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**LET'S TALK**

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| ##### WINTER 2008 HEALTHY BODIES ● SOUND MINDS ● A SAFE PLACE TO WORK |
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**Sidetrack Your Stress**

If you're like most Americans, you deal with stress on a daily basis.

Stress can come from good things---perhaps an upcoming wedding or a
promotion---or

bad things, like out-of-control debt or legal problems. Either way, it
can cause physical ailments--- such as headaches, sleep disorders,
backaches, fatigue, irritability, upset stomach, and high blood
pressure---along with mental and emotional symptoms such as depression
and anxiety.

**Stress Checkers**

Nobody can avoid stress altogether, and a certain amount actually is
good for you. It helps

you react quickly and can be an effective motivator. But it's best to
keep unhealthy levels in check.

These strategies can help you reduce and manage your stressors:

 **Make a list of things in your life that cause you stress**.

Becoming aware of your stressors can give you an idea of what causes you
to tense up.

Then try to avoid those situations or handle them differently in the
future.

 **Put fitness first.** Exercise at least five days a week, but make it
enjoyable. Aerobic

workouts---walking, cycling, swimming, or running---can help relax those
too-tight muscles

and produce endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that can help
counteract stress.

 **Learn how to relax.**

Deep-breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, visualization, or listening
to relaxation tapes

can help you decompress.

 **Get enough sleep**. Lack of sleep can add to stress levels by
increasing fatigue and

reducing your ability to cope.

 **Avoid alcohol and drugs.** Using them to unwind only masks symptoms
and can

worsen stress.

**Build loving relationships and supportive networks.**

The warmth of human connection to friends, neighbors, and coworkers is a
great buffer

for stress.

**Seek Support**

You may not always be able to handle stress on your own. If you're often
depressed or you

drink more alcohol than you should, you could be at the point where you
need outside

support---especially if your family life is affected by your behavior.

At the workplace, your FOH Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help
you find ways to deal with stress in your life.

Even if you don't feel stressed, the EAP can help you develop
stress-reduction strategies so

you're better able to cope when life throws a curve ball.

**Want to learn more?** Visit The American Institute of Stress Web site
at **www.stress.org.**

Are You a Chronic Procrastinator?

If you're like most people, you've probably put off more than one task
that feels daunting.

The problem with delaying action is that it often adds to your stress
level. Procrastination can become a habit, and the longer you put
something off the harder it becomes to get started.

Here are a few ideas that may help.

**Say "Good-bye" to Excuses**

Make a commitment to giving up the excuses that give you permission to
put things off. But never beat yourself up if you don't move ahead.

Catch yourself in the "act" of procrastination, and when you do, ask
yourself, "Does this get me closer to my goal?"

**Plan Early and Often**

Break big goals into smaller, easily attainable goals. And put it in
writing. That will help you feel like you've started and you're on your
way.

**Develop a Tool Kit**

Write a daily "to-do" list. Use concrete reminders to build confidence.
Take advantage of time management and goal setting tools such as
electronic scheduling programs or even

sticky notes.

The simplest way to overcome procrastination is to take action. Take
your first step today.

Late-Breaking Health News

**\>\> Taking three or four short, brisk walks throughout the day can
lower blood** **pressure** for people with prehypertension the same
amount as does taking one 40-minute walk.

Prehypertension is an elevated blood pressure level that typically
progresses to high blood pressure. A person has prehypertension when the
systolic blood pressure ranges from 120 to 139 millimeters of mercury
(mm Hg) or the diastolic pressure ranges from 80 to 89 mm Hg.

A study, published in the Journal of Hypertension, found people with
prehypertension who walked on a treadmill continuously for 40 minutes,
and those who walked four times for 10 minutes over the course of 3.5
hours, both experienced a drop of systolic blood pressure of 5.4 to 5.6
mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of 3.2 mm Hg. A reduction of 5 mm Hg
in systolic blood pressure has been reported to substantially reduce
mortality and reduce the incidence of stroke and coronary heart disease.

*Source: Journal of Hypertension, September 2006*

***WINTER 2008** 2*

\>\> **People who live past 100 keep up with the latest trends and lead
healthy lifestyles.** Evercare, a health insurance plan that specializes
in older people, polled 100 people 100 years of age or older about their
secrets of successful aging. Their responses included keeping up with
current events, having healthy habits, and holding spirituality

in high regard. Eighty-two percent of respondents said their dietary
habits had improved or stayed the same, compared with 50 years ago. They
avoided smoking, exercised regularly, kept active, and ate a balanced
diet.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates there are now more than 80,000
Americans 100 years of age or older. That number is expected to rise to
more than 580,000 by 2040.

**\>\> Owning a pet can ward off depression, lower blood pressure, boost
immunity and reduce the risk for allergies.** According to a study
published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, if a dog
lived in the home, 19 percent of infants had pet allergies, compared
with 33 percent among those who didn't have pets. Children with dogs
also had higher levels of some immune chemicals---a sign of stronger
immune system activation.

In another study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a
cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations
than did brokers without pets. Finally, according to several other
studies, heart attack patients who have pets also survive longer than
those with no pets.

*Sources: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. September
2006; February 2007;*

*Current Directions in Psychological Science, December 2006*

**CMS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services**

Are you planning your retirement or caring for a loved one who receives
Medicare benefits?

You should know that Medicare offers many preventive services. Some of
these benefits include:

Cardiovascular screening

Smoking cessation (counseling to quit smoking)

Cancer screenings

Flu shots

Please check with your physician to determine your risks and if the
beneficiary will be responsible for any out-of-pocket costs.

