Wellness / Nutrition Archives - Page 9 of 10 - Community Healthcare Network

By: CHN Wellness Team

Do you find yourself rushing through each meal? Do you forget what you had for dinner last night? Instead of rushing through your next meal, try practicing mindful eating. Mindful eating is when you pay attention to your food as you eat. Mindful eating can help you listen to your body about hunger and feeling full. Eating this way can help you enjoy your food and stay at a healthy weight.

Eat mindfully using the 3 S’s:

1. Savor your food. Notice what you are eating. Notice the cold crunch of a raw carrot. Notice the color of a tomato or the taste and smell of a juicy peach. Notice how your mouth reacts. Notice how your food feels on your tongue as you chew.

2. Slow down. Pace yourself by putting your fork or spoon down in between each bite. Take small bites and chew each mouthful slowly. Take a deep breath between each bite. This will help you be more aware of your food, not eat too much, and feel more satisfied during your meal.

3. Stop when you are satisfied with your food. Pay attention to your body’s signs of being full. While you eat, focus on how your stomach feels throughout your meal. As soon as you become full, stop eating to avoid feeling stuffed. Relax in front of your plate for a few minutes to see if you are still hungry. Put away your food after you’re done eating. This will stop you from picking at your food. Take a short walk around the block to help you break down food.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

By: CHN Wellness Team

Why do we have bad habits even when we know they are not good for us? Why is it so hard to start a healthy new habit? It can be hard to get habits under control. Don’t worry, we’re here to tell you how you can kick those bad habits and replace them with good ones.

Try these tips to help you break bad habits:

Know about your habit.Do not brush it off, but don’t judge yourself for doing it. Facing your bad habit may bring up a lot of feelings, but this will help you notice it more when you do it in the future.
The next time you take part in your bad habit, think about how you felt before. Were you angry, worried, stressed, or bored? Were you craving something? Where were you? How did you feel after? We often feel even worse after engaging in our bad habit than we did before.
Start small. Make small changes.Set small goals to help you reach your one big goal. Picturing your life without the bad habit will also help.
Use “If-than”. Such as, if you are trying to eat healthier, make a grocery list and tell yourself:
- “if I go to the grocery store, than I will only buy the foods on my list.
- “if I walk home, thanI will not walk by the bodega where I buy snacks.”
Plan to fail a few times. You might slip up. That is okay. Just keep trying!

Follow these tips to help you form andstick to new, good habits:

Think about whyyou want to form a new habit. Sometimes we form a good habit to replace a bad habit. Sometimes we form a good habit to make us feel healthier. What will you gain by forming a new habit?

Figure out how your new habit will impact you day-to-day. Will you have to change your routine?
Set small goals. Do something small each day that will lead you to your goal.

Commit to a plan and tell others. Once you have made your plan, stick to it. Tell your loved ones that you are starting a new habit. You will be more likely to stick with your good habit if you have the support of people that care about you.
Ask for help. You do not have to be alone while forming your new habit. Get a gym buddy, ask your family to cook and eat healthy with you. Each goal is simpler with the support of others.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

By: CHN Wellness Team

Stress can be a good thing if it is in small amounts. When you go through short moments of stress, it can help give you energy to get things done. But sometimes stress can last for long periods of time. When this happens, we can get anxious or overwhelmed and even worse, our health might get worse. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, try these tips to help you feel better: Stress can lead people to get addicted to drugs or alcohol and it is important to get Drug Rehab Los Angeles help if one is addicted to drugs. There is also the Rehab Near Me that has various ways to help reduce anxiety and withdrawals while on the path to a clean life.

- - Think about what makes you stressed. People who treat patients in Methadone Clinic Clearwater for clinical stress and anxiety suggests people to write down why you feel stressed. Write down what happened to you before you started feeling stressed. Try to notice patterns. This can help you learn how to get ready for stressful times and to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
  - Take deep, slow breaths. Breathe in for a count of 4. Hold your breath for 7. Then breathe out for a count of 8. Repeat this a few times until you start to calm down. This will help you relax and lower your heart rate before acting on something.
  - Cut back on caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can help you feel more awake. But it can also raise your heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine can also make it harder for you to calm down or relax. Alcohol can make you feel moody and on edge. It may help you relax in the moment, but when it wears off, you may feel even more anxious than before. Don’t fall victim to any other addictions and go to a New York Recovery Center if you find yourself in such a situation.
  - Work out often. When you work out, your brain makes you feel happy. This can help you do better in stressful times.
  - Eat right at the right time. Eating unhealthy foods can make you feel more moody. Even eating at different times each day can make you feel on edge. Eat small, healthy meals every 3 hours to keep your energy levels up.
  - Sleep 8 hours each nightto not feel grumpy or sluggish. If your thoughts are getting in the way of sleeping, focus on your breathing. Listen to yourself breathe in and out and notice how that feels. Sometimes certain foods or parts of food can help you sleep better. Talk to your CHN nutritionist or doctor to find out more.
  - Talk to a therapist. It can be hard to talk to your loved ones about what’s bothering you. If you feel stressed, CHN has therapists at each health center. Call (866) 246-8259 to find out more.
  - Take a wellness class like yoga, meditation, reiki, or sound healing. These classes focus on calming your mind, helping you relax, and lowering stress. CHN has free classes at locations around New York City.
To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

Say your best friend or partner is stressed but they haven’t told you. Sometimes you can just tell they’re stressed just by looking at them. Understanding your feelings and noticing the feelings of other people is known as emotional intelligence. People with high emotional intelligence can see how someone else is feeling and help. Not all people have emotional intelligence. Here are ways to make your emotional intelligence better:

Tune in to your feelings.Notice your feelings during the day. If you know how you feel, you can learn how your feelings change your actions.
Actively listen when talking with someone. Don’t let your mind wander. Look people in the eye. Turn your body toward theirs. Notice not only what they are saying but how they are saying it. What is their tone, what is their body language telling you?Try not to stop or get distracted. Let them feel comfortable expressing themselves. Focus on what others are saying, not what you are planning to say next.
Don’t judge.Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Try to think about what they have lived through that may shape who they are. This may help you grasp why someone is acting a certain way.
Respect other people’s feelings.Focus on why they feel a certain way, even if you don’t agree with them. This can keep your own feelings in check if someone says something that bothers you. Instead, look at this as a chance to work out differences and build trust.
Think before you react.Express your feelings in a supportive way. If a strong feeling takes over, take a step back and deep breath. Think about what you say. Think about how your words will be received. And think about how you can talk about the problem in a calm way that helps you and the person you are talking with.
See the silly side.Laughing helps ease stress and brings people together. Try to see the humor in things to make others smile and feel relaxed.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

By: CHN Wellness Team

We all want better health. If we have it, we want to keep it. If we need it, we want it badly, and then too, we want to keep it.

Better nutrition fuels better health. So we seek and we share information. And then we seek and we share more information. This can lead us to become overwhelmed with too much nutrition information, a condition that I call INFObesity.

To be clear, information is not the problem and not all information is bad or wrong. In fact, much information today is good quality. Like the fats we eat, some information is needed as it helps promote optimal functioning. However, like fat, too much information can be unhealthy. It overwhelms, weighs down, and interferes with our body’s optimal functioning by distracting our mind. This is why being exposed to too much information can threaten your health.

So what can you do about it?

Stop overwhelming your mind and body with too much health information with this exercise:

Grab a piece of paper.
Draw a bull’s eye with five circles (like a dart board).
In the center circle, write “Me Today”. This circle represents for who you really are right now. Write down your likes, dislikes, lifestyle, health status, choices, and resources.
In the next circle, write “My Health – Top 5”. This circle represents who you are based on the top 5 things that are most important to your current health status and health goals.
In the next circle, write “Me, Myself, and I”. This area represents the roles you play in your life currently like friend, spouse, ballerina, and more.
In the next circle, write “You Don’t Really Know Me”. This area is how a company would target you if they didn’t know you on a personal level (so by your age, gender, where you live, your household role, your work).
In the final circle write “You Don’t Know Me at All”. The outer circle is not targeted to you at all.

Now on a separate piece of paper, jot down all the sources of nutrition and health information that you encounter in a week. Your neighbor, your guardian, a tweet, a magazine article, a TV commercial, a package of food, a yoga instructor, a dietitian or doctor’s advice.

Now assign each of the sources to a place on your bull’s eye.

When most of your information comes from sources in the first two circles (the bull’s eye and the next circle) you do better at maintaining your health. You can still have too much information, but at least you are getting information specific to who you really are right now and to your personal health goals.

Look at the rest of your bull’s eye. How on track are you for getting information targeted specifically to who you really are each week? Are there sources that you could let go or even block? Are there sources that you need?

To better control the information you receive, assess who you are right now. Keep what is working, and take a second look at all the sources you come in contact with.This will help ensure that you have real support and better tools to guide your choices with regards to your health.

