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Tag: exercise

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Nip it in the bud

health insurance

Nip it in the bud

In the winter we expect to get a cold. It seems to come with the territory. We all get flu shots and hope that we don’t get too sick during that whole season. But when summer hits and you get a cold, it seems to be even worse. This is the season to be on vacation and outside enjoying the warmth. Instead, you’re inside feeling miserable. Actually, it’s not just the sense of injustice that makes summer colds worse; it’s also the virus itself. In summer the enterovirus is more active and its symptoms include runny nose, headache, cough, upset stomach, and body aches.

One of the best ways to beat the summer cold is to nip it in the bud before it turns into a full-blown thing. Here are a few ways that you can help keep your immune system strong during the summer:

Sleep:

When the sun is out longer, it can also prolong your bedtime. The cool summer evenings can be perfect for a late night stroll or an outdoor concert, but lack of sleep is the number one cause of a weak immune system. When we sleep, disease-fighting substances are created and when you don’t rest; they are not produced. So make sleeping a priority!

Exercise:

The enterovirus, prevalent during the summer, can become worse if you exercise. Now, we are not saying that you should not exercise at all! But if you have been mostly sedentary during the winter months, it would be smart to ease into a fitness routine and not jump in full force.

Boost your system

If you regularly take a multivitamin, it would be a good time to take some extra vitamin C. You may also want to introduce a probiotic into your diet. The majority of your immune system resides in your gut, so good gut care can make a big difference in how you fight off a cold this summer.

Summer is a beautiful season! Stay healthy so you can enjoy it the entire time!

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Small Changes to make for Heart Health

Heart Health

Small Changes to make for Heart Health

In this blog, we want to cover some changes that you can implement to help with your heart health. Our previous blog covered just how much heart disease affects Americans and also how deadly it is. Almost half of Americans today are at risk for heart disease, and many participate in a lifestyle that puts them at higher risk such as poor diet, no or little physical activity, smoking, excessive alcohol use, and obesity.
So here are some excellent tips if you want to help lower your risk of heart disease

 

Eat a balanced diet with lots of colors
A balanced diet consists of lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Two diets that are highly recommended are the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet. Both are noted to be a more balanced approach to dieting allowing people to stick with their plan and not crash and burn when they start to crave foods that are not allowed. If you don’t want to follow anything as formal as these diets, a helpful approach is to watch your portion size. Try using a small plate, that will immediately help cut your portions. And you will want to make sure that you are eating a lot of colors. More colors are in fruits and vegetables which are excellent for heart health.

 

Stop smoking
Smoking introduces deadly chemicals into your body. It also can build up plaque and harden your arteries which can ultimately lead to a heart attack. The good news is that as soon you do quit smoking the effects are immediate and your risk for heart disease begins to lower quickly.

 

Get up and move!
As with all healthy lifestyles, we recommend some moderate activity. Exercise allows you to keep your weight down which in turn reduces your chance of cardiovascular disease. We suggest something that will get your heart pumping for about 30 minutes each day.

 

See your doctor

Your doctor can give you the best information and recommendations about your heart’s health. Let them know that you are looking to make this a priority and they can walk you through what needs to change in your life or what additions will make all the difference.

Your heart health is important. Call us to schedule a meeting if you don’t have health coverage and are interested in seeing what your options are. Or request a quote online.

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Healthy Christmas

Healthy Christmas
Christmas is around the corner and what an exciting season it is! Everywhere you go you see lights and decor and the children are getting more and more thrilled about how soon Santa is coming. We want you to have the happiest and healthiest Christmas you can. So here are a few options on how to have a healthy Christmas:

 

Keep your immune system strong
One of the best ways to ensure that you are not sniffling and coughing during Christmas is in the weeks before Christmas be taking care of yourself. Make sure that you are eating healthily and exercising before the big day. You will also want to wash your hands often and if at all possible, avoid others who are sick.

 

Talk a Walk
It’s easy around this time to want to plop yourself down on a couch and enjoy the massive amounts of holiday specials and movies. We all have our favorites ones that bring back sweet memories. But days of sitting while eating fatty foods can add to your waistline pretty quickly. Instead, take a family walk especially after a large meal which helps in digestion. If the kids got new bikes or scooters, take them out for a test drive. Create family experiences that are not around a television, and you will help yourself in the long run with health and many good memories.

 

Practice Portion Control

Tis the season for sumptuous foods! We all have our favorite holiday treats; maybe yours is that dessert that you only get this time of year or perhaps it’s Grandma’s special recipe that no one can recreate. But in this season of excess, have a little portion control can seriously help you. Try eating from a small plate if you don’t think you can stop yourself from filling up a full plate. Also, be mindful of all the little snacks that you pick up throughout the day. Being mindful of what you are putting in your mouth lets you make smarter choices during this time of year. Try to not eat in front of the television. You tend not to realize that you are full until it’s too late when your mind is on the plot line and not on your waistline.

Also, if you would like some ideas on some healthier recipes to serve or share at Christmas time check out this list: http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g4738/healthy-christmas-recipes/

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Why You Should Be Active In The Fall And Winter

Active during fall and winter
Why You Should Be Active In The Fall And Winter

 

Sometimes when Fall and Winter come, we tend to start to behave as though we are bears. No, not in that way. But some of us will want to pack on the layers and get ready for winter hibernation aka nesting under the covers. And trust us, we get the appeal. However, that mindset can hurt your health in the long run. Here are some reasons why you should be active during the fall and winter:

 

It helps your mood.
Getting a bit of sunlight gives you vitamin D which is just one way that you can help fight off seasonal affectedness depression or SAD. If you don’t know about SAD, you can read about it one of our previous blogs here. Also, when you work out, you’re releasing endorphins which also help raise your mood. There’s something to be said about feeling accomplished after a good workout.

