Holiday decor and store displays remind us the holiday season quickly approaches. While this time of year offers a wonderful source of cheer, the holidays increase feelings of sadness and despair for some. We all experience the blues once in a while. But feelings that persist two weeks or more or those that interfere with […]
If you’ve ever browsed through your parents’ or grandparents’ high school yearbooks from the 1950s, you’ve probably noticed a couple of things. First, everyone looks like they’re 30 years old. Second, almost no one is overweight. While clothing choices and hairstyles likely explain the first observation, what about the second? Why have obesity rates increased […]
If you believed, like I did, physicians swear to “first, do no harm” when they graduate from medical school, you’d be wrong. Although doctors don’t make that pledge, the idea — not hurting people — is one business leaders should consider. While most leaders would never hurt their employees on purpose, it’s important to recognize […]
What if you had to take a pop quiz that included this question: What is the No. 1 public health crisis we face today? Which answer would you choose? A. poor nutrition. B. lack of exercise. C. loneliness. Most people would likely pick A or B — and for good reasons. Poor nutrition and lack […]
Imagine you’re a child again sitting on a park swing, your legs not quite touching the ground. To move, you face two choices: thrust your legs back and forth as hard as you can to generate enough momentum to swing or ask a friend for a push. You get a push and soar through the […]
Type workplace wellness benefits into your favorite internet search engine and you’ll likely discover a long list of conflicting articles that either claim wellness programs don’t work or they increase productivity, reduce turnover and cut costs. While it’s true check-the-box and outdated programs fail to deliver, well-designed programs unlock these great benefits — if employees […]
If you root for a favorite sports team, you likely appreciate the role sports medicine plays in athletic performance. Your team not only treats injuries, but also provides athletes with the nutritional, physical and psychological recommendations required to prevent injury and preserve long-term health and well-being. While it’s obvious why sports teams invest in the […]
I love email. It’s convenient, efficient and often saves me from lengthy meetings. But my relationship with email also can be toxic at times. When I’m particularly busy, the ping notifying me I’ve received a new message can trigger a surge in my pulse as I anticipate a problem or another demand on my time. […]
If you don’t have a workplace wellness program, imagine for a moment you do. Your coordinator decides to run a campaign about the importance of exercise and good nutrition in preventing diabetes and give away exercise and food journals to support healthy behaviors. Now, consider the following two scenarios. Scenario 1: You spot a poster […]
Here in Colorado, we enjoy the majestic beauty of mountains all around, including more than 50 peaks that jut into the sky to more than 14,000 feet in elevation. Many people, including myself, consider it a gift to climb these “14ers.” I didn’t always enjoy climbing, though. In fact, until about 10 years ago, I […]