may have experienced. They’ll let you know if you need any vaccines or if you should make some lifestyle changes prior to pregnancy. 

2. Stop drinking alcohol, smoking and using certain drugs 

Drinking alcohol, smoking and using certain drugs is not the way to prep your body for pregnancy. Not only are they bad for you, they put your unborn baby at risk for birth defects and premature birth. Need help breaking a habit? Ask your doctor for resources and advice. 

3. Take folic acid every day 

Experts recommend you take 400 micrograms of folic acid at least one month before becoming pregnant and at least one month during pregnancy. Doing so greatly reduces the risk your baby will be born with brain or spinal birth defects. 

4. Avoid toxic substances  

Before and during pregnancy, avoid toxic substances like fertilizer, synthetic chemicals, bug spray and rodent feces. If you have a cat, don’t clean the litterbox yourself either. Exposure to toxic substances is not only dangerous, it can make it hard to become pregnant.  

5. Maintain a healthy weight 

Being either underweight or overweight can cause problems. If you’re obese, it’s harder to great pregnant, plus you’re more likely to miscarry or experience stillbirth. If you’re underweight, there’s a greater chance your baby will be born premature or a low birth weight. 

6. Get help if you’re experiencing violence 

Domestic violence not only is wrong and puts you at risk – your unborn baby could be injured, too, or worse. If you need help, talk confidentially to your doctor, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233).  

7. Address any existing health issues 

Certain health problems can potentially get worse when you are pregnant. If you have any pre-existing health issues, such as asthma or diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before getting pregnant to discuss how these things might affect you or your unborn baby.  

8. Get mentally strong 

Stress, sadness and depression take their toll mentally, and they’re also not good for your physical health. So, if you’re planning to become pregnant and these issues are a concern for you, talk to your doctor about care or treatment options that are available to you. 

9. Cut out the caffeine 

If you drink more than two cups of coffee or five cans of caffeinated soda a day you could have a harder time getting pregnant – and a have greater chance of miscarriage. The obvious choice is water – not only is it one of the healthiest options, it’s also free. 

10. Start – or keep – exercising 

Exercising before pregnancy supports your body and can help it handle the changes that you will go through during pregnancy and birth. If you already exercise moderately, you should be able to continue with strength and aerobic exercise. If you haven’t exercised, you should add exercise into your habits more gradually. 

Sources: 

https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/ 

https://www.thehotline.org/ 

https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2020/04/physical-activity-and-exercise-during-pregnancy-and-the-postpartum-period 

Even if you’ve been pregnant before, check out our Top 10 Pregnancy Prep Tips to make sure you’re not missing anything. 

Home is a refuge to feel safe and comfortable. However, it is easy to overlook cleaning certain items often enough to keep your home safe. Learn more by taking our quiz below.

Home is a refuge to feel safe and comfortable. However, it is easy to overlook cleaning certain items often enough to keep your home safe.

How well do you know the effects smoking has on your body? Take this quiz to find out.

How well do you know the effects smoking has on your body? Take this quiz to find out.

When it comes to health claims, how do we separate fact from fiction? Realize that what may be a “myth” for some, may be a “fact” for you, and vice versa. Here are some common health myths deciphered. 

Myth: Do only one thing. 

Don’t believe everything you read online or see on TV regarding health claims. If you have a question about what’s best for you and your health, talk to your healthcare provider to get the most accurate information. 

Myth: Stay away from gluten to improve your diet. 

Fact: Gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthier. If you have a gluten-related disorder, such as celiac disease or gluten intolerance, you should avoid gluten because it can cause an adverse reaction that can lead to serious health problems.  

For the average, healthy individual, going gluten-free is not the key to health. Instead, it’s your overall food choices that can help determine how healthy you are. 

Myth: You need to take a daily multivitamin to be healthy. 

Fact: For most people, the best way to get the nutrients you need is to eat a healthy diet. We have been told that multivitamins can supply nutrients that aren’t in your diet, but that may not be necessary for everyone. To lower the risk of birth defects, pregnant women should take folic acid. Postmenopausal women and vegetarians may need to supplement their diets with a multivitamin. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether taking a multivitamin is right for you. 

Myth: Green Mucus=Infection=You need an antibiotic 

Fact: Only a lab test can determine infection. While it’s true that green or yellow mucus can indicate a bacterial infection, it’s not a sure sign, and it certainly doesn’t mean that you should begin taking antibiotics. 

If you’re not sure if it’s a common cold or an infection that may require an antibiotic, contact your healthcare provider. 

Myth: I don’t want to get a flu shot because it will give me the flu. 

Fact: You won’t get the flu from getting a shot. “The commonly used injectable flu vaccines are either inactivated virus or not virus at all,” said Jignesh J. Modi, M.D., fellowship-trained, Genesis Infection Diseases Specialists. 

“The commonly used injectable flu vaccines are either inactivated virus or not virus at all”

 However, you may get some side effects, such as low-grade fever, headache or muscle aches or soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given. These side effects are not actually the flu and typically go away quickly.  

When it comes to health claims, how do we separate fact from fiction? Realize that what may be a “myth” for some, may be a “fact” for you, and vice versa.