Denton County Living Well Magazine January/February 2018 | Page 45

your lunch hour to break away from your desk and climb of-
fice stairs. Wind down after dinner with 10 minutes of yoga
(YouTube is full of free instructional videos). Voila—30 min-
utes of movement!
PRO TIP: “If you work at a desk, try sitting on an exercise
ball chair,” Dr. Jain says. “Long-term sitting with poor pos-
ture contributes to lower back pain.”
RELAX
“We all deal with stress—it’s unavoidable. But
when stress is excessive and unmanaged, it can
lead to health problems like high blood pressure,” Dr. Jain
says. “It’s how you manage it that can make a difference.
Look at a picture, listen to a song, or find a keepsake that
makes you smile or laugh when you see it.”
MAKEOVER MOVE: It’s easy to turn to
less-than-healthy habits for instant stress re-
lief—drinking alcohol, overeating and work-
ing through the night are all signs that you
may not be managing your stress effectively. Next time
you check your email at 9 p.m. and want to begin fir-
ing back responses right away, try pausing and taking
a deep breath. Then do it again. And again. Studies
show that taking a few quiet minutes each day may
help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Trust us.
Those emails can wait till morning.
PRO TIP: “Schedule short breaks daily and tell a joke,” Dr.
Jain says. “When you laugh and others laugh, your stress
level is immediately reduced.”
How healthy is your heart? Find out by taking a free heart
health assessment now at HeartDiseaseQuiz.com.
Baylor Scott & White Health provides a
comprehensive approach to the care of their patients.
Call 1-800-4BAYLOR or visit BSWHealth.com.
DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
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