Corporate Wellness takes a Turn

Corporate Wellness Takes a Turn

Corporate wellness programs began as a way for employers to cut rising health care costs. Many instituted health assessments and screenings from outside firms and provided that to their employees. Then they began to consider exercise programs, weight loss and smoking cessation programs to make their employees healthier.

Now the focus is on creating a culture where workers are mentally, socially and physically healthy and more engaged. It is now about moving more, eating more mindfully, and generally feeling good by reducing inflammation in the body. Return on investment (ROI) is no longer the primary goal but engagement is number one.

The focus is now addressing emotional needs, stress management, sleep enhancement, work-life balance and much needed social and community connections.

The most immediate return on these new focuses is achieving a healthy weight and an anti-inflammatory diet. Those with a BMI greater than 40 utilize $6500 more dollars per year, those with a BMI greater than 35 utilize $3500 more dollars per year in health care costs.  Exercise has always been a focus but it is singularly ineffective in achieving meaningful success.  Instead, stress management to reduce bad hormones and binge eating at night - (47% of obese people), healthy nutrition education and coaching are the way of the future

Old ways of punitive actions or monetary awards is fading away as we learn more about the human tendencies. As a whole, humans plan poorly for the future, and do not realize that what they do every day ultimately increases their years of morbidity and shortens their lives by as much as 10 years. We do not notice this process of cellular aging from our “infamous fourteen major agers” that need to be addressed to keep the work force productive. ( We have a power point on these infamous fourteen major agers)

Look around and see the proliferation of “independent living”, assisted living, and retirement communities being built. This is happening because as we age, if we do not slow the trajectory of aging, the retirement time of 15 years (65-80) is burdened by chronic diseases. The health portfolio does not match the wealth portfolio. Companies that seek to match these two are able to keep a productive, engaged work force and attract new workers because of the healthy environment.

Advanced Wellness Systems has the team exprtise to address the needs on site and through telemedicine.  Lunch and Learns are always effective and can be entertaining and energizing.

Make your business all that it can be.

Dr. B

Obesity Treatment of Hypertensions

BLOG

Obesity Treatment for Patients with Hypertension

Hypertension affects 1/3 of USA population. 90% unknown cause and 10% have a treatable cause.  This is 100,000,000 people.  Medicine requirements increase with age and obesity.

Participation in a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) has proven beneficial to better control hypertension and or eliminates medications.

We perform or 9-Point Assessment for % muscle, fat, visceral fat, biologic age, waist measurement and BMI. We also provide a comprehensive metabolic profile, a lipid profile, thyroid function ( TSH, free T4,  free T3) and a Epworth Sleepiness Scale as well as a hormone assessment.

As a result of weight loss from our VLCD patients experience a 10-15% decreased risk of heart disease, stroke,  and atrial fibrillation. In addition they are able to decrease or cease their medications thus reducing side effects of the medicine and their cost.

Exercise is important and safe in patients with hypertension if they follow our gradual exercise program of NEAT (non exercise additional thermogenesis), GUMA

( get up and move around – 10,000 steps/ day) and FITT (frequency, intensity, type and time) exercise to build muscle.

We provide healthification navigation to optimize your health portfolio so you can enjoy your wealth portfolio.

Call us to begin a new life style!!!

Dr. B 402-812-8400

Obesity Treatment Is No Longer an Option

Obesity Treatment Is No Longer An Option

People with a BMI above 40 are robbed of 6 ½  years of life. Those higher approach 14 years of lost life. This is complicated by the fact that morbidity (suffering) from obesity decreases the quality of life and enjoyment as the BMI crosses 30. If suffering and death ( 100,000 from obesity per year) ½ the death rate of breast cancer, is not enough BMI people greater than 30 spend $3500 more on health care per year and as the BMI crosses 35 heading to 40 the yearly cost approaches $6000.  This is a problem for individuals, families and businesses.

In a business, how does treating obesity through your company wellness program help your employees and your organization? The current health care regulations have allowed Participatory  and Health Contingent Programs. Health Contingent Programs can have penalties or benefits up to 30% of premiums for employee cost. ERISA indicates that everyone must be involved and it must be outcome based or activity based. Smoking is up to 50% benefit or penalty. The benefits may be gift cards, discounts on premiums, waived co-payments. There is a battle between Obamacare, American Disability Act, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on obesity but like smoking those overweight consume the dollars and the other members of a family or business pay the bill.

Weight loss at 10% or higher yields immediate results for a business or a family, not like cigarette cessation that takes years to maybe see a benefit. Immediate yield is less dollars spent, less medications, better employee engagement, and higher productivity.

