7 C's of Successful Change: Taking Charge of Helath and Your Life

Many of us want to make changes in our habits. Sometimes it’s a New Year’s resolution; sometimes it’s advice from the doctor. Sometimes it’s just a desire to be stronger or have more energy. We want to eat better and be more active, but we don’t always know how to make the necessary changes. Taking some time to consider these seven “C’s” of change may help you understand how to get from where you are now – to where you want to be.

1. Caring enough to treat your body really well. Caring about yourself is essential for making any behavior change. Self-care is not selfish – it is what we have to do in order to stop doing one thing and start doing another. Taking good care of yourself also helps you be in better shape to take care of those around you.
2. Choice to take small steps in a new direction. Change is all about making choices. It is making the choice to do one thing (like taking a walk) rather than another (like watching TV). It doesn’t mean that you have to give up all television programs. It just means that sometimes you make the choice to be more active.
3. Creativity to find a variety of food and fitness options. The world is filled with stressful situations that can get in the way of our plans to eat well or to be active. The key is to stay calm and to brainstorm a variety of possible solutions. If you are out of fresh produce, you can still enjoy some canned fruit or frozen vegetables.
4. Courage for new adventures and everyday challenges. There is no way around it. It takes courage to make a change. There are many ways to find the courage you need. You can discuss your struggles with friends or family; read inspiring storiesabout people who have made difficult changes; or find strength in faith and prayer.
5. Comfort through tough times with relaxation (or even pampering). Change is hard work and can be stressful even when it is a positive change. When you are trying to do things differently, you need to rest and recharge your internal batteries. Take time to read a book, to take a nap, to play with the kids or just to do nothing for a while.
6. Confidence to take risks and to make normal mistakes. Optimistic people are generally healthier than pessimistic people. Being confident that you can make positive changes is at least half the battle. Sometimes it helps to make a list of all the changes you have already made,like eating more whole grains or drinking less soda.
7. Celebration of the progress toward a strong and healthy you. Rewards and celebrations are an important part of successful change (think about why we celebrate graduations or job promotions). Give yourself plenty of pats on the back just for moving a step closer to your goal. Gold stars on the calendar aren’t just for kids anymore!

Corporate Health and Wellness: Benefits of Worksite Acupuncture

Worksites are crucial to improving the health of their employees. Most adults spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it a prime venue for promoting healthful habits. The worksite organizational culture and environment are powerful influences on behavior and this needs to be put to use as means of assisting employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Benefits to employees include:
· Weight reduction
· Improved physical fitness
· Increased stamina
· Lower levels of stress
· Increased well-being, self-image and self-esteem
Employers can also benefit from worksite acupuncture. According to recent research, employers’ benefits are:
· Enhanced recruitment and retention of healthy employees
· Reduced healthcare costs
· Decreased rates of illness and injuries
· Reduced employee absenteeism
· Improved employee relations and morale
· Increased productivity
A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report in 2002 revealed that at worksites with health and wellness programs, employers have:
· Reduced healthcare costs by 20 to 50 percent
· Reduced short-term sick leave by 6 to 32 percent
· Increased productivity by 2 to 52 percent
Thanks to modern medicine, life expectancy for Americans has continually increased. How much we enjoy these additional years, however, depends greatly on how we have lived our lives. If our quality of life is to remain high so that we can fully enjoy these extra years, we must practice good eating habits, be active and refrain from using tobacco products. Worksite acupuncture programs can help support these healthy behaviors. Take advantage of the benefits our program can offer your organization. Start a worksite acupuncture program now!

7 Steps to Reduce Stress

Stress seems to be our Nation's number 1 disease these days. Millions of us suffer common symptoms of stress including:

• tension
• restless sleep
• difficulty focusing and remembering
• irritability
• health complications

Generally speaking, stress speeds the aging process, slows metabolism and increases the production of cortisol eventually leading to weight gain. Incorporating the following ways to help manage stress will have you looking and feeling younger and healthier.

1. Start your day with meditation - this will invoke relaxation. Start with 5 minutes and work your way to 15-20 minutes each day. This is the #1 way to reduce the output of stress hormones and avoid adrenal exhaustion.
2. Manage your mood with diet and Chinese herbs - consider the liver to be the center of your emotions. Eat green leafy vegetables, seaweed and barley grass - all high in chlorophyll to keep your liver in good health.
3. Suppress stress with positive thinking. Don't let your thoughts run with anxiety, instead say affirmations such as "I can handle the tasks I have ahead of me. I enjoy my responsibilities and fulfill them well." Repeating positive affirmations can actually suppress cortisol - leaving you peaceful and calm.
4. Get stress out of your head and on to paper! Write in a journal to help release the thoughts and emotions which cause you stress. Write as an observer, recording thoughts free from judgement so you can see what is clearly going on. This will help to identify the source of anger or stress so you can begin to make changes.
5. Exercise! Constant pressures from work and family can lead to chronically increased levels of cortisol which is a direct cause of muscle and joint pain.
6. Retreat...take one out of 7 days to minimize "screen" time. Don;t watch TV, don't check email, no news...it will all be there tomorrow and after a day of rest, you will be refreshed and ready to look at them.
7. Go outside - take a hike or walk, anything that puts you into contact with nature. It is difficult to feel stress when surrounded by nature's abundance of vitality and wonder!