HEART HEALTH—
SKIP THE SUGAR!
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
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 disease is the number-one killer of
all Americans, but awareness of the disease
and its causes have 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
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. Foot pain may be
caused by other problems in your body that
shouldn’t be ignored.
Keep tabs on your feet by:
• examining your feet 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 ■
Keystone Oaks | Winter 2017 | icmags.com 23