Living Well
Carla McGee, BSN, RN & Jennifer Gorman, MS, RD, LD
Covenant Well Heart Services & Covenant LifeStyle Centre
www.covenanthealth.org
What it means
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Good nutrition
Exercise often
Getting enough sleep
Reducing your stress
Setting realistic goals
Why?
• Decrease chronic disease risk: diabetes, obesity,
heart disease, and cancer
• Increase energy levels
• Decrease health care cost
• Increase quality of life
• Because you don’t want to just live…you want to
live well
What are Your Whys?
Creating
Vision
CreatingMy
MyWellness
Wellness Vision
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What does my “Best Self” look like?
Why is this important to me?
What strengths do I have to draw on?
What challenges should I consider?
What strategies will help me with these challenges?
What can I do tomorrow to take a step towards my
vision?
Stages ofChange
of Change
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“I Can’t” or “I Won’t”
“I May”
“I Will”
“I Am!”
“I Still Am!”
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Pre-contemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
Good Nutrition
• Eating right with
color
• Low-fat dairy
• Lean protein
• Whole grains
• Variety in color of fruits and
veggies ~5+ servings everyday
• 1% or fat free dairy products
~3 servings per day
• Lean ground beef, pork
tenderloin, fish, and chicken
with out the skin ~3 servings
per day
• 100% Whole wheat grain
products (pasta, bread, cereal)
~6 servings per day
Colors = Nutrition
• Green produce indicates antioxidant potential and may
help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risk
• Orange/Yellow fruits and veggies contain nutrients that
promote healthy vision and immunity and reduce the
risk of some cancers
• Purple/Blue options may have antioxidant and antiaging benefits and may help with memory, urinary tract
health and reduced cancer risk
Colors = Nutrition
• Red indicates produce that may help maintain a
healthy heart, vision, immunity and may reduce cancer
risk
• White/ Brown foods sometimes contain nutrients that
may promote heart health and reduce cancer risk
Let Color Be Your Guide
• Green
– Fruits-avocado, apples,
grapes, honeydew, kiwi,
and lime
– Veggies- artichoke,
asparagus, broccoli, green
beans, peppers, spinach
• Orange/Yellow
– Fruits-apricot,
cantaloupe, grapefruit,
mango, papaya, peach,
pineapple
– Veggies-carrots, yellow
peppers, yellow corn, and
sweet potatoes
Let Color Be Your Guide
• Purple/Blue
– Fruits-blackberries, plums,
raisins
– Veggies-eggplant, purple
cabbage, purple flesh
potatoes
• White /Brown
– Fruits-banana, brown pear,
dates, white peaches
– Veggies-cauliflower,
mushrooms, onions,
turnips, white-fleshed
potatoes, white corn
• Red
– Fruits-cherries, cranberries,
pomegranate, red/pink
grapefruit, red grapes,
watermelon
– Veggies-beets, red onions,
red peppers, red potatoes,
rhubarb and tomatoes
Paint Your Plate
What counts as a serving of fruit or veggies?
• ½ Cup canned fruit or
veggies(canned in fruit
juice or light syrup or
low sodium)
• 15 small Grapes
• 1, 4oz fresh fruit
(baseball size)
• 1 cup fresh veggies/leafy
greens
Vitamins in Fruits & Veggies
• Vitamin C- helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth
and gums healthy, necessary to form collagen.
Recommended ~90mg/d men and ~75mg/day
women…if you smoke you need more.
• Vitamin A –keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to
protect against infections. Recommended 900mcg/men
700mcg women.
• Folate- healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a
woman's risk of having a child with brain or spinal cord
defects. Recommended 400mcg/day….pregnancy
600mcg/day. An elevated level of homocysteine in the
blood, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, also can
result from folate deficiency.
Minerals in Fruits & Veggies
• Potassium- helps to maintain a healthy blood
pressure and aid in muscle contraction. It is
recommended ~4000mg per day (a banana has
400)
• Calcium- keeps your bones strong. It’s
recommended ~1000mg per day & up to 1200mg
for women.
• Magnesium- helps maintain normal muscle and
nerve function, also keeps the bones strong and
can help with blood pressure and blood sugar. Its
recommended 300-400mg/day.
Use More Color!
Vegetable Snack Ideas
Fruit Snack Ideas
• Pop grapes into the freezer
• Freshly cut vegetables are
for a refreshing treat (eat
absolutely delicious with
about 10-15 for a serving)
your favorite dip
• Carrots dipped in light ranch • Make a homemade parfait
by layering yogurt, fresh or
dressing or hummus
frozen fruit of choice, and
• Broil broccoli for about 10
whole grain cereal
minutes with a drizzle of
• Try dipping an apple into
olive oil and dash of garlic
peanut butter
salt
What doesn’t count
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Fruit flavored juices
Fruit flavored sodas
Fruit candies
Fruit jellies
10 Tips for Adding Color to Your Plate
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Toss mandarin orange
segments, grape halves, berries
or other fruit to a garden salad.
Add spinach, sliced tomatoes
and cucumbers or avocado to a
sandwich.
Choose veggie toppings for
pizza. Try spinach, bell peppers,
or mushrooms.
Top cereal or plain low-fat
yogurt with blueberries,
strawberries, or chopped mango.