 

Stay healthier
This is the season for colds. We almost seem to expect that sooner rather than later we will wake up with a scratchy throat and a few sniffles to boot. However, if you are working out regularly, you are helping your immune system be able to fight off colds better.

 

You know you’re gonna eat
Tis the season to be jolly, merry and maybe just a little bit gluttonous. It seems that everyone is at home baking and bringing in the fruits of the labor in the form of cookies, pies, cakes, and any other sweet treat. It’s hard not to indulge every once in awhile. But with these desserts, you are also celebrating big holidays that call for feasts. A workout can help offset any damage that these indulgences could have on you.

 

Get some good air
When you spend the majority of your hours indoors, you are breathing mostly recycled air that travels through air vents and other contraptions. Going outdoors and getting a bit of exercise can help your lungs to detox as well as breath fully without fear of picking up anyone else lingering germs and illness.
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How To Stay Young

How to Stay Young

How To Stay Young

Our society seems to hate the idea of aging. We see it in the countless hours of ads and commercials spent on selling gray-b-gone hair color, under eye serums and every type of cream to get rid of marks, blemishes or discolorations. This blog is not being written in the hopes of selling you any such miracle treatments. However, We do want to talk about some small habits you can take on to help you feel younger or to help your body age better.
Don’t Stress
Stress has a way of eating away at you. When you worry and stress there are actual physical changes in your body that can accelerate the aging process.
Work out your mind
Have you heard the term use it or lose it? That applies here! Even in children, there are studies that show that over the summer break children lose a significant portion of what they learned over the school year. But as we age, our brains need the cognitive exercise to help stay nimble and alert. Small things like doing puzzles or brain games can make a huge difference in improving memory.
Eat your best fat
For many years marketers enforced the idea that we need to stay away from fat as they sold us low-fat options for all of our favorite foods. However, fat is our friend! Well, the good kind of fat. Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and seeds will help you by maintaining bone density, reduce inflammation, stabilize your mood and boost your immune system. All of these are key pieces to help us age better and to not expedite the aging process in our bodies.
Move More
Exercise is just a staple for healthy living. But the more you move, the better your body feels. Exercise helps to tone your muscles and helps your bones. Not only does it help your body it helps your brain! “Walking for just 10 minutes a day lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s by 40 percent,” says Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Center on Aging.
Some of the best health insurance you can get is by just taking care of yourself. There’s no need to go overboard, but by making small changes, you can have a lasting impact that will change the rest of your life.
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Best tips to stop smoking

Best Tips to Stop Smoking

Best Tips To Stop Smoking

One of the best things you can do for your health is to quit. Over the years we have all seen the effects that smoking can have on a body. From increase to heart disease to developing of lung cancer, smoking causes severe deterioration to your health. Here are some helpful tips to help you or someone you love to stop smoking:
Know why you are quitting. 
You cannot quit successfully on a whim. It’s best for you to know why you are making this choice and that will motivate you to start this journey as well as help you when you feel discouraged and think about picking the habit back up.
Be prepared
Quitting cold turkey is not something to be taken lightly. You want to ensure that you are as prepared as you can be. Cleaning your house is a great place to start. Wash your clothes and clean your carpets. Cleaning anything that could still have the smell attached to it will help you not have any reminders of smoking. Talk to your doctor and find out about alternative ways to help you quit. There are classes, medication, nicotine replacements, or support groups all available to you to help you stop.
Pick up a new hobby
It’s good to try and find something that will take your mind off things while also utilizing the time that you used to put towards smoking. Exercise is a great hobby to pick up because it also releases dopamine which can replace the dopamine release you got from smoking. Studies show that in just two weeks after not smoking your lungs are functioning at a greater capacity than when smoking. This makes exercise more fun, and you can celebrate the markers of your healing body.
You can find more information about quitting smoking here: www.betobaccofree.hhs.gov/quit-now/index.html. We hope that these tips will help you as we are all seeking to grow in our health and live our best lives.
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5 Ways to Stay Healthy on Vacation

As you’ve been hitting the gym constantly and watching what you eat before your summer vacation, there is no reason to lose all that progress as you enjoy your trip. While many think it is impossible to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on vacation, there are a variety of ways to stay healthy but still enjoy yourself. Consider incorporating these 5 helpful tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on vacation:

  1. In order to save both money and calories, you will want to have at least one meal at your hotel or rental property each day. If you are renting a property, you’ll have more freedom to indulge in a tasty but healthy meal. If you will be staying in a hotel, consider bringing breakfast bars, cereal, or oatmeal.
  2. Remember portion control as you dine out. It is nearly impossible to avoid restaurants altogether while vacationing, therefore, you’ll have to remind yourself that you do not have to finish the entire dish. You will also want to order all sauces and dressings on the side so that you can choose how much you consume.
  3. If you want to consume alcohol while on vacation, remember that you’ll want to drink only water and sparkling water on all other occasions. Avoid fruity drinks that will be loaded with calories and sugars such as Mai Tais and Pina Coladas. Rather, stick to straight shooters or vodka with sparkling water and lime.
  4. Whenever possible, walk to your destination. You may want to make an effort to go on a walk after each meal so that you don’t feel bloated and guilty for enjoying yourself.
  5. Unlike when you’re home exercising, many vacation activities involve exercising in a FUN way. Go zip lining through the forest or indulge on a scenic hike with your spouse.

Bernardini & Donovan Insurance Services strives to provide Redlands, California residents with excellent insurance services custom tailored to meet your unique needs. Contact us today and allow us customize a unique health insurance package for your family based on your needs.

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