Humans by nature are often resistant to change. We are creatures of habit and comfort. We do not like to do things we know will make us uncomfortable, despite knowing and understanding the positive benefits that can come from these often temporary sacrifices. According to the CDC, a small percentage (only 6%) of Americans consistently engage in the top five … Read More
Back to Basics: Tips For Getting Your Health Back on Track
The growing prevalence of chronic disease in the U.S. is staggering. Chronic disease is becoming the new norm, with 51.8% of U.S. adults living with at least one chronic condition and 27.2% with multiple chronic conditions (3). Some experts suggest this rise in chronic disease is due to a mismatch between human biology’s innate interdependence with nature and the disconnect … Read More
Coping with Change: Supporting Employee Physical and Mental Wellbeing in Challenging Times
The human brain is hard-wired to be suspicious of change. This serves as a built-in defense mechanism that makes up part of our primitive survival instincts. Moreover, we face heightened levels of stress when experiencing change, regardless of whether we perceive it to be good or bad change. There is no denying that we’ve all faced a significant amount of … Read More
Self-Compassion: The Secret to Stress Reduction
Growing up, we learned our actions have consequences – “treat others the way you want to be treated.” While an important lesson, when did we learn how we should treat ourselves? Recent research shows that being kind to ourselves and addressing our mistakes with grace may be the key to stress reduction. What is Self-Compassion? Compassion is having a sense … Read More
The Healing Power of Nature – Get Outside Challenge
As we focus on lifestyle habits that promote health and wellness, research suggests that getting outdoors is an important part of reaching our goals. With the modern conveniences available today, it’s not uncommon for the average person to spend little time outdoors. So, what health benefits are we missing out on by not spending enough time in nature? Nature mixed … Read More
Can Hobbies Improve Our Mental Health?
There is no doubt that the pandemic has taken a toll on our mental health. In the last year, many individuals have understandably felt more anxious, lonely, and depressed than ever before. Organizations such as the CDC and the WHO have even issued guidance on how people can look after their mental health during this difficult time. While much of … Read More
Turns Out, Grandma Was Right – Eat Your Veggies!
Among the food controversies that surround us, the vast majority of health authorities and experts can agree on one thing – vegetables have an important place in our diet. If media is the primary supplier of the health information you consume, then you’re aware of the confusing claims made both for and against most foods. We’ve seen sugar, fat, meat, … Read More
Get Moving: Tips To Get In More Movement Throughout Your Day
Human life has evolved in a way that makes it very easy to avoid movement. We sit in cars on the way to work. At work, we sit at our desks for much of the day. Then we come home and sit down to relax. That’s not what our bodies are built for. We may move less but movement is … Read More
Recognize and Overcome ‘All or Nothing’ Thinking
You’ve set a goal for the new year to meditate every night before you go to bed. You do this every night for the first three weeks until you unexpectedly fall asleep watching a movie on Saturday night. The next day you wake up disappointed and think to yourself, “I didn’t keep my New Year’s goal, I fail at everything.” … Read More
Wellness Goals: Staying Accountable in the New Year
Goal setting is an opportunity to reflect on the past and plan for the year ahead. Take a look at what went well in 2020 – your wins, what you can work on, and goals for the upcoming year. Don’t confuse goal setting or setting intentions with the term “New Year’s resolution.” Now is the perfect time to reset but … Read More