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Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
April 14, 2011
St. Paul, MN

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Omaha Safety & Health Summit
May 19, 2011
Omaha, NE

ASSE Professional Development Conference
June 14, 2011
Chicago, IL

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National VPPPA Conference
August 29-September 1, 2011
New Orleans, LA

In addition to exhibiting, Maria Sall will be speaking at 3 of these events. At the NSC Omaha Chapter Safety Summit Maria will be presenting on Backs, Bones and Balance: How muscular imbalances contribute to back and balance issues and how to make positive changes to reduce risk in the workforce. While at the National ASSE show, the presentation will be Sprains & Strains: The Silver Bullet. The National VPPPA presentation will be How To Use Your Body Without Using It Up!

Check out the listing below where you can find a TIPS exhibit booth at the safety conference nearest you! We look forward to seeing you there!

While there are numerous “super foods” out there, we are going to cover 5 of them and their health benefits.

1. Blueberries-Blueberries are a very important food to include in your diet because they are packed with antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C. Not only can blueberries help to lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also a great anti-inflammatory. When choosing blue berries, make sure to choose the darker colored ones as those have more of the antioxidants in them.

2. Salmon-All fish include protein, vitamins and minerals that are important to your body, but oily fish such as salmon also contain Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids can be beneficial to your body in a variety of ways. First, these fatty acids help to reduce the risk of heart disease and blood clotting. Second, Omega 3 fatty acids can help decrease inflammation and help with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Finally, Omega 3 fatty acids are brain food that can help reduce memory loss, prevent depression and protect against the onset of dementia. When eating salmon, make sure it is wild and not a farmed salmon.

3. Broccoli-Eating broccoli is valuable to your health because it is one of the most nutrient dense foods known. It contains many sources of antioxidants including folate, which can help prevent heart disease and birth defects. In addition, broccoli also contains lutein which helps with vision and lowers the risk of cataracts. Broccoli also boosts the immune system, builds bones and plays a role in the prevention of cancer. To preserve all of the nutrients, steaming is the best way to cook broccoli.

4. Spinach- Along with broccoli, spinach is also a very nutrient dense food. In fact, there are many similarities between the two foods. Spinach has also been shown to help build bones, boost the immune system, and prevent cataracts, heart disease and cancer. Other known benefits include boosting energy, regulating blood sugar levels and helping reduce wrinkles. And it’s great for weight loss because 1 cup of spinach only contains 40 calories!

5. Nuts-While eating nuts can be advantageous to the body in more than one way, one of the most important reasons to eat this food is to help your heart. Nuts can help to lower the bad type of cholesterol in the blood (Low Density Lipoproteins-LDL), reduce the risk of developing blood clots and improve the health of the lining of arteries. Nuts are packed full of fiber, unsaturated (“good”) fats and vitamin E, just to name a few. Most, but not all nuts also have Omega 3 fatty acids. When eating nuts, make sure to limit the amount you eat per day, because nuts are high in calories.

Other great options for “Super Foods” include beans, tomatoes, turkey, eggs, kiwis, sweet potatoes, apricots, yogurt, oats, avocados, cinnamon, garlic, apples and green or black tea. So help your body out and make sure to include some of these “Super” foods in your diet each and every day.

Sources:

www.mayoclinic.com
www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs
www.ehow.com/about_5118464_definition-super-foods.html

Most people who consume energy drinks do so for an increase of energy. What many consumers don’t know is that an energy drink also increases their heart rate and blood pressure level. This increase is attributed to the multiple additives in energy drinks. Additives such as:

• Caffeine
• Taurine
• Ginseng
• Guarana
• Gingko
• Glucuronolactone

The most common of these additives is caffeine, which may also be considered the most popular mood-altering drug in the United States.

Caffeine may also be found in many other types of foods and beverages, but in much smaller quantities. For example, some energy drinks contain about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee and twice as much as a can of cola – despite having about 40 percent less liquid per serving than the soda pop. This is because energy drinks are usually consumed as a cold beverage similar to soft drinks and packaged for rapid consumption, whereas coffee is usually served as a hot beverage and consumed more slowly.

