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Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Saving grocery money

Groceries can be expensive, and trying to save money is often time-consuming (e.g. cutting coupons and making multiple trips to the store to avoid waste). One easy way to save on your grocery bill, while also eating healthy food, is to shop for fruits and veggies that are in-season. Another added benefit is in-season produce tastes better.

In-season fruits and veggies are easy on your wallet because when there's an abundance, it brings the overall price down. Also, when produce is local, it costs less to package and deliver to the store. It's even good for the environment to shop in-season produce, since less gas is used to transport produce.

To find out what vegetables and fruits are in season in your area, visit www.sustainabletable.org/seasonalguide/seasonalfoodguide.php.

Many popular fruits and vegetables are grown with the use of pesticides, but some contain more pesticide residue than others. While you should rinse all produce with water before eating, consider spending more time washing fruits like apples, peaches nectarines and strawberries, as these often have the highest levels of pesticide residue.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

Keep Your Heart Pumping

Take time to think about your heart and keeping it healthy. Conditions that can increase your chances of heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Cigarette smoking, tobacco, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption can also adversely affect your heart health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a few simple preventive measures to help ward off heart problems.

Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day

Reduce consumption of foods high in fat, cholesterol and salt

Maintain a healthy weight

Include at least 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise in your daily routine

Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and if you have diabetes, manage it as recommended by your doctor

Don't start smoking, or if you already smoke, consider quitting

Recognize the signs of a heart attack, and call 911 immediately

When you know the risks of heart disease and symptoms of a heart attack, you can help protect your heart.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

TIP #8

Fittest Loser Tip of the week

How to Breakdown Food and Nutrition Labels

As you and your family strive to eat healthier, it's important to be aware of what's in the food you're consuming. The best way to know is to read the nutrition facts on food labels.

The following information on labels will help you understand how much is in a portion and how this compares to recommended intake:

Serving size - The serving size lists the recommended amount to be eaten by a single person. The rest of the nutrition facts are based on this amount.

Calories and calories from fat - Especially important if you're trying to lose or maintain weight, these numbers tell you how many calories are in each serving and where it's coming from.

Percent daily values - Based on the recommended consumption of 2,000 calories a day, this value indicates how the food product compares to recommended amounts.

When reading ingredients on a product label, keep in mind that ingredients are listed in descending order. Ingredients with the greatest amount will be listed first, followed by ingredients used in lesser amounts.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

TIP #9

Fittest Loser Tip of the week

Demystifying Blood Pressure Readings

A blood pressure reading has measurements for two kinds of blood pressure: systolic pressure, which is the pressure in arteries when your heart muscle contracts, and diastolic pressure, which is the pressure in your blood when your heart rests between beats. These two types of pressure are measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A blood pressure measurement has systolic pressure listed first and diastolic pressure listed second.

There may be cause for concern if your systolic measurement is between 120 and 139 mm Hg, or if your diastolic measurement is between 80 and 89 mm Hg. While these levels are not considered high, you may have pre-hypertension - which is a sign that you may need to adopt healthier habits.

A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg is considered high. Generally, if you have high blood pressure, you may also be diagnosed with hypertension. Hypertension significantly increases your chances of heart disease and stroke. A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. But, even if you have normal blood pressure, it's important to take preventive measures to decrease your risk of developing problems in the future.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

TIP #10

Fittest Loser Tip of the week

How to Catch Up on Zzzzz's

Many people fall short of the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night. With busy schedules, it may be tempting to stay up late, but sleep is an important factor in overall health. A good night's sleep allows bodies to rest, repair cells and fight off illness.

Insufficient sleep can cause many negative side effects, including drowsiness, loss of productivity and impaired judgment. In addition, losing sleep can affect mood and increase the risk of accidents and injury.

Long-term side effects include weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Your lifestyle, schedule and stress can affect how much sleep you get each night. If you're having trouble sleeping, here are several tips:

Stick to a schedule to help regulate your body's internal clock

Exercise

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine

Establish a relaxing bedtime routine

Keep the TV out of your room as bright light can interfere with your natural sleep cycle

Have comfortable bedding and pillows

Keep your bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

TIP #11

Fittest Loser Tip of the week

How to Pack a Healthy Lunch

Eating out can be a quick and easy lunchtime solution during busy workdays, but that convenience comes at a cost. Many fast food options are low in nutrients and high in empty calories. Luckily, a little planning goes a long way, and you don't need to spend a lot of extra time planning and packing healthy lunches for work.

A salad or sandwich can be prepared in just a few minutes the night before. When preparing a salad, be sure to pack the dressing separately so the lettuce doesn't get soggy!

To make a healthy and filling sandwich, use hearty whole grain bread, and focus on combining a variety of vegetables with lean protein. Skip the mayo as it packs 94 calories per tablespoon and use a healthier spread instead. Avocado spread is only 29 calories per tablespoon; Dijon mustard is 15 calories per tablespoon and olive tapenade is 25 calories per tablespoon.

And don't forget to bring a snack, such as an apple, in case you become hungry later.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

TIP #12

Fittest Loser Tip of the week

Stop Sick Days

When you're sick, you have to deal with visits to the doctor's office, bottles of medication and days in bed recovering. Wouldn't it be easier to just stay healthy in the first place? If you're not a fan of medication schedules and hospitals, you should consider the powerful role that preventive care can play in keeping you healthy.

The most important part of preventing disease and illness is healthy habits, including a balanced diet, sufficient sleep and enough exercise. Going to the doctor for recommended checkups and screenings is also a key factor in identifying and treating potential health problems before they develop or worsen. Recommendations vary depending on your age and gender, and sources such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer guidelines for various preventive screenings and tests.

Due to recent health care reform, you may be able to receive many preventive services at no cost. Non-grandfathered health plans are required to cover a variety of preventive services. Check out what's covered by your insurance and take advantage of preventive care that can keep you and your family healthy.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: How to set goals

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: The 10 Minute Workout

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Keeping your heart healthy

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Understanding nutrition labels

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: How to interpret blood pressure numbers

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Getting sleep

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Packing healthy lunch

Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Preventing sick days

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