The American Heart Association (AHA) has changed the definition of hypertension (high blood pressure) for the first time in 14 years. Previously, the standard for stage one of hypertension was 140/90, and has now been revised to 130/80. The previous standard, 140/90, is now considered stage two of hypertension. 

What does this guideline revision mean for us? Millions more of American adults will be diagnosed with hypertension. The percentage of adults living with high blood pressure has increased from 32% to 46% with the new guidelines in place. This means that nearly half of adults are at risk for serious health problems due to hypertension.

According to the AHA, the new guideline is designed to help people take preventative steps to control their blood pressure earlier in life. This is especially important because hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which are the two leading causes of death in the world.

Today is World Kindness Day! This means that you have a great opportunity to celebrate and promote kindness at work. We encourage both employers and employees to express kindness as much as possible today and for the rest of the week. And if you don’t think kindness belongs in the workplace, think again! 

The power of kindness is often overlooked at the office. Many employees have the mentality that they are at work to work, not to “make friends.” However, research has found that expressions of kindness actually increase work performance and make the workdays more enjoyable.

Keep on reading to discover some of the benefits of promoting kindness in the workplace, and some ideas for celebrating World Kindness Day with your colleagues:

Americans work a lot. In fact, full-time U.S. employees report working an average of 47 hours per week, which is about an hour and a half more than they reported a decade ago. Research also found that nearly four in 10 full-time employees report logging 50+ hours a week.

Crazy hours at the office often lead to busy, overly stressed employees who don’t have time to care for their health and wellness. These employees are susceptible to workplace burnout. Burnout in the workplace not only has detrimental effects on employees but damaging effects on the company itself.

Some of the negative effects of employee burnout can have on a company include:

• Decreased productivity
• Increased PTO/sick leave
• More errors and workplace accidents
• Higher turnover rates 

Even more shocking is the high-cost employers pay for employee burnout. According to Harvard Business Review, the psychological and physical problems of burned-out employees cost an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion a year in healthcare spending in the U.S.

The workplace is one of the best places to practice gratitude. A grateful attitude leads to a positive and happy mindset. It also helps you learn to better appreciate the little joys in life. Unfortunately, gratitude is not often practiced in the workplace. According to a study by the John Templeton Foundation, people are less likely to express gratitude in the workplace than almost anywhere else, and a startling 60% of people never express thanks at work. 

Without gratitude at work, employees might feel unappreciated and undervalued. In turn, these employees will be less satisfied with their jobs and more likely to be looking for other opportunities. On the flip side, employees who feel gratitude from their employers and express gratitude to their colleagues are much more likely to be happy, motivated, and productive in their roles.

If you currently have a wellness program or strategy in place at your company but aren’t promoting gratitude, you’re missing a big opportunity. It’s important for wellness coordinators and HR pros to remember that employee wellness goes beyond diet and exercise – it includes a healthy and happy mindset. Though there are many ways to help employees achieve a healthy and happy mindset, we think one of the easiest ways to do so is by cultivating gratitude in the workplace.

Eating well isn’t the easiest thing in the world – especially when you’re a full-time employee! The office can be one of the most difficult places to eat healthily. Between helping your family get ready for the day, your commute, and the long day at the office, it seems impossible to prepare a full day’s worth of healthy meals. 

While it might be difficult, it’s vital to eat nutritious meals throughout the workday so that your body and mind can feel and perform their best. Healthy meals will give you more energy, boost your mood, and increase productivity throughout the workday. They can even help prevent those dreaded afternoon slumps! 

The key to eating well at work is to come prepared. Planning and preparing breakfast, lunch, and snacks will make them much easier. Meal prepping is one of the best ways to ensure that you have nutritious meals ready to go. Along with meal prepping, making some changes to your daily habits will also help you steer clear of any unhealthy temptations at work and keep your diet in check.

Keep on reading to learn some foolproof tips and ideas for eating well at work:

The cool breezes of fall bring more than pumpkin spiced treats – they bring the dreaded cold and flu season, too! There’s a reason why you hear more sneezing around the office once the temperature drops. Research shows that you are more likely to get sick during the colder seasons, and illnesses tend to last longer and have more severe symptoms as well.

One main reason for the spike in illnesses during the fall and winter is weaker immune systems. Researchers from Yale University found that immune systems slow down during the colder seasons – decreasing your body’s ability to attack and fight off harmful germs, viruses, and bacteria.

The good news is there are many ways to promote a healthy, powerful immune system. So, if you don’t feel like sniffling and coughing all season, here are nine easy, natural ways to boost your immune system:

It’s time to start loving yourself again. Many of us forget about the importance of self-care and its impact on our health. Self-care can help prevent burnout from work, help you manage stress, and boost your feelings of self-worth and confidence.

Practicing self-care is more than just “pampering” yourself. According to Kelsey Patel, self-care is part of the answer to how we can all better cope with daily stressors.

If you want to start prioritizing your wellbeing, you can easily add in some simple behaviors to your busy schedule to enjoy the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of self-care. Along with eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep, you can try out some of the simple suggestions below to practice better self-care: 

Jake Schroeder is one of TotalWellness’ newest employees and one of our most inspiring wellness champions. In just a short period, Jake has contributed a lot to our team in both a professional and personal manner. Besides being an IT all-star,  Jake has made an impact on his colleagues through his positive attitude, healthy habits, and insightful conversations.

Since we’ve all learned a thing or two since Jake joined our team, we thought we would share his wellness story to help inspire you too:

It’s officially fall! The transition period from summer into winter can make it easy to cozy up, stay inside, and lose track of your health progress. Less sunlight, more rain, and cooler temperatures don’t have to affect your wellbeing. 

In fact, autumn is actually a great time to kick your wellness goals up a notch! Your schedule might be a bit less crazy, and there aren’t any summer BBQs that tempt you to splurge. Being proactive about your physical and mental health during the fall will also help prevent the winter blues from hitting hard.

So, from now until December 21^st (the first day of winter), we challenge you to boost your health and happiness this fall with these mini wellness challenges:

Flu season is coming!

Hopefully, this means that your company has an onsite flu clinic coming up. If you are having doubts about participating in this year’s flu clinic, we want to help you realize just how important receiving your annual flu shot is.

We know that the flu shot has gotten a bad rap in the past years. Common misconceptions have caused many Americans to shy away from getting vaccinated. Many also underestimate the health risks from the flu. Regardless of some of the things you’ve heard about the vaccine, it’s important to know that getting a flu shot is your #1 defense against the flu.

So, if you have any doubts about participating in this year’s flu shot clinic, read this first: