Central Carolina HEALTH - Spring 2012 - (Page 4)

health BEAT Spring-Clean Safely You probably don’t have a winter’s worth of soot to wash away as your grandparents did. Still, the fresh spring air can make you want to sweep away the cobwebs, shine your windows and clear out yard debris. But proceed with caution: The ritual can bring with it a host of accidents and injuries. Here are three ways to avoid them: 3 Ways to … Your Brain on a Diet Were you planning on starting a diet last Monday but forgot? Those two things might be related. A study published in the online journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases showed that obese patients who lost an average of 50 pounds scored better on a series of memory and organizational tests than they did when they had higher levels of body fat. The reason for the improvement is not clear, although it is known that a healthy diet and plenty of exercise does improve cognition. Or, as one of the researchers described, it’s a logical conclusion that as the body becomes healthier, the brain becomes healthier as well. 1 Stay smart above ground. Use a step stool to reach high windows and moldings (not a chair or couch). Outdoors, have a spotter hold your ladder. If you need to extend your bellybutton past the ladder’s edge to reach something, climb down and reposition the ladder. Be safe on the lawn. Before you mow, walk around your yard and pick up toys, stones and sticks. That way, the mower’s blades won’t hurl them. Wear suitable footwear when mowing, such as sturdy work boots, not sneakers or sandals. 2 3 Use proper technique. Lift heavy objects using leg muscles rather than bending and lifting with your back. Switch up your activities rather than repeating the same motion—pulling weeds, for example—over and over. Take frequent breaks to rest and drink water. 4 | SPRING 2012 For a d aily foo gende d plan r, size, age an tailored to y www.c our d act hoose mypla ivity level, go “Get a te.gov to person and cli alized ck plan.” e PersGnt a o Eating alized P todaylan ILLUSTRATION BY TRAVIS FOSTER http://www.choosemyplate.gov

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Central Carolina HEALTH - Spring 2012

Central Carolina Health - Spring 2012
From the CEO
Health Beat
Bouncing Back
Welcome to the Network
No Stone Unturned
Heart Smart
Make the Right Call

Central Carolina HEALTH - Spring 2012