Many consumers view caffeine as a relatively benign drug that results in some improvements of mental and physical performance – including memory, reaction time, strength, and endurance. However, what’s not being considered are the adverse effects of caffeine on one’s health when taken in high doses, or the withdrawal symptoms that may be experienced with moderate consumption. The most commonly experienced negative effects of caffeine consumption are:

• Increased anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Increased blood pressure
• Bowel irritability
• Insomnia

If it’s been too long since they have consumed their previous caffeinated beverage, many people can even experience withdrawal symptoms such as:

• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Agitation
• Headaches
• Ringing in the ears

Oftentimes, it’s also not considered how an increased level of caffeine over-stimulates the pancreas to produce extra insulin in an effort to reduce the increase in blood sugar.

With the rising popularity of energy drinks, more serious health problems have been attributed to caffeine and are now being reported to the nation’s poison control centers. These reports include patient symptoms such as:

• Insomnia
• Heart palpitations
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Neurological symptoms

The average age of the patients making these reports is 21.

One last thing to consider is that since caffeine affects each individual differently, each individual needs to take precautions until he/she knows how he/she will be affected. Extra precaution should be taken since there has not been enough reliable research done on the long-term effects of energy drinks on an individual’s health. These precautions for those who consume energy drinks should include all of the following:

• Limit the amount of energy drinks that you consume to no more than two drinks per day.
• Do not mix energy drinks with alcohol.
• If you engage in intense physical activity or exercise, drink water to help rehydrate yourself, not an energy drink.

Perhaps the best precaution may be to avoid energy drinks altogether. There’s a lot of inconclusive data out there, so why take chances with your body.

• Bad Habits. Believe it or not, you have more bad habits than you think. Think about how you bend down to pick something up. Most of us know that we should follow the mantra “lift with your legs, not your back.” But do we truly follow this each time we lift anything- from a fifty pound box to a Kleenex? No matter how heavy (or light) the load, you should always use proper form when bending. This is only one bad habit that can contribute to back pain. How about how you sit at your desk? In your car? All of these habits, though painless at the time, can certainly contribute to an aching back.

• Sleep Position. Most people spent six to eight hours sleeping each day. If you are sleeping in an improper position, you are spending up to a third of the day placing stress on your back. So how should you sleep? Click here to follow a link to an article on sleep position.

• Poor Posture. Poor posture is paramount in low back pain pathology. When you sit, stand, or move with bad posture and position, you are placing unwanted stress on the body. One area that is always under stress from bad posture is your low back. Two factors that result from poor posture are muscle imbalance and lack of flexibility.

• Muscle imbalance. Your body is designed to function with perfect posture. If, like most of us, you tend to slouch, you have muscular imbalances in your body. For example, if you sit or stand with your shoulders slouched, the muscles in the front part of the shoulder girdle, the pectoralis muscles, are always in a shortened position. Therefore, these muscles are tight and inflexible. On the same token, if your shoulders are slouched forward, the musculature in the middle portion of the back are lengthened. Lengthened muscles signify wear, unproductive muscles. If the mid back muscles are not working, the musculature of the low back have to ‘work overtime’ to stabilize and move the body. So even muscles that are not close to the low back can contribute to low back problems.

• Lack of Flexibility. Flexibility of the muscles and tissues of the body is essential for pain free movement. As we age, we tend to lose flexibility in our tissues. This starts a vicious cycle- We lose flexibility which can contribute to pain. When we are in pain, we naturally try to limit movement. If we limit movement, our tissues become even more inflexible… and so on. Stretching and movement will help maintain or gain this much needed flexibility.

• Core strength myths. We have all seen the ads on television. Use this machine just minutes a day and get a six pack!! There are a few problems with this scenario. First of all, any exercise done for just minutes a day will not magically drop inches from your waistline. Second, if you have a layer of unwanted fat covering those abs, you must do a combination of cardiovascular exercise and calorie restriction to lose fat. The third problem with this mentality is that all abdominal exercises will magically cure low back pain. The ‘six pack muscles’, or the rectus abdominus, are responsible for trunk movement. They have very little function for protecting the low back from injury. Your deep abdominal muscles, your transverse abdominus, multifidus and oblique muscles work to stabilize the spine and pelvis which provides support. To engage these core stabilizing muscles, sit or stand tall and draw your belly button in toward your spine. Holding this movement with any activity or inactivity will help to develop muscular endurance of the inner core unit.

• Inactivity. We are all familiar with the phrase, ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it!’ This phrase is certainly true for the tissues of the body. If you are sedentary, you will lose muscle strength and tone. Muscles are largely responsible for movement and stability of the skeletal structure. Without this strength, we are not providing much needed support to our spine. Inactivity also leads to a loss of flexibility to our muscles and connective tissues. Circulation is also compromised with inactivity and this can cause our bodies to feel stiff and sore.

• Overweight. Gaining extra weight can add to any aches and pains that you may have. As discussed earlier, inactivity can cause increased levels of back pain. Inactivity can also lead to weight gain if caloric demands are exceeded. Often times an injury, such as back pain, can cause us to decrease the amount of calories we burn in a day simply because movement causes pain and our response is to limit any activity that causes pain. If you are burning fewer calories because of this inactivity, you need to consume fewer calories in order to maintain an even energy balance. Any calorie surplus can lead to weight gain and weight gain can lead to more pain.

• Footwear. Proper footwear can affect how we move and how our body interactions with the ground. If your footwear is old and worn out, it is no longer effectively cushioning your body as you move. Inserts or orthotics can help to increase shock absorption and correct the alignment of the body to protect the joints of the body including the spine.

• Old injuries. Whether you still have pain or not, old injuries can affect how your back feels. If you have injured an area of the lower body, the knee or ankle for example, you may have altered your gait (the way you walk) to protect your injured joint. This altered gait pattern can cause muscle imbalances and lead to back pain. Working to correct these imbalances and make sure you completely rehabilitate your injuries can reduce the effect these old injuries have on your body.

As you may have noticed, a lot of the items listed in the TOP 10 work together. For example, inactivity can lead to muscle imbalances, lack of flexibility, weight gain and poor posture. Because of this, it is easy for back pain to spiral out of control. Starting with the basics like posture and stretching can help turn this downward spiral around. If you have questions on how you can protect yourself, check out the TIPS web site or contact us today for a personalized corrective exercise assessment.

According to the ACSM Health and Fitness Journal, Using the Transtheoretical Model to Promote Physical Activity (ACSM’S Health & Fitness Journal: July/August 2010 – Volume 14 – Issue 4 – pp 8-13 doi: 10.1249/FIT.0b013e3181e37e11) there are 5 stages to create change. Dr’s. Prochaska and DiClemente titled the stages:

A. Precontemplation
B. Contemplation
C. Preparation
D. Action
E. Maintenance

Precontemplation is before you even begin thinking about making the change and Contemplation is when you start thinking about making the change. Purchasing things so that you can begin your change is Preparation, Action is actually doing your activity, and Maintenance is after 6 months of constant action phase.

Many will find themselves stuck in contemplation or preparation phases or even wavering between different stages. The good news is that there is hope and your motivation will return. A few things to keep in mind when you begin any lifestyle changes are to always check with your doctor and know your limits.

A few suggestions to ramp up your motivation level include:

Understand the benefits of exercise: Exercise may not mean much to you if it is something that you feel you “have” to do, but if you can see or feel the benefits, that may be enough to jump start your motivation.

Make it fun: No one wants to do things that they don’t like to do. If you find activities that you enjoy you will be much more likely to stick with your program! Incorporate a friend into your activity. It will give you a chance to catch up over a 30 min walk. If you want to meet new people, join a class and exercise together.

Set Goals: Be sure that your goals follow the SMART principle. Your goals should be:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose 20 pounds, but make it more specific and keep it realistic. You can even set smaller goals within each of your SMART goals to help avoid feeling overwhelmed. Remember, it’s ok to start small.

Keep track of your activity: Keeping a daily log will help you remain accountable to yourself and also act as motivation. It’s always nice to compare where you started and where you are now. You don’t always remember the first time you tried to lift weights and you could only do 5 reps at 5 pounds. An activity log will remind you of that fact when you’re doing 15 reps at 50 pounds.