Use kidney beans or black beans
and corn in chili, green lentils in
soup, and white beans in soup.
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Mix dried cranberries and
chopped nuts in hot cereal.
7. Make roasted vegetables with
sweet potatoes, parsnips, onions,
and beets.
8. Serve baked fish with fruit salsa.
9. Grill vegetable kabobs with
zucchini, red bell pepper,
mushrooms, carrots, and
Brussels sprouts.
10. Top waffles or pancakes with
strawberries or peaches.
Credible Nutrition Websites
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www.eatright.org
www.diabetes.org
www.mypyramid.gov
www.dlife.com
www.nutrition.gov
http://ods.od.nih.gov/
www.americanheart.org
www.mayoclinic.org
Benefits of Exercise
• Reduce cardiovascular
disease
– Healthy blood pressure
– Increase HDL cholesterol
• Reduce type 2 diabetes and
some cancers
– lung, breast, etc.
• Emotional
– Happy hormones triggered
with exercise
• Mental
– Increase thinking, learning,
and judgment
• Physical
– Prevent falls, keep bones and
muscles strong
Exercise
• Your body was made to
move!
• How much is needed?
– 150 minutes per week
– 50 minutes/day for 3 days
• Cardiovascular
– Moderate
intensity/aerobic activity
– 3-5 days per week
• Muscular
– Strength training
– 2-3 days per week
Sleep
• Catching Zzzzzz’s
• Too little or too much sleep
interferes with normal
cortisol production making it
hard to manage weight
• Feeling tired throughout the
day decreases brain function
and you are less likely to
exercise if your tired
• Caffeine stimulates the
brain/nervous system
• Light from TV, computer,
and cell phone cause more
brain activity
• More melatonin is produced
in a darker atmosphere
(melatonin helps you
naturally fall asleep)
How Many Hours Do You Get?
• Most people do not get
enough sleep
• Some people sleep too
much
• Recommended amount
of sleep is 6-8 hours
everyday
• Don’t drink caffeine
after noon
• Turn off the TV, cell
phone, and computer
• Sleep in a dark room
Relaxation
Types of Relaxation Methods
Benefits of Relaxing
• Progressive muscle relaxation.
In this relaxation technique,
you focus on slowly tensing and
then relaxing each muscle
group (tense for 5 seconds,
relax for 30 seconds, repeat)
• Visualization. In this relaxation
technique, you form mental
images to take a visual journey
to a peaceful, calming place or
situation
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Slowing your heart rate
Lowering blood pressure
Slowing your breathing rate
Increasing blood flow to major
muscles
Reducing muscle tension and
chronic pain
Improving concentration
Reducing anger and frustration
Boosting confidence to handle
problems
Relax already!
• Prayer or meditation
• Journaling
• Deep breathing
– Take 3 deep breathes
right now!
• Exercise
– Relieves stress, happy
hormones; tai chi/yoga
• Take a vacation!
• Smile 
• Get a massage
The Power of Laughter
Add Humor to Your Life
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Take time to PLAY!
Read the “Funnies”
Watch funny movies
Recall funny stories
Get a pet
Spend time with children
When you look for humor,
you will find it!
Appreciative Reflections
• Attention to the Present
- not “Trial and Error” but
rather “Trial and Correction”
• Anticipation of the
Future
• Positive Conversations &
Interactions
• Positive Energy &
Emotion
• Positive Outcome
Transformational Change
1. Define
“What is the
focus?”
2. Discover
“What gives
life?”
Clarifying
Appreciating
5. Destiny
“What will be?”
Positive
Core
Innovating
3. Dream
“What might
be?”
Co-constructing
4. Design
“How can it
be?”
Co-constructing
Setting Goals
Goals are dreams
with deadlines.
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Post Your Vision
3 Month Goals
Weekly Goals
- Confidence Ruler
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Weekly Review
SMART Goals
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S = Specific
M = Measureable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Time bound
Living Well Challenge
The Living Well Challenge is a 3 month program designed to get people
physically active and help reduce their stress.
Participants earn points by participating in healthy activities. Each time
you complete one of the healthy activities for the month, place a
check in the appropriate box.
You goal is to have a check in all of the boxes for all 3 months!
Do this challenge with your family, co-workers, friends, etc and give a
prize at the end of 3 months to the person who has the most checks!
Clinical studies show that if we are more aware of our health and actively
doing things to live well, then overall we actually feel better, have
more energy, and have fewer doctor visits per year!
Living Well Challenge
Healthy
Activities
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Physical,
eye exam,
or dental
cleaning
Wellness
screening
(BP,
glucose
etc.)
Spa Day
(massage,
relaxing
bath, etc)
Exercise
(cardio/
weights)
3 days/wk
Recreationa 6-8 hours
l activities of sleep per
(golf,
night
garden
bowling,
etc)
Aim for 3
fruits &
veggies per
day
Drink 8—
8oz glasses
of water a
day
Live Well!
Questions?
References
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Dept.
of Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human
Services-www.dietaryguidelines.gov
• Center for Disease Controlwww.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov and physical activity
for everyone
• Covenant Health System- www.covenanthealth.org
• American Dietetic Association-www.eatright.org.
• Mayo Clinic-www.mayoclinic.com
• www.wellcoaches.com