IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Winter 2019 | Page 32

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION:
HEALTH & WELLNESS
how can you protect your pearly whites
against long-term health concerns?
• Schedule routine checkups with your
dental professional.
• Brush your teeth twice a day.
• Floss daily (you may not see immediate
benefits, but you’ll be saving your gum
health in the long run).
• Eat a balanced diet to get the proper
nutrients your teeth and gums need to
stay strong.
• Drink lots of water!
• Quit smoking; it is one of the most
significant risk factors in developing
gum disease.
• Replace your toothbrush every three
months.
NO BONES ABOUT IT
Is your job a pain in the neck? If you
work in a sedentary environment, your
response is probably yes. Musculoskeletal
pain is caused by excessive sitting
throughout the day, leading to slouching,
hunching over, and muscles in your body
going without use for hours. Studies are
finding that although a regular workout
routine helps, it won’t combat the
constant weight on your rump. Although
some offices are moving toward healthier
options, such as convertible stand up/sit
down desks or treadmill desks (if you have
the skill to think and walk at the same
time), most of us have to face our chairs
every day. What a pain!
There are ways to prevent the negative
effects, such as stiffness and poor
circulation, of constant sitting:
• Get up and move! If you find yourself
sitting for extended periods of time,
you need to break the habit. Schedule
an alarm for every 30 minutes to get
up and take a lap around your office.
Manage your time effectively by going
to pick up your paper from the printer
or grabbing a glass of water. Even
better? Visit a co-worker to talk about a
project instead of sending an email.
• Establish proper sitting habits. Keep
your back straight, feet at 90 degrees,
and eyes level with the top of your
computer screen. Make sure your
shoulders aren’t hunched when resting
your elbows on your desk to type.
• Stretch in place. Adding stretching
to your daily routine is beneficial for
anyone. Stand up and do a few stretches
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at your desk to get your muscles
loosened up and moving. Feeling
spunky? Add a few jumping jacks in to
get your heart rate pumping for some
extra energy.
• Realize how much sitting you do.
Sitting for eight hours at your job has
negative effects on your body, but
going home and sitting on the couch
for the rest of the night doubles those
effects, increasing cause for concern. If
you have a sedentary job, make a point
of taking a walk when you get home
or spend some time on your feet with
your kids or at the gym. Keeping active
during breaks and on the weekends will
help combat negative effects from the
workweek.
HEART HEALTH—SKIP THE
SUGAR!
Heart disease is the number-one
killer of all Americans, but awareness of
the disease and its causes has allowed
for a decrease in the number of deaths
associated with it in recent years. Eating
well and exercising are obvious ways
to prevent the onset of heart disease,
but a recent study by the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology looks at
another culprit that has damaging effects
on your heart: sugar (fructose). According
to the study, one to two servings of sugary
drinks per day raises a person’s risk of
heart disease by 35 percent.
It is important to be cognizant of sugar
intake, as it can often sneak into your diet
unnoticed. Men should only consume
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about 37.5 grams of added sugar (think
coffee drinks, sodas, yeast breads, cereals,
fruit drinks) per day, while women should
stay around 25 grams. Starting out the
day with a latte, frozen beverage, or soda
could add anywhere from 20 to 63 grams
of sugar in just 12 ounces! Make sure to
stop and think before you consume added
sugar for the sake of your heart health
because sugar isn’t as sweet as it seems.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
After hours of physical abuse from
constant pounding and tapping, your
feet deserve a break! Feet take a constant
beating every day and we often blame foot
pain on a long day on our feet or shoes
with poor support, but foot pain may be
caused by other problems in your body
that shouldn’t be ignored.
Keep tabs on your feet by:
• examining them regularly
• wearing comfortable shoes that fit
properly and offer plenty of support
• keeping your toenails trimmed straight
across
• allowing your feet to air out after being
in shoes.
Talk to your doctor if you are
experiencing:
• joint stiffness
• tingling or numbness
• swelling
• discoloration or bruising
• inability or limiting of physical tasks
due to foot pain.   ■