9 Reasons Men Put Off Doctor Visits

LIVING HEALTHY Newsletter July/August 2016 Volume 2, Issue 4

Visiting your physician for an annual checkup is a simple – and essential – step to keeping your heart healthy and your self healthy. Why, then, do some men refuse to go to the doctor regularly? Here are 10 reasons why many men skip this important appointment. (And, more importantly, 10 ways to counter those reasons and get yourself or a person you care about to see a doctor.) "I don’t have a doctor." Step one toward staying healthy is finding a doctor you trust. But you’ll never know if you trust one unless you try. Check your insurance company or local listings for doctors in your area. Call their offices and ask questions, or check around online. It’s also a good idea to check with friends and family for recommended doctors. "There’s probably nothing wrong." You may be right but … you’re not a doctor. That’s why you need one, to be sure. Some serious diseas-es don’t have symptoms. High blood pressure is one, and it can cause heart attack and stroke. (That’s why they call it “the silent killer.”) High cholesterol is another often symptomless condition. Ditto diabetes. Finding a health problem early can make a huge

difference in the quality and length of your life.

"I don’t have time." There are about 8,766 hours in a year, and you want to save … two? What if those two hours could save your life if you really DO

need a doctor? If you want to spend more time with your family, these two hours aren’t the ones to lose. "I don’t want to spend the money." It makes more sense to spend a little and save a lot than to save a little and spend a lot. If you think spend-ing time with a doctor is expensive, try spending time in a hospital.

"Doctors don’t DO anything." When you see a barber, you get a haircut. When you see the dentist, your teeth get cleaned. But when you get a checkup, the doctor just gives you tests. It may seem like you don’t get anything, but you do. You get news and knowledge that can bring better health, if you act on it. "I don’t want to hear what I might be told." Maybe you smoke, drink too much, have put on weight. Even so, your doctor’s there to help you. You can deny

your reality, but you can’t deny the consequences. So be smart: Listen to someone who’ll tell you truths you need to hear. Be coachable.

"I’ve got probe-a-phobia." You don’t need a prostate cancer exam until you’re 50. Even then, remember that your chances of survival are much better if it’s caught early. So it’s worth the exam. But it’s

only one small portion of a physical. Don’t let one test stop you from getting all the benefits of an annual physi-cal. "I’d rather tough it out." If pro athletes can play hurt and sacrifice themselves for the team, you ought to be able to suck it up, right? Wrong! The Game of Life is about staying healthy for a long time – a lifetime. "My significant other has been nagging me to get a

checkup." OK, so you don’t want to give in. But isn’t it POSSIBLE you could be wrong? Give in on this one. See the doctor. When it comes down to it, there are no good reasons not to see the doctor, only excuses.

Don’t wait. Schedule your annual physical today. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/The-Top-10-Reasons-Men-Put-Off-Doctor-Visits_UCM_433365_Article.jsp#.V1baw5zmqUk

Summer is definitely here… and it’s hot! Now that you (hopefully) have a little down time, it’s a perfect opportunity to schedule

that doctors appointment you’ve been putting off, try a few new recipes to help you maintain your “beach body”, and get some

much needed (and deserved) down time to reduce your stress levels. And in this issue of Living Healthy, you’ll find the infor-

mation you need to make sure you don’t let your health go on vacation. Whether you’re heading to the beach or seeking adven-

tures in cooler climates to beat the summer heart, be sure to take your healthy habits with you wherever you go.

Lynise Anderson, N.D., C.N.C.

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT

The Health Benefits of Laughter

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your

mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

Here are just a few of the health benefits of laughter.

Physical Health Benefits

Boosts immunity

Lowers stress hormones

Decreases pain

Relaxes your muscles

Prevents heart disease

Strengthens your lungs

Mental Health Benefits

Adds joy and zest to life

Eases anxiety and fear

Relieves stress

Improves mood

Enhances resilience

Social Health Benefits

Strengthens relationships

Attracts us to other

Enhances teamwork

Helps defuse conflict

Promote group bonding

Nutrition Facts Are Changing!

When it comes to reading the nutrition labels on our food, we’re all about the details. On May 20, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration finalized the new Nutrition Facts label, reflecting many significant changes for the first time since its inception in 1993. The new label features a long-awaited redesign to reflect new scientific findings, and it makes it easier for consumers to make better informed food choices. Most food manufacturers, including foreign manu-facturers, will have until July 26, 2018 to comply with the changes; smaller food manufacturers will have one more year. So what are the need-to-know high-lights? A Refreshed, Easier-to-Read Label:

“Calories,” “Serving size” and “Servings per container” will be more visible, in larger and bolder type. Additionally, manufacturers must declare the actual amount, in addition to percent daily values of vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Providing information about

any other vitamins and minerals will be voluntary. Addition of “Added Sugars”: It’s no secret that too much sugar is bad for us. In a long overdue update, the new label lets consumers know how much sugar has been added to their pack-aged foods in addition to how much sugar these foods contain naturally. Removal of “Calories from Fat”: “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat” and “Trans Fat” will remain on the label, but “Calories from Fat” will be cut, as re-search has largely shown that the types of fat have more impact than the amount. Addition of Vitamin D and Potassium: Vitamin D and potassium play important roles in bone health, blood pressure and decreasing the risk of developing chronic diseases. Unfortunately, many of us fall short on these nutrients. By adding these to the new nutrition label, public health advocates hope intakes will begin to rise. As for other micronu-

trients, iron and calcium will remain on the label, while Vitamins A and C will become voluntary because deficiencies of those nutrients are now rare. Updated Daily Values (%DV): Daily values for nutrients like fat, dietary fiber and vitamin D are being updated based on newer scientific research from the Health and Medicine Division and other reports such as the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. What's considered a single serving has changed in the decades since the origi-nal nutrition label was created. Some serving sizes will increase and others will decrease because by law, the serving sizes must be based on the amounts of food and drink that peo-ple typically consume, not on how much they should consume. Recent food consumption data show that some serving sizes need to be revised. For example, the reference amount used to set a serving of ice cream was previ-ously ½ cup and now is changing to ⅔

Servings:

Larger, bolder type

Servings sizes updated

Calories: larger type

Updated Daily

Values

% DV listed first

Amount of added

sugar listed Change in nutrients required

to be listed. Vitamin A & C

now voluntary.

Actual amounts of

nutrients declared

cup. The reference amount used to set a serving size of soda was previously 8 ounces and now is changing to 12 ounc-es. The reference amount for yogurt is decreasing from 8 ounces to 6 ounces. Nutrient information on the new label will be based on these updated serving sizes so it matches what people actually consume. Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean you should eat more…but it will give you a reality check about how many calories you are really consuming. Today’s labels reflect eating habits and nutritional information from the 1970s and '80s. The new labels will be more realistic and reflect the portion sizes and calories of what Americans are eating today. http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/new-nutrition-facts-label-need-know/

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm

Side-by-Side Comparison

Old New

Mayday! Mayday! Are You Burned Out at Work?

Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. Any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-term, you may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfill a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming — and harmful to both physical and emotional health. What Is Job Burnout? Burnout is a response to prolonged or chronic job stress and is characterized by three main dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism (less identification with the job), and feelings of reduced professional ability. More simply put, if you feel exhausted, start to hate your job, and begin to feel less capable at work, you are showing signs of burnout.

Symptoms of Burnout

It can be difficult to recognize when you're slipping from a state of chronic stress to burnout. A general sign of burnout is when you feel like giving up, or you simply can't motivate yourself to put in the (often high) effort that's needed to do the work that's required of you — or to care. Feelings of dread about going to work can be a sign as well. More classic symptoms include the following:

Depleted physical energy

Emotional exhaustion

Less investment in inter-

personal relationships

Increasingly pessimistic

outlook

Increased absenteeism

and inefficiency at work

Decreased ability to concentrate

Lack of motivation

Not taking care of yourself

Decreased job performance

Persistent health problems

Feeling overwhelmed by or stuck in your situation

Effects of Uncontrolled Stress

Unfortunately, work-related stress doesn't just disappear when you head home for the day. When stress persists, it

can take a toll on your health and well-being.

In the short term, a stressful work environment can contrib-ute to problems such as headache, stomachache, sleep disturbances, short temper and difficulty concen-trating. Chronic stress can result in anxiety, insomnia, high blood pres-sure and a weakened immune system. It can also contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity and heart disease. Compounding the problem, people who experi-ence excessive stress often deal with it in unhealthy ways such as overeating, eating unhealthy foods, smoking ciga-rettes or turning to drugs and alcohol. Preventing Burnout You can't always avoid the tensions that occur on the job. Yet you can take steps to manage work-related stress. If you recognize any of the symptoms of burnout in yourself, here are a few tips to help.

Improve your response to stress. Does your organiza-tion offer classes or training in stress management? If so, have you signed up? Whether it’s a lunch and learn, an ongoing support group or a full blown all day workshop, taking advantage of stress management trainings can

help you identify the sources of your stress and provide you with valuable strategies for better managing your stress and avoiding burnout. Disconnect: In today’s digital works, it’s easy to feel the pressure to be available 24 hours a day. Establish-ing clear work-life boundaries like unplugging from technology; not answering the phone during dinner or not checking work emails over the weekend will help to reduce the potential for work-life conflict and the stress that goes with it.

Talk about it. You don’t need to tell your boss directly that you’re struggling with burnout. Instead, simply start a dialog about your position. If your tasks have become mundane, express that you’d like to be chal-lenged more. If you’re feeling overworked, express that you’d prefer to focus on fewer tasks so you can give them your full attention and do a better job. While some managers will have already picked up on your burnout, others will be oblivious. It’s up to you to make them aware that things need to change.

Developing workplace burnout is a process. You won’t wake up one day and have full-on workplace burnout. It’s something that builds over time, and if you are cognizant of potential warning signs, you’ll be able to catch burnout early on and have an easier time relieving the symp-toms. Better yet, you may be able to prevent burnout altogether by taking care of yourself, understanding your work style and motivating factors, and by having regular communication with your manager. https://www.verywell.com/stress-and-burnout-symptoms-and-causes-3144516 http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/04/01/10-signs-youre-burning-out-and-what-to-do-about-it/2/#131034242123 http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.aspx

CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT

Summerfest

Official Summerfest T-shirt

There are only a few things in life a three-legged race can’t fix!!

Heads Up! We’re improving our wellbeing.

Bingo anyone?!

Now here’s a group of healthy people!

Randolph-Macon College has taken well-being to a new level. Summerfest—

an all-day event full of fun, games and camaraderie—gave faculty, staff and cam-

pus administration a chance to enjoy softball, badminton, table tennis along with

great food and door prizes. The event also included a community canned food

drive competition, awarding prize points to the team that collected the most cans.

Summerfest participants received t-shirts and enjoyed an amazing day of restoring

their well-being. Way to go R-MC!

7 Signs You’re Getting Healthier… Even When You Aren’t Losing Weight

It’s no secret that there are myriad ways to measure your overall health: strength, aerobic fitness, cholester-ol levels, mood and, of course, the seductive shrinking of that number on the scale. But what happens when you’re not dropping pounds — or worse, you’re actual-ly gaining a few — despite sticking to your diet and exercise commitments? This isn’t a sign that you should throw in the towel. The number on the scale is simply one factor of your health, and weight-loss plateaus are incredibly com-mon. If you feel like you’ve hit a frustrating leveling-off period after making some dietary changes, it might be time to switch it up a bit by changing your fitness rou-tine. To keep you going strong to the other edge of that plateau, pay extra attention to these seven signs that you’re getting healthier even if you’re not losing weight:

You have more energy. A major perk of dropping pounds is the increase in energy you experience as you get more fit. But even as your weight loss slows or plateaus, research points to the energy uptick you’ll experience when you stick with your exercise routine. Exercise not only boosts baseline energy levels but also keeps you from getting fatigued. How can ex-pending energy through exercise boost your overall level? It may seem counterintuitive but this energy-boosting benefit of exercise exists for people of all health and fitness levels. Exercise does more to fight fatigue than drugs or stimulants. If you notice yourself powering through the time of your typical afternoon crash, chalk it up to improving your health. You have more stamina. The healthier you become, the more stamina you’ll have, meaning you can go farther and faster before throwing in the towel. A lot of factors influence stami-na, but your overall cardiovascular fitness is a biggie. And while this is related to weight loss, it’s not totally determined by how many pounds you drop. When looking for indicators that you’re getting healthier, pay

Information provided herein is for educational purposes only and should not be used to replace the care and information received from your healthcare

provider. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional with any health concerns you may have.

What’s on Your Mind? Have an idea for an article or a question about a health topic? Are you enjoying the newsletter?

Click here to send me an email I want to hear from you!

attention to small tests of stamina like how many flights of stairs you can climb before losing your breath or how far you can make it on your run without slowing down for a walk break. You feel smarter. Obviously, improving your health isn’t just about the body — your brain health plays a major role, too. And if you notice you have more mental clarity, better memory and feel all-around sharper, you can thank your healthy life-style. A large body of research1 has explored the brain bene-fits of exercise and how committing to a healthier life-style can boost cognition. If you find you’re suddenly

able to remember the name of every person you meet at that companywide picnic, your sweat ses-sions are paying off. You feel happier. What’s the point of getting healthy if you’re not hap-py? Luckily, the research shows these two are pretty intertwined. As your physical health improves, so

will your mood. One 2015 study2 found that sticking with an exercise program significantly improved happi-ness among older adults in just eight weeks. For signs of progress, pay attention to your improving outlook in addition to the scale. You can do more reps. Don’t get stuck in the rut of measuring health progress purely by how many pounds you’ve dropped. As you get stronger, you might even put on a few. Don’t panic. If the number on the scale jumps up a little along with the number on your go-to kettlebell and you’re staying within an ap-propriate-for-you calorie range, you’re getting stronger and healthier. Keep in mind: Muscle is denser than fat. That is, a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. So even if the numbers on the scale aren’t de-creasing, you might be replacing fat with muscle. You’ll look leaner even if you don’t necessarily weigh less.

You’re eating less. Logic says that if you burn more calories through exer-cise, you’ll want to eat more to make up for it, right? Research shows it’s actually the opposite. Several

studies3 have shown that individuals who keep up with a consistent exercise routine are actually more likely to eat less and have a decreased appetite after their workout sessions. One 2016 study4 found that exercise decreases your hunger hormones and led study participants to consume one-third fewer calories than those who were

dieting without an exercise routine.

You set a new exercise personal record. The ability to achieve new fitness goals is perhaps the biggest indicator that you’re getting healthier even if that needle isn’t moving when you step on the scale. Whether you’re aiming to achieve your weight-loss goals via a couch-to-5K program, signing up for a strength training boot camp or having a nutritionist give your diet an overhaul, it’s more important to pay atten-tion to what your body is telling you than what the scale is telling you. If you’ve just run your fastest 5K, made it through a whole boot camp class without want-ing to die or actually craved kale, you are well on your way to better health.

So often good health is viewed so narrowly, overemphasizing appearance and failing to address any of its other components, but it is equally important that you get enough sleep, manage stress, take time out of the day to relax, and do things that you enjoy. If your goal is to truly be healthy, work to find balance be-tween things such as exercise, work, school, family, friends, and time for yourself and avoid

getting too caught up in getting thin or reaching a

magical number on the scale.

1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21417955 2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25492721

3 http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/80/5/1230.full 4 http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2016/03000/

Appetite_and_Energy_Intake_Responses_to_Acute.10.aspx

Melon, Mint and Cucumber Smoothie

Refreshing and hydrating, this summertime smoothie is a great

way to get in a few extra helpings of fruits and veggies.

INGREDIENTS 2 C chopped honeydew 1 C chopped English cucumber 12 fresh mint leaves 2-4 T fresh lime juice, to taste 1 t honey DIRECTIONS Puree ingredients in a blender until smooth Kick it up a notch by adding a bit of fresh ginger!!

Perhaps the

greatest of all

illusions is that life

could somehow

be better than it

already is.