Utilizing the HSA and FSA within a company can facilitate participation. Weight loss is great but what is GREATER is Weight Loss For Life. Maintenance is the key word. This takes time and coaching to change the bad habits. There are 23 hormones made or managed by fat cells trying to put fat back into fat cells. It takes about 12 months to find a new YOU so you do not continue or resume being a carbohydrate hoarder.

Costs!!! People ALWAYS say they cannot afford weight loss programs but they continue to afford high carbohydrate dense foods, inactivity and denial of long term health effects.

Chasing the American Dream is a book that addresses the cost of entering a potentially successful weight loss program. You make it successful by being coached to improve your 

lifestyle approach. This book estimates a moderate grocery plan for an individual is $264/month or $66 per week and the USDA states it is $98/week. Eating out at restaurant is listed in this book as $20 per week. This seems low also with a McDonalds 1000 calorie lunch is close to $10 with tax. If you eat lunch our you spend $10/day, $40 per week and $160 per month.

Weight loss programs vary in cost but if you commit to a program and do not buy Starbucks at $4.53 per coffee your out of pocket expense should be @ $25 per week or less. 

If your BMI is greater than 30 you can expect $250/month more in copays, medications and treatments.

If your BMI is greater than 35 you can expect $542/month more in copays, medications and treatments.

Soooo Obesity is the only medical intervention that yields health results NOW and reduces your expenses for yourself, family and business

Dr. B

Handout for Week January 11, 2016

Soda Addiction - Regular and Diet
( Prevention Magazine 1/2016 by Aviva Patz reference)


Drinking soda provides a caffeine high, a sweet jolt and the enjoyment of popping the can. Yes even artificial sweeteners can provide the sweet jolt. These sweeteners stimulate the production of insulin and thus lower your blood sugar and increase cravings and increase the propensity for insulin resistance. These metabolic effects lead to belly fat, weakened bones, and the metabolic syndrome ( high blood pressure, elevated glucose (regular), cravings (artifical), and elevated cholesterol )

What we need to do is "crush the can or throw away the plastic bottle" It takes  21 days to break a habit with a new one.

The steps are as follows:

1.  Why do you want it? Boredom? Energy? Substitute coffee or tea for the caffeine
2.  Replace "I can't have a soda" with " I do not drink soda"
3.   Ask friends to support you
4.   Identify the high risk times for you and avoid them or substitute something, not food
5,   Check your thyroid function and think about estrogen and progesterone levels
6.   An addiction leads to decreased dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine ( feel happy chemicals)
7,   Addictions can lead to insomnia , headaches, fatigue, depression
8,   Increase protein intake, do not skip meals, get sleep
9.   Use our Blue Cards to assess your weak times
10, Add vanilla extract, coconut or cinnamon to coffees to make them more tasty
11. Dash of salt to sweets enhances their sweetness - watermelon and salt most common used
12. REMEMBER one a day is most likely not bad, it is the excess or chronic use that makes the       difference


Dr B

SUCCESS DIET

Specific – What do you want? Why do you want to diet?

Unconditional – No excuses! “I can do it!”

Clarity – Be clear about the road to success

Consciousness – Be awake to your eating and habits

Energized – Enthusiastic, committed every day

Selfish – Focused on self and what YOU want (use NO!)

Support – Your Weight Loss for Life and who else? Be specific.

Call us to learn about the new approach.

Dr. B 402-812-8400

The Healthy U - What we have learned in 2015

The Healthy U - What we have learned in 2015

On Saturday December 19 at 10 am at Your Weight Loss For Life Dr. Bouda will recap the 2015 learnings for the #1 Weight Loss Program in Omaha. Do you want to live healthy. Do you want vitality and zest every day. Come and share our analysis of or our patient experience and review of the literature. A perfect way to learn how to become the New You in the New Year!

Dr B

Positive Emotions

Positive Emotions – Are They Really Necessary – YOU BET!!!

Positive emotions are essential for change, growth, functioning, health and well-being. You can choose to convert negative self-talk that currently tends to plague your daily life. START with “I CAN”

The following are common types of thinking that can get you in trouble fast!

Rationalizing -  I can eat what I want now that I hit my weight goal.

Underestimating Consequences – Walking every day really does not matter to my weight

Deluded Thinking – I blew it with that donut, might as well keep eating

Arbitrary Rules – I was raised to clean my plate

Mind Reading – I will hurt their feelings if I say no to her cake

Exaggerating – I can not LIVE without my chocolate ( actually you cannot live with it)

Justifying – I deserve to pig out – I am so depressed

Emotional reasoning -  I feel fat, I will never look good enough

The approach is reframing and we can help you do this at Your Weight Loss For Life with our coaches and doctor/nurses who ARE present for all visits to our program. This  will build confidence, resilience, and make you flexible tolerate change. Come see us to start your new LifeStyle Journey.