By Ashley Koff RD, founder of the Better Nutrition Program

Email Ashley to get her FREE Better Nutrition Guide at [email protected]

By: CHN Wellness Team

Relationships should make you feel good. Use these tips to help support and build healthy relationships with loved ones:

Check-in. Talk with loved ones about relationship needs. Ask your loved one what they need from you. Let them know what you need from them. Talk about how you can both have your needs met. You can do this with a parent, a partner, or even a close friend.
Support each other. People handle stress and anxiety in many ways. When times get tough, work together to make each other feel good. Talk about how you both can help make each other’s day better.

Take time to organize your thoughts. If you and a loved one don’t agree, take a few minutes to gather your thoughts before speaking. This will help you better talk about how you are feeling.

Welcome change. Relationships can grow due to life’s challenges as we age. Use this as a chance to make your relationships stronger.

Listen to how your loved ones are feeling. Take an interest in their feelings. They will be more likely to listen when you share how you are feeling.

Respect differences. You and your loved ones may have your own hobbies, friends, feelings, goals, and thoughts. Differences give you the chance to learn from each other and enjoy your relationship more.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

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By: CHN Wellness Team

Do you sit in front of a computer at your work for long periods of time? This can be really hard on your body. You may have pain, stiff joints or tight muscles after you sit for a while. Try these tips to help you sit the right way. This will support and protect your body:

Put your feet flat on the floor so your knees are level with your hips. You may need to use a footrest if your feet don’t touch the floor.
Sit all the way back in your chair. Be aware of your posture. Keep your stomach muscles tight, so your back stays straight. Relax your shoulders.
Center your body in front of your computer screen and keyboard. Keep items you use often (like your phone or stapler) close to your body so you don’t have to reach as much.
Move the arm rests on your chairso your elbows can rest on them at a 90 degree angle. Your wrists and forearms should be straight, not bent, resting in front of your keyboard and mouse.
Check how high your computer screen is. When you look straight ahead, your eyes should be level with the top third of your screen. Your neck and spine should be straight. If you need to raise your screen, place a book under it.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

By: CHN Wellness Team

Travel is full of joys and excitement. It can also be hard when things don’t go as planned. Use these tips to help you stay in the moment and enjoy your adventure!

Pack less. Take less stuff with you. You will spend less time choosing what to wear. Plus repacking will be faster when it’s time to go home. It will also give you more space for keepsakes.
Wake up early. You will miss crowds and have more time to explore new places. Try to enjoy exploring rather than feeling rushed.
Keep a travel journal. Write down your favorite moments. Think about what you saw, smelled, heard, tasted, and felt to help when you look back on your trip.
Try new things. Talk to new people. Try new foods! The more new things you try, the more you will get to know the place you are visiting. This will help you feel at home in a new place. Try to visit local sites, relax, and enjoy local food.
Laugh. Enjoy yourself and the place you are visiting. Being a tourist means you may get lost or do something silly. Enjoy the mishaps with laughter instead of worrying.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

By: CHN Wellness Team

Use these tips to start your day off right.

Be still for five minutes. Before getting out of bed breathe deeply and be calm. This will help you get your thoughts together to take on your day!
Drink a glass of water. Keep a glass of water by your bed. Drink the whole glass when you wake up. Your mind and body need lots of water to become alert.
Smile!When you wake up, give the world a big smile. Your mind and body are linked. When you smile, your body sends a message to your mind that you are happy.
Stay away from screens. Get ready for your day before you check emails, social media, or the news. This will help you to leave your house on time.
Eat a smart breakfast. Eat foods high in protein and fiber in the morning to make you feel awake and alert. This will also keep you full until your next meal.
Connect with someone. Tell a loved one how great they look or send a happy message to a friend. Making others feel good will help you start your day on a good note.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].

By: CHN Wellness Team

Do you feel like there’s not enough time each day? Use these tips to help you manage your time better!

Move your bedtime. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier than your normal time. You’ll wake up wanting to get things done!
Strike a “Power Pose.”Stand up tall, push out your chest, and breathe deeply. Stay like this for 2 minutes to lower stress!
Plan ahead. Write down what you want to get done at the start of each day, week, month, and year. Write your list on a sticky note or a planner. Cross off your goals when you reach them.
Rank your tasks. Start your list with the things you must need to do. Put the smaller things at the end. Finish the things that matter most first.
Set a timer. If you’re stuck on a task, set the timer on your phone for 50 minutes to do work. When the timer goes off, give yourself a 10 minute break. Then set your timer for another 50 minutes of work.
Be smart with your time. If you feel like you can’t focus, take a walk. Look at the buildings and trees around you. You can also try coloring for 10 minutes.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212)-432-8494 or email [email protected].