Small Changes For Health

Small Changes for Health is not a weight loss program; it’s a program that aims to get everyone one on the right track to living a healthy lifestyle by focusing on small, health-related behaviors for one week.

This is a free program for all citizens, employees, and guests of the city of St. Louis. Once you have success with the small, weekly changes, you’ll be motivated to continue those changes and make other beneficial ones! The goal is an overall improvement in health status.

This program lasts for 12 weeks. Check back each week for a different tip each week that spans the categories of nutrition, physical fitness, stress & relaxation and health screenings, as well as goal setting & rewards.

We all have stress in our lives, and stress affects each of us differently. Recent studies have linked stress to the following negative health problems: high blood pressure, heart attacks, heart disease, peptic ulcer disease, migraine headaches, alcoholism, poor blood sugar control, depression, and weight gain. In addition to these serious health problems, stress can make you feel anxious, uptight, and angry. Learning to identify and manage the stressors in your life can increase your energy, give you peace of mind and improve your overall health. So don’t let stress control your life; take control of your stress by taking a break from it. Read the rest of this entry »

Protein is an essential nutrient needed to build muscle and even more importantly to make thousands of enzymes used in virtually every body function.  In the American diet, the traditional source of protein comes in the form of meat (beef, pork or chicken).  Meat is a great source of protein and other important nutrients like Zinc, Iron and Vitamin B12, but it is also good source of some not so great for you nutrients like saturated fat.  Research suggests that people whose diets contain a large amount of meat are at increased risk for high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer.  There are several other sources of good quality protein besides meat, such as fish, beans, nuts, nut butters, and even whole grains, like quinoa.  Fish and the other plant-based sources of protein have several advantages over meat.  Fish for instance is lower in fat and calories than meat (unless it is fried of course), and certain fish like salmon, anchovies, or sardines can provide a great source of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Plant-based sources of protein, like beans, nuts, and whole grains, provide fiber and antioxidants, and nuts also provide heart healthy fats.  With all these health benefits in mind, this week’s change focuses on consuming more meatless meals. Read the rest of this entry »

“A clean home is a healthy home.”  Sounds like something your grandmother would say, right? Well, every once in a while, grandma is right.  A clean home is a healthier place to live.  Now your home does not have to be pristine or germ-free, but keeping up on cleaning your home regularly can lead to fewer breathing problems for those that suffer from allergies or asthma and lead to fewer infections.  The spring is a great time to clean those areas of the house that we may not get to clean every week, like the basement, windows, baseboards, closets etc.  For your small change this week, it is time to think spring and tackle a spring cleaning project. Read the rest of this entry »

Buying seasonal produce is not only a smart change to make for your health, but also a smart change to make for the environment.  Buying produce when it is in season means that you will be buying produce that is at its peak of ripeness and freshness; thus it should taste its best.  Seasonal produce is also better for you.  Generally seasonal produce is often local produce too, and therefore only has to travel a short distance to reach you at the grocery store.  Produce that has to travel thousands of miles to the grocery store, is often picked weeks before you buy it at the store and in that time important nutrients (vitamins and minerals) can be lost.  In addition to seasonal produce being better for you, it is also better for the environment.  Eating seasonally can vastly decrease your foods carbon footprint. Read the rest of this entry »

Finding ways to make your everyday living more active is one of the smallest changes you can make to improve your health.  Increasing your daily activity by taking the stairs instead of the elevators; walking into the bank instead of using the drive-thru;  cooking a meal instead of relying on a frozen entrée or take-out; or doing household chores like vacuuming and cleaning the kitchen on a regular basis, have all been proven to improve the health of inactive people.  For example, a study conducted on inactive young women showed lower total cholesterol, increased HDL or “good” cholesterol, and improved resting heart rate with 2 minutes of stair climbing a day for 5 days a week on a public access staircase.  With this study in mind, the small change for this week focuses on increasing daily activity through stair climbing.  Stair climbing can benefit everyone and stairs can be found almost everywhere.  Why wait for elevators when there are stairs?  See you in the stair well! Read the rest of this entry »