Research indicates that people who exercise on a regular basis have better mental health and emotional well-being. So why are you sitting there?!

Exercise, as we know, is great for our physical health. It helps to keep our hearts in good shape and our weight under control. In general, we are lowering the overall risk of heart disease. However, being active has a knock on affect that is often overlooked as it is also a powerful mood booster and stress buster.

Working out doesn’t only exercise the body it also lowers the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn helps relieve feelings of anxiety. It encourages the brain to release endorphins and serotonin which are often referred to as the bodies’ feel-good chemicals because of the positive impact on mental health. So it is easy to see how exercise is not only helping you keep physically fit but also having a positive effect on your mental health.

Sleep

By exercising regularly the likelihood is that you will sleep better. Poor sleep quality and mood disorders have been closely linked. Sleeping well boosts cognition because your body works to support healthy brain function while you sleep.

Self-esteem

People who are active often report feeling a sense of achievement which in turn increases their self-esteem. When we make new year’s resolutions and stick to them this gives us a sense of empowerment and control over our lives with an increased ability to cope.

Social benefits

Not only does exercise give you the chance to try new experiences such as walking, gym, cycling and dance classes, it provides the perfect opportunity to socialise and meet new friends. When meeting new people and experiencing new situations, the mood is enhanced accordingly.

Energy boost.

Being more active increases your fitness and your energy levels and this also has the positive impact on your mental well-being.

Don’t be put off.

When you think of exercise you probably have a vision of working out in the sweaty gym toiling away! However, research has indicated that just 30 minutes of moderate to intensive working out each day can provide significant benefits to overall well-being. So forget the gym, put on the walking shoes and go for a quarter of an hours walk at lunchtime, and a quarter of an hours walk in the evening - whatever suits you!

The brain loves exercise.

There is a benefit to taking your first walk of the day before you go to work. Exercise pumps blood to the brain which increases your ability to think clearly. This will have clear benefits when you arrive at your place of work with a clear mind and an action plan.

In conclusion, regular exercise is a no-brainer, it is simply a matter of making it part of your daily routine because the benefits are enormous.

Remember Mayfair, we care.

Obesity is in the news again and that is because it is more than a surface issue; it is an international, detrimental health risk.

Obese individuals are at higher risk of premature death as opposed to average-weight individuals.

Why?

Obesity is linked to numerous acute health risks among them:    

• ·       Diabetes   
• ·       High B.P
• ·       Stroke/Heart disease
• ·       Gallbladder disease and gallstones
• ·       Cancer
• ·       Sleep apnea    

Doctors unanimously consent with the fact that the more obese an individual is, the higher their risk to health problems. Individuals who are overweight may benefit from numerous health benefits by losing excess weight.

Many doctors recommend that anyone who is slightly above their normal weight limit (20 %) ought to work on shedding off excess weight particularly if they exhibit the following risk factors:    

Chronic ailments family history:

Individuals whose family has a previous history of diabetes or heart disease should be cautious since they are susceptible to developing these conditions especially if overweight.    

Pre-existent ailments:

High cholesterol levels of cholesterol, as well as blood sugar, or even high B.P are among various signs that can hint obesity-related diseases.   

 "Apple" shapes:

Individual whose weight is mainly concentrated just around the tummy might be at a higher risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, as well as cancer compared to other individuals of similar weight but who are otherwise ‘pear’ shaped (weight is concentrated more on their butt and hips).    

Fortunately, even the slightest loss of weight can inspire substantial health improvements like bringing down the cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

So here are some of the most common health risks of obesity:    

•  Stroke and Heart Disease     

Stroke as well as heart disease rank as among the most prominent causes of disability and even death for individuals in the USA. Obese individuals are more likely to suffer from high B.P, which is a significant risk factor for stroke as well as heart disease.    