To learn more about what Medicare offers and get other important
information, visit

**www.medicare.gov**, register for **MyMedicare.gov**, or call
**800-MEDICARE**

**(800-633-4227).**

**National Health Observances**

NOVEMBER 27 to DECEMBER 3

National Influenza Vaccination Week,

**www.cdc.gov/flu**

JANUARY

National Glaucoma Awareness Month,

**www.preventblindness.org**

FEBRUARY 14

National Donor Day,

**www.organdonor.gov**

***WINTER 2008** 3*

**Federal Information Links**

\> The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports,
**www.fitness.gov**

\> Healthier US, **www.healthierus.gov**

\> MyPyramid.gov (USDA), **www.mypyramid.gov**

\> National Diabetes Education Program, **http://ndep.nih.gov**

\> National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, **www.nhlbi.nih.gov**

\> Small Step (HHS), **www.smallstep.gov**

\> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, **www.hhs.gov**

\> National Institutes of Health, **www.nih.gov**

**Birds of a Feather**

***Obesity Spreads Through Social Networks***

Nobody will argue that a cold is contagious. But obesity?

Forget pandemic paranoia, there is a new kind of germ to watch out for:
the social contagion.

New research reported in *The New England Journal of Medicine's* July
2007 issue traced obesity (measured by body mass index \[BMI\] over 30)
through social networks.

Here's what they found. The probability of becoming obese increased by:

37 percent if your spouse is obese

40 percent if your sibling is obese

57 percent if your friend is obese

71 percent if your friend of the same sex is obese

**It Takes a Village**

Don't trash your "black book"---you need friends. In fact, this new
research highlights how important the support of family and friends is.
And it validates what most of us already know: You can't lose weight
ALONE.

How do friends influence weight gain? There are a number of
possibilities. If someone you care about gains weight, you might become
more accepting of weight gain not only in

him or her but also in yourself.

Also, friends share beliefs, philosophies, and habits. If those shared
beliefs include over indulgence in unhealthy foods and under-involvement
in physical activity, the shared

pounds can accumulate quickly.

***WINTER 2008** 4*

**Social Antidote**

What kind of inoculation could possibly work for an epidemic spread by
friendship? The social antidote.

Here are some tips.

Take an honest look at your health, habits, and weight. Then discuss
them with friends

and family. But keep it about YOU.

Keep the topic visible. Obesity is not a handicap (though it's the
root of some

disabilities); it is an important health issue. Talk about it. But, be
sensitive to those

already disabled due to obesity and do not criticize or judge.

Learn your BMI. Tell others. Volunteer to help a friend learn his or
her BMI.

Make a plan. If your goal is to maintain or reduce weight, talk about
it with friends, even

if they are overweight.

Commit to increasing activity and healthy eating, and ask your social
group to support

and join you. As your health improves and habits change, your improved
habits will have

a positive influence on your friends and family.

Your workplace Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available. Your EAP
can help you and

your family tackle these and other difficult issues. See the contact
information on the last page.

*Source: The New England Journal of Medicine, July 2007*

**Muscle Up with Mind Games**

Most fitness classes expect you to show up in sweats, shorts, or
sneakers. But some new workout programs just want you to put on your
thinking cap.

Across the country, adults are doing exercises designed to firm up their
mental muscles in the same way push-ups or jumping jacks result in
better physical condition.

What prompted this surge in cerebral calisthenics? It's the discovery
that people's brains don't necessarily deteriorate with age, as
scientists once believed. In fact, new research

is showing the more mentally active people are, the better their brains
seem to work.

In the new mental workouts, people may challenge themselves with
brainteasers, board games, or three-dimensional puzzles, such as
estimating the number of jelly beans in a jar. They may try to do
something familiar in a different way, like writing with the opposite
hand. Or they may do something they've never done, such as listen to a
new kind of

music, learn a new language, or take up a new hobby.

**A Game Plan**

Here are some suggestions to help you get into the new "game":

Take up chess, cribbage, backgammon, or bridge.

Enroll in a course in Greek, Chinese, or Portuguese.

Learn to play the piano or write a short story.

Sign up for ballroom dancing or tai chi.

Study oil painting or metal sculpting.

Volunteer to teach English to immigrants.

Prepare a dish you've never made before.

***WINTER 2008** 5*

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| The FOH Federal Consortium EAP provides assessment, counseling,       |
| referral, training,                                                   |
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| and consultation to federal employees and agencies throughout the     |
| United States.                                                        |
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| For administrative details about the program, contact Doug Mahy at    |
| **214-767-3030** or email **dmahy@psc.gov**. To visit us on the Web,  |
| go to www.FOH4You.com.                                                |
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| Help available all day, all week, all year.                           |
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| This newsletter is brought to you by **Federal Occupational Health    |
| (FOH),** U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).          |
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| To request an electronic copy of this newsletter or change your       |
| newsletter delivery options, contact Haydee Gelpi at 954-776-6500 or  |
| email hgelpi@psc.gov.                                                 |
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| Information published in Let's Talk is the opinion of the sourced     |
| authors. Personal decisions regarding health, finance, exercise, and  |
| other matters should be made after consultation with the reader's     |
| professional advisors. All models used for illustrative purposes      |
| only. © 2007. All editorial rights reserved.                          |
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**Federal Occupational Health (FOH)**

The Occupational Health Provider of Choice for the Federal Government

The mission of FOH is to improve the health, safety, and productivity of
the federal workforce. Created by Congress in 1946, FOH is a
non-appropriated service agency within the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS). FOH offers a full range of occupational health
services -- including Clinical, Wellness/Fitness, Employee Assistance
Program (EAP), Work/Life, Organizational Development, and Environmental
Health and Safety programs- exclusively to federal employees.

***Visit FOH on the web at www.foh.dhhs.gov, or call 800-457-9808.***

***WINTER 2008** 6*