Keep it simple: If you are a person that is on the road a lot, find things that you can take along with you if there is no workout facility. There are plenty of fitness DVD’s that you can play in your computer. There are exercise bands that are small enough to pack in your luggage and you can always use water bottles as added weight rather than packing your 50 pound weights in your bag. Every little bit adds up.

Don’t take on an “All or Nothing” attitude: The reality is that you will experience ups and downs in everything you attempt. There will be plateaus in weight loss or weight lifting. You will occasionally get sick. Something will undoubtedly come up at the office and keep you late. Don’t let these deter you from your goal. They are setbacks not failures. Roll with them!

Remember that starting out with smaller goals is ok and an occasional setback is not a reason to quit. No matter what you choose to do, make it fun for yourself. You’ll be more likely to stick with your activity.

Sources:

http://top7business.com/?id=460

http://zenhabits.net/31-ways-to-motivate-yourself-to-exercise/

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-motivation

First, most local and national government purchasing agencies track and/or have programs for doing business with women business owners. Having WBE Certification is the only way the purchasing agents have confidence that a business representing itself as woman-owned is in fact woman-owned.

Second, in a similar manner many publicly-held corporations, as well as larger private corporations, also track and have programs for doing business with women-owned vendor companies. They, too, rely on WBE Certification.

To view a brief clip, please click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgGDJRuyDN0

All of our DVD’s provide interactive “Move With Us” training and are designed to teach people, at the physical as well as mental learning level, how to move and position themselves better to reduce injuries and feel their best. Each video comes with a handout that you can copy for your employees (in accordance with specified guidelines) and instructions for use which outline how to get the most out of your video. We also provide an opportunity to speak with a TIPS Injury Prevention Specialist to problem solve use of the DVD for your specific needs. Most of the DVD’s also include “Practice Pauses” for further practicing identified skills. There is an additional handout with directions for each practice pause to assure your employees have all the tools they need to make full use of the opportunities for improvements each DVD provides.

The following DVD’s are 25 – 50 minutes in length with breaks to allow use with shorter time periods if needed.

View all DVD clips on our YouTube®
Channel

Positioned for Safety: How to Use Your Body Without Using It Up!

This presentation will teach you how to better understand your movement and how to feel when
you are, and when you are not, using your body correctly. Practice positioning and movement
corrections that will have you feeling better and reducing your injury risk with all your
activities. View Clip 1 View Clip 2

Beyond Legs: Lifting Done Right

Participants will be guided through a process of improving their movement and developing
a physical understanding of how correct movement feels and how it helps their joints. Through
this presentation, participants will also practice correcting root cause contributors to
poor lifting technique and methods for making changes specific to you and your lifestyle.
This is not your typical lifting tape! View Clip 1 View Clip 2

TIPS Active Stretching

This unique approach to stretching warms up and stretches virtually all of the muscles and
joints in the body in the time it takes to stretch less than 30 muscles with traditional
stretching. Note: There are more than 639 skeletal muscles in the body. Active stretching
is a great tool for improving circulation, reducing the incidence of inflammatory joint
conditions, reducing muscle tension and improving function. If you want a stretching program
that truly gets the job done – this is it! Employees often comment that they get great results
with active stretching and you can do them virtually anywhere! View Clip 1 View Clip 2

Smart TIPS for Healthy Shoulders

This presentation educates participants through their own movement. As employees feel changes
in their own comfort through corrective movement, they are able to identify the benefits
for themselves. This simple approach to gaining improved shoulder and upper body function
and comfort is a must have for any safety video library. View Clip 1 View Clip 2

Smart TIPS for a Healthy Low Back

Participants practice new movement and positioning patterns that improve function in multiple “on
the job” and “at home” activities. This will benefit them and their employer every day.
We make needed corrections all over the body to help alleviate stress placed on the low
back. Whether your employees are sitting at a desk or working on a railcar, this training
video will help take care of the low back. View Clip 1 View Clip 2

Smart TIPS for Healthy Knees

Our knee training is designed to balance the forces on the knee and unload the weight on
this problematic joint through improved positioning, large muscle function, enhanced movement
patterns, and easy “do anywhere” exercises (no equipment needed). View Clip 1 View Clip 2