Significantly high cholesterol levels may also result in heart disease not to mention it is often associated with obesity. Being overweight is also a primary contributor to angina (pain in the chest resulting from reduced oxygen to the heart.) as well as suddenly succumbing to stroke or heart disease without any symptoms or signs.     Luckily, shedding off a little weight can bring down your chances of developing stroke or heart disease. Cutting down your weight even by the slightest of percentages can bring down your chances of heart disease development.    

•  Diabetes  

 Type 2 diabetes compromises the ability of your body to regulate blood sugar. Diabetes is a significant contributor to heart disease, blindness, stroke, as well as early death. Overweight individuals are twice more susceptible to developing diabetes (type 2) as opposed to healthy weight individuals. To diminish your chances of getting diabetes, you should exercise more and lose some excess weight.      Alternatively, if you already have diabetes, shedding excess weight as well as getting in shape can help in regulating levels of blood sugar. Furthermore, boosting your overall physical activity can similarly help you minimize the diabetes medication you are taking.    

•  Cancer    

 •  Sleep Apnea    

This is an adverse breathing condition that is closely allied to obesity. This ailment can lead to heavy snoring not to mention a person stopping to breathe for short time frames during their sleep. Moreover, sleep apnea can also cause daytime sleepiness as well as heart failure.     Susceptibility to sleep apnea goes synonymously with the increase in body weight. Therefore, weight loss alleviates sleep apnea.    

Summary:   

While there are numerous health risks and risk factors associated with obesity, the good news, however, is that you can regulate them by changing your lifestyle. If you are suffering from obesity, you can benefit from a weight-loss program from your physician. With an objective of shedding between 5 and 10% of your present body weight, you can effectively reduce your risk of developing any obesity-related health risk.    

Mayfair, we care.

Source Links:   

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000348.htm    https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/health_risks_associated_with_obesity

Are you planning to live a better life in 2018? Then start by being true to yourself and change your mindset by making incremental changes. Instead of aiming for impossible goals and holding yourself captive of your own making, having a fresh and organised approach is your best approach. Planning and aiming for feasible and achievable options are far better for both physical and mental health.

Does It begin with me?

Yes. It begins with you. Changing the mindset is the foundation of a successful fitness plan. If you believe that working out or having to check what you eat is no fun then you are setting yourself up for failure! The moment you decide to change your mind; you change your body. It is for this reason you need to alter your mindset and create a sense of positivity within you.

What do I have to eat?

By now you probably have some idea of what is right for your body. It is important to note that lean protein and veggies are good for the body. And truth be told, giving yourself something to look forward to is good too. The piece of cake and drink once in a while, and having some friends come to visit is also a vital component of a healthy living.

Forget the strict diet plans and do some research on the best foods for your body type.

Make sure you avoid eating too little because this will slow down your metabolism when working out. Increase your energy levels by sensibly, cut out snacking and then exercise to burn any excess calories.

It is on that note that we pose the question:

Are successful people more fit, or are fit people more successful?

Statistics show that successful people are very motivated and it is from this drive that they choose to become fitter as their personality is also affected by the whole process.

When the human body is physically active, it releases endorphin known as Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF). This enables you to think more clearly and also make better decisions in life and in business. Try it. It works!

Working out increases the level of BDNF in your brain hence enabling heightened cognitive functions which are a great remedy for mental health. Physical and mental fitness is basically having more energy and stamina, including staying healthier all year round.

A significant number of top executives believe that physical fitness is critical to career success. They further explain that being overweight can be a serious career obstacle that most people would prefer to avoid.

How do I plan for the rewards?

Physical movement is rewarded by chemical systems inside our brain. It is therefore important to combine good nutrition with planned physical activity.

When you feel good you increase the chances of a healthy mindset making you better able to cope with workouts and diets that might previously have been daunting. It’s never late for transformation because in life the only constant we know of is change and incremental change creates positive habits in a stress-free way.

Be aware that the improvements will be gradual and don’t expect too much too soon but over time you will begin to notice significant changes in work performance, productivity, physical fitness and mental sharpness.

