Corporate Wellness - What does It Mean and Where Does It Happen?

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I thought that wellness programs were only suited for corporate companies-- large organizations that had the capital and the resources to invest in wellness. However just recently, I learned start-up organizations can be home to health and wellness programs as well.

What exactly is Corporate Wellness? It basically means incorporating an employer-sponsored wellness or healthy lifestyle program into the lives of employees. In general, studies have proven that retention, employee turnover, employee morale, health insurance costs, and employee productivity are all influenced by an employee's health and access to such programs.

Worksite wellness has increased in visibility, scope & acceptance with the rise in understanding that health is a holistic practice and not something that is only attained by the hamster wheel at the gym. Increasingly, studies by medical institutions and prominent organizations reinforce the importance of incorporating "health" (however defined) into the workplace. Corporations have responded to this trend and are using wellness programs to recruit and retain employees. Many are even offering kickbacks and reduced health insurance premiums to employees who take advantage of such programs. Additionally, today's Millennials, who are increasingly opting for more flexibility over stability in the workplace, are eager to integrate wellness into their organization and not sacrifice their health for the "rat race". This is where & how start-ups begin to have an advantage over large corporations. Start-ups offer plenty of flexibility to their employees—from medicine balls at their desks, to non-conventional break rooms, to an endless supply of healthy snacks and games to stimulate their employees’ creative juices—they epitomize the mantra of merging work with a healthy lifestyle.

Their flexibility to have stability/medicine balls at desks, work in non-office environments, have break-rooms with soft chairs, healthy snacks and games to name a few attract those wanting a more unconventional work space to liven up their day, provided the needed brain breaks and ultimately encourage their desire to do work AT work.
What's needed for a corporate wellness program varies within the organization, and depends heavily on the employees, the size and the ultimate goal of the program. Start-ups, although having less capital, are more approachable for wellness service providers (fewer hoops to jump through in the initial outreach) and they are willing to take a more alternative approach to the wellness services they offer. What's wrong with a rock climbing club and wall in the office? If it ensures employees stay in the evening hours to bond and maybe even check up on that project, review that code or discuss the next improvement to their project, it’s well worth it!

For wellness service providers, Start-ups are appealing because they can incorporate wellness programs faster and they are willing to take more risks without having to abide by a  it provides more flex to the healthy ideas to be incorporated; not having to prescribe to the long list of HR benefit services rules & regulations. within a larger, established organization.
Start-ups for employees and the health services providers (such as myself) find the start-up culture an appealing alternative to the florescent lit cubicle with the obligatory flu shot in the fall.
Honestly I'd like to discuss wellness over a seltzer water & a ping pong match with the HR/Culture leader while jotting ideas on an IDEA wall in a bright lit, e sun- facing room. Wouldn't you?

Sugar is a sugar is a sugar - but tips for watching without becoming obsessed.

It was once fat, then gluten, corn, dairy, soy and now, it’s sugar (unless some of you remember Suzanne Somers’ diet regime that involved cutting sugar). Sugar is the next new FAD to avoid. Yes, sugar has been a major study of Dr. Lustig (Click here for his video on Sugar). I personally want to read more of his theories on sugar & its chronic destruction of many of our bodily systems. Sugar is everywhere. When fat was

"evil", high sugary substances rose inconspicuously alongside low fat foods, diet drinks and fat free snacks. Metabolic syndrome increased, candida became rampant, and ADHD became the new catch-all problem for children. I’m not here to write about the effects of sugar on the body’s metabolism and bodily functions, but rather, like all food items, we should eat sugar in moderation.

Sugar is the one nutritional substance that doesn't have an FDA suggested recommended intake. In my research, I have seen a suggested daily limit of 40 grams so I established this as my standard. Recently, I read that men should limit themselves at 40 grams and women at 25 grams and in another article, the World Health Organization reduced the amount to 25 grams for everyone read here....wow. Okay. So back up.  Let’s apply the new “standards” to what’s really out there. When I was looking at some protein/energy bars, one bar was upward of 25g of sugar per bar. I thought just getting half of my additional sugar intake was pretty bad, to now find out that this one bar was the entire ALLOTMENT. How can I make the educated choice between getting enough energy and not taking in too much sugar? It’s a daily battle I find.

For those of you who have a fried tooth over a sweet tooth (unlike me), you may not find this reduction in sugar intake a problem. I, on the other hand love to have my cake & eat it too - especially in the evening. I've been able to curb the "need" in the afternoon with higher protein lunches & fruit in lieu of "sugar-ness" (I call this craving for candy “Sugar-ness” not the “sweetness” that also is found in fruit & sweet vegetables). I also know that I'll always have to have some type of sugar infused dessert in the evening, so I use the 5 D's to reduce. (see below). Then there's even the topic of fruit sugar (fructose). Those very strict sugar avoiders even eliminate fruit, but I find the latter to be a good substitute for those trying to weed out the products with added sugars (i.e. processed baked goods). The fruit as a sugar and types of sugar (natural vs added) is topic for later – so stay tuned. In the meantime here are some quick tips for navigating the sugar space, to curb those cravings, moderate the intake and attempt to eat only 20 grams of ADDED sugar each day.

• Eat home baked desserts. NO BOXED, PACKAGED desserts. If you have to unwrap it (unless part of a homemade picnic lunch), don't ingest it. Your body knows how to process, absorb and use real butter and sugar (sucrose). It does not know how to digest high fructose sugar (HFC) and other processed sugars.
• Try the 5 D's when the “sugar-ness” craving hits: Distract, Delay, Distance, Determine & Decide 
• Have a sweet potato - half at lunch time or as that 3pm snack. I didn't believe this when I first read it, but it's true and it works! If you have a cold, it’s especially good to eat a sweet potato because reducing sugar reduced congestion.
• Increase your protein intake at lunch
• If reading labels follow these guidelines: 
• Try to make sure one serving isn't your ENTIRE daily intake or even half. Thus, only 10 -12 g of added sugar per serving. 
• If it has more than 10- 15g then eat half of it (i.e. ,a Cliff bar - half now, half later). 
• Type of sugar - is the sugar from a date, dried fruit or is it chocolate, cane sugar, brown rice syrup, agave, sweetener or added sugar? Read the ingredients. If the source is not a known whole foods (e.g, dates, fruit, dried cranberries) then the sugars are additive. Natural sugars (fructose) are processed differently in the body than added sugars (lesser of the two "evils" again for those really getting detailed). See pic below
• Try to not eat sugar any sooner than 2 -3 hours before bed (I fail at this ALOT). It will affect your sleep and actually induce morning grogginess. I've tested this and much to my own disdain, the reality of the findings proves the following: less sugar = morning alertness.
• Top 5 Sugar Free Snacks (without added sugar that is)
• Others!? – let me know! 

Frappaccinos for breakfast?

Breakfast. It's one of those hotly debated subjects on what one should eat for the optimal breakfast. We all KNOW it's the "most important meal of the day", however, it's often the one we all skimp on, eat the smallest, need the most energizing pick me up, or figure "hey I've got the rest of the day to work it off". what determines the size & content of your breakfast?

- Effort to make, obtain & possibly transport

- TIME - the magic causal relationship within all decisions

- Hunger factor

- Energy/jolt needs

- Conscious

The last factor seems to be the one that is least considered or at least falls off the list when all previous factors take precedence. I forgot what my breakfast used to be about 8 years ago. I do recall in 2007 it was sometimes those Starbucks frappuccino cans & a granola bar type thing. That was especially if I was out late the night prior. Why? Portable, tasty & energizing. Healthy? in my 20's it wasn't as detrimental, but now I see the repercussions. High in sugar, trans fat, & artificial ingredients. It pumped me up, but dropped me down fast. I think that's when i set the stage for my adrenal & thyroid issues almost 8 years later until recently despite the changes I made just 2 years after this quick fix of a breakfast. 

2008/2009 it was a fried egg over spinach and/or buckwheat thanks to my mom's health issues & influence and since then it's bene some combination or choice of yogurt, egg, veggies to what we have now which is fried egg over greens of some sort, hummus, & chopped up tomatos, onions, maybe cheese. Recently I've just been taking some left over bean/veggie dish from dinner & using as the base for the egg. Being pregnant I LOVE me some breakfast & find if I'm not fueled in the morning I want to snack more, have more cravings (Like most), but also can't function as well with headaches easily coming upon me & more.

So what's the deal with the Frappuccino? I walk by dunkin & smell the sugar & the coffee; smells great! I sometimes wish I could eat just a coffee & donut & be okay, but I know an hour or two later I would feel terrible. Does that happen with the mocha, late, frappuccino ONLY sans food way to start your day? Is that why some people get irritable around 10:30/11am? Is that why lunch is often easily 11:30am or if pushed off to 1pm then gorged upon. Does one realize the cylical effect of the Frappuccino rollercoaster - the energy packed drink creates the addiction for more.

The immediate rush through the system of that tasty, cold sugary, coffee mix makes you think you can conquer your day, but the aftermath in the body may not agree with blood sugar spikes, hormonal caffeinated pendulum swings & craving for nutritional substance that isn't just simple sugars, caffeine & artificial jolts of fun!

"You are much smarter now than when I first met you"

I recently listened to David Amen's "Train the Brain" lecture and realized a recent flippant statement my husband said the other day was true. "You are much smarter now than when I first met you". I thought wow, that's kind of an insult, but at the same time I understood what he meant & in his sweet way was telling me I had developed quickly & decelerated the aging of my brain. Learning is exercise for the brain. We all unassumingly play Sudoko, do crosswords as a way to keep the brain stimulated, but studies have indicated that those exercises along with other aspects of brain health such as good sleep, diet, weight, positiveness, omega 3's & more. I started learning a language a few years ago since my job, although intense while working, was a job I could leave at work if I deemed as such. I knew I wanted & needed to "learn" so the language was a good way to train the brain. I have to admit it was a great exercise for personal growth & fulfilled a need. However, when I started the Health Coaching training program, volunteered for the Worksite Wellness Council of MA, and even threw marriage into that mix, I felt that my brain has exponentially developed but at the same time feels slightly overloaded with all the tasks in these areas taking little more time to complete. Thus, what's the threshold for learning for maximum retention without hitting burnout? My Turkish isn't doing so great, but that's because it's been de-prioritized and I don't practice. I haven't even touched on the aspects of over stimulation in our society that can possibly minimize learning potential, but also train the brain to work faster. Some studies are saying too much multi-tasking isn't as ideal as originally thought. But to stick to this topic, brain health is just as important as physical, nutritional, spiritual health, so keep that in mind, find something "new" to learn and enjoy to make yourself "smarter" for yourself...not necessarily for the peanut gallery!

Fear of fat leads to sugar laden breakfast?

I love studying in coffee shops. Up until recently I was not indulging in their sweets or even food items, due to expense mostly and also because of food content. However, for some reason I've started to partake of their food items. Only at breakfast. Maybe because cheaper and the lesser of 2 evils. Also, if you are to eat a more filling, higher caloric meal (usually found eating non-home cooked) breakfast is the best meal of the day to do this due to revving the metabolism as well as providing sustenance for the rest of the day WHICH leads to less binge & random, thoughtless eating in the afternoon and evening.
Or I could also be rationalizing to myself.
However, I'm still very conscious. I usually don't get sandwiches. I stick to mostly protein (cage free eggs) and veggies if possible. If I want a scone, fine I go for it, however, it's got to be a appearingly tasty pastry or something unique. But I find when I give in, I give in appropriately and willingly. Thus, no self regret.

So the point of this was to say, when this breakfast item is chosen, often times fat is still the big "Fear". Other than carbs. However, for breakfast & many meals out at coffee shops it's a given that gluten/bread of some shape or form will be predominating food item choice. To counter balance this I often add a fat or protein to ensure I don't have the carb/gluten crash in a couple of hours. Yes that may mean additional calories but that's better then , than the following the results: yo yo blood sugar (causing insulin resistance & metabolic belly), reaching for a high sugary/energy snack out of blood sugar crash desparation, & minimizing the snacking (that I laready do too much of during the day). Although sometimes this goes against the food combining idea (protein with gluten - no no). I often pick a protein that is vegetarian base (egg, beans etc).
The gentleman next to me was apparently opposed to this. His breakfast consisted of a bagel (no cream cheese) honey & then a banana. Overall, yes this is a "better" choice than some other high trans fat breakfast or none at all. HOwever, breaking this down was a breakfast of high Glycycmic index, high sugar, immediate energy, but nothing sustaining.
I would have suggested in lieu of the honey, have some peanut butter; slight fat (mono unsaturated), protein and a legume at the end of the day. If an allergy, then a hummus. Since a coffee shop with possibly neither of these options, I might even go for the cream cheese, depending on the source.
Also, I might ask for a seven grain bread vs a bagel, since the latter is high in caloric without much nutritional value in return.
It's all about choosing smartly & wisely for your body. Whether it's sprouted, whole wheat grains vs refined, more protein & fat over high sugar.

Make your choices meet your body's need for a productive & long last day!

1987 & 2014 - School Vending Machine Debate

Back in my quintessential New England elementary school in Worcester, MA, I recall my mom taking up a cause with the PTA and eventually the principal with one of her best friends and political rable-rouser pal! The issue was over whether to install the newly desired school vending machine. This was a new commodity and something perceived as "cool", up and coming, and what all the current schools would do.
However, this would also mean an increased and easier access to sodas, snacks, and in general processed food. From my childhood understanding, this was also thought of as a fundraising tool for the school since funds were always in need. My mom hearing this, fought the concept with the same ideology and rationale that many are using today to remove vending machines from schools. However, this was in 1987 not 2014. 27 years earlier my mom had the foresight to understand the repercussions these processed food encouraging machines would have on children, their health, their mindset, and not only their pockets. As in many schools, there were kids with lower economic means and this would only encourage money spent on the "new cool" item vs on more health benefiting choices. 1987 school lunches weren't any more nutritious (to my recollection) and I even recall working in the cafeteria (but not getting paid) so things were a little different in some respects. However, the mindset to provide children with nutritious food was increasingly declining while the mindset to increase any means to garner funds for the school even at the expense of child nutrition, was increasing. I'm glad my mom fought, even though I recall she accrued a few more enemies along the way, including the principal. However, I'm glad. To this day, I respect her for taking charge 20 years before her time to prevent the problems that now many health conscious parents and individuals are scrambling to rectify.
It's easier to prevent the process versus clean it up...

Turkish inspired breakfast with my own twist from a recent article I posted below; lemony swiss chard egg nests. Easy, fast, light & nutrient dense!