Good luck and remember Mayfair, we care

Being proactive about employee fitness is the latest development at many workplaces – and for all the right reasons.

Employers are realizing the importance of incorporating this important aspect of life into their organisations and one of the primary reasons for this development is to improve productivity. 

A fit and healthy employee can do more tasks more efficiently than one who is not physically and mentally fit and not suffer from the absenteeism often resulting from poor mental and physical health with its resultant impact on productivity.

However, busy people pursuing their careers and balancing a family life can make health and fitness goals a secondary priority due to time constraints.

Statistics

The stats about work and fitness tell it all. Did you know that 61% of employees are mentally and physically drained in their jobs?

Most of them suffer from this condition as a result of continuous work without taking rests or any other form of physical or mental relief.

In a study it was found that the top five causes of missed workdays are fatigue, sleeplessness, general body aches, anxiety and weight gain. Companies are spending billions of money dealing with all these work-related health issues. When asked about workplace fitness programs, 77% of employees said that they would work out more if their employer introduced fitness equipment such as treadmills in their workplace.

These types of statistics have motivated employers to introduce work and wellness programs at their workplaces. Such programs are designed to meet diverse needs of employees, keeping in mind that different people have different health needs.

Let’s look at some of the health and fitness programs that are popular with employees.

Workplace fitness centres

Forget the commercial fitness centre in town. Companies are now improvising on the little spare room they have to incorporate on-site fitness centres. Although these centres may not be spacious, they have adequate space that can accommodate a sizable number of
employees.

In addition to the standard workout equipment, such centres can also have rock climbing walls and even swimming pools. To enhance their usage, companies employ specialized fitness trainers to give their employees the much-needed support.

Smoking prevention programs

It’s clear that most companies still have employees who smoke cigarettes. Although it may look like a non-essential issue, the results can be quite damaging, especially to the company’s
productivity due to the health issues that are associated with smoking. The smoking programs that many companies have introduced are aimed at sensitising employees on economic and ethical issues related to smoking.

Yoga programs

Yoga has numerous benefits both to the physical and mental state of the person practicing it. A good percentage of employers have considered including it in their workplace fitness programs. The best thing about yoga classes is that any empty room at the workplace can be used for this program. The classes can be conducted in unoccupied conference rooms, unused offices, and if the weather allows, the rooftops can be perfect venues.

Yoga classes help employees to develop better postures, heal back pain, get rid of stress, and recharge their bodies among others.

Summary

There are many workplace fitness programs and we have just highlighted three of the most popular in this article, but many organisations, both big and small are benefitting from a focus upon employee health and fitness. The good news is that most of them report positive results on how the programs have influenced their productivity and the general performance of their organization.

Mayfair – we care.

With acknowledgements to:

http://press.careerbuilder.com/2017-05-23-Do-American-Workers-Need-a-Vacation-New-CareerBuilder-Data-Shows-Majority-Are-Burned-Out-at-Work-While-Some-Are-Highly-Stressed-or-Both

http://www.treadmillreviews.net/working-out-during-the-workweek/

https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/beginners/how-to/office-yoga

Recreational drugs are those that are taken for leisure purposes or enjoyment instead of for medical reasons. The problem is that they can have a significant effect on work performance and some of their unintended outcomes can be serious. Such drugs include:

· Alcohol

· Crack cocaine

· Synthetic cannabinoids

· Methamphetamine

· Phencyclidine

· Some prescription drugs

· Xanax

Some of the effects of drug use include:

Increased accident rates and injuries at work.

Alcohol is known to impair judgment. This makes you prone to safety hazards in the work place. For instance, you may easily trip and hit your head on a blunt object.

This could lead to immediate loss of consciousness and in serious cases, a blood clot.

Suppose this is not detected early, the injured person is likely to suffer migraines from time to time. This eventually affects performance at work. 

Fatal accidents and premature death.

Some drugs such as Xanax are depressants. As a result, they tend to slow down the brain’s performance.

If the user works in such a place where he or she operates machines and other similar equipment, it is easy to mishandle the machine and in extreme cases this may cause premature death.

Statistics state that 14 % of fatal accidents at the work place are as a result of consumption of depressants. 

Creating tardiness

Sleeping on the job, a condition known as tardiness.

As mentioned earlier, depressants greatly slow down the performance of the brain and there have been examples of cases whereby thieves broke into a certain place under the watch of hired security.

When the matters were looked into, the investigations came to a disheartening conclusion that the security guards had been sleeping on the job. Obviously, these men did not intentionally plan to sleep at the workplace, after all, that is not what they get paid to do.

Reports showed that there was a presence of drugs in their blood systems hence the tardiness. 

Affects concentration

Recreational drugs can interfere with concentration.

Drugs like cocaine are known to cause hallucinations. As a result, a person’s ability to perceive what is actually happening is greatly reduced. The safety dangers for someone under the influence of such drugs at work are obvious

Not as obvious is the potential for theft which may increase which may lead to conflict and insecurity in the workplace environment. Theft will come about when the drug user may opt to steal from his colleagues so as to be able to afford the regular drug usage. When employees do not feel safe their work performance will inevitably be affected. 

CONCLUSION

Recreational drug can leads to accidents accident, ruined careers, loss of jos, ruined relationships and worse.

Some companies have even introduced a new interview method whereby the applicants take a drug test before getting hired. 

If one fails the test he certainly does not get the job. To be on the safe side, avoid the use of recreational drugs.

Seek medical assistance if necessary.

And remember, Mayfair Cares.

Nutritional Supplements have become a global multi-billion pound industry.

Many people know that good nutrition and well- balanced diets are important for the overall good health, but believe that they need supplements in order to achieve the best results.

The truth is, healthy foods can supply the key ingredients nutrients needed in your body, in a way that cannot be duplicated by any one supplement or a combination of supplements.

According to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, people should meet their nutritional needs primarily from nutrient-dense foods, which contain essential vitamins, minerals, fibre, and other naturally occurring substances. 

So Should You Take Nutritional Supplements? Do they do any good? 

While a well-balanced diet is the cornerstone of good health, Research finds our plates lacking some of the essential nutrients, including magnesium, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and D. Also, some people cannot reach the recommended nutrient amounts without using supplements.

Such people may need nutritional supplements depending on their health needs. For example, pregnant women, the elderly and people who are food insecure, facing a risk of nutrient deficiencies.

Not everyone needs them

Always keep in mind that not everyone needs to take supplements. Many of the supplements out there have very active ingredients that may have side effects in the body, especially if taken with other medicines or before surgery. Additionally, they can easily cause problems if you have an existing health condition. 

Since the manufacturers and distributors are the ones responsible for making sure the dietary supplements are safe before they are ready for use, it’s always best to know what you’re taking.

These 4 simple guidelines will help:

·        Read and follow all the instructions carefully. Exceeding your dose than what is recommended can cause harsh side effects.

·        While some dietary supplements are well understood and established, they do not go through a thorough testing procedure as prescription drugs, so you should research and understand the risks and advantages of any supplement you intend to take. 

·        If you are about to undergo any type of surgery, make sure you disclose all the information about your dietary supplements to the doctor. 

Always seek professional advice from your professional health care provider, nutritionist or dietician before making decisions about whether to take a supplement.

They can help determine if taking the supplement would benefit you. In fact, they can easily help you achieve the right balance between nutrients and foods you need.

In summary

Some nutritional supplements can help you get enough vital substances the body needs to function. However, they should be viewed as primarily bridging small nutrient gaps, and not as taking the place of real foods. And before considering the supplements, ensure to consider your individual situation and consult a doctor.

And Remember, Mayfair Cares.

Statistical Sources 

https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DS_WhatYouNeedToKnow.aspx

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/dietary-supplements-do-they-help-or-hurt

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/who-takes-dietary-supplements-and-why/

http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/vitamins-and-supplements/dietary-supplements/vi