End of the 1st Quarter 2009 -- Well?

Here we are, one full quarter of the year is up. How has your world changed since January 1st? How much is it the same? On April 30, you will hear a lot about Obama's "100 Days" report, but right now, you can assess your own "90 Days" report.

Despite all the "downturn" news, I hope this posting finds you doing decently well. Maybe you set some goals at the start of the year and are making progress. Or you have lost a few pounds or inches. You could be feeling good about your contributions to a better, greener earth. Spring has sprung, hopefully you've had at least a couple of days decent weather to step out of the house.

We have seen markets tumble. We have seen our friends get laid off. We all know (or are) some of the folks that have not been able to land a new job. Has this created excessive stress for you? Tell us a little about your way of dealing with it.

Some big name retailers, and countless small businesses across the nation have folded up their tents. Some of our favorite places to get a "deal" are gone. Share a little bit about what you are doing in place of that?

Do some of your goals seem a little more difficult than you thought they might be? Sometimes that is a sign you have a good goal, if it was too easy, you probably didn't set it high enough. On the other hand, don't forget that sometimes our goals need a reality check too. Setting goals is perfect and helps us get places. But blindly aiming for a goal that is no longer relevant could be wasting valuable energy worth spending elsewhere.

And while you are doing a little 90-day check here, check back on those simpler things we often forget about. Have you been able to laugh and smile? Have you stopped to "smell the flowers" on the road of life? And, have you taken time to tell others you care about exactly that? Don't tell us here, go tell, and show, them... NOW!

Annual American Diabetes Alert Day

Today, Tuesday March 24, is the 21st Annual American Diabetes Alert Day. It is a great day to learn about Diabetes, how it can be managed, and how devastating it can be if left untreated.

More importantly, it is the perfect opportunity to check yourself and loved ones using a free "Diabetes Risk Calculator". The tool is quick, easy, painless and involves answering some fairly quick questions. Please, it takes only about a minute to complete. We have provided it in the sidebar here, courtesy of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) or you can complete it on their homepage if you wish.

And just in case you don't think you or someone you care about might not be affected, the ADA states on their website:

Everyone should be aware of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight, under active (living a sedentary lifestyle), and over the age of 45 should consider themselves at risk for the disease. African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and people who have a family history of the disease are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.

You can become involved in the fight against this deadly disease. One way is to check the ADA's map to help you find local events near you. Another is to become a Volunteer or a Corporate Sponsor. But if nothing else, be sure to start with yourself. Take the test.

Links in this post:
American Diabetes Association
Become a Volunteer
Become a Corporate Sponsor.

Good News (Sort Of) Regarding Weight Loss

An interesting study has good news and bad news for anyone of us millions of people that are trying to lose weight. So what do you want first, the good news or the bad news?

Let's start with the bad news and get that out of the way. To lose weight and keep it off, a heart-healthy reduced-calorie diet is the way to go. Yeah, reduced-calorie means less food which is tough for some of us "foodies."

So what, you ask, is the good news? The good news is that regardless of differing proportions of fat, protein, or carbohydrate, you can still lose weight. That's right, you can choose the types of foods you still like as long as you reduce the overall calorie intake. Of course they should be heart-healthy versions of the food you like meaning low in saturated fat and cholesterol while high in dietary fiber. But still, the types of food you like!

According to report discussed in a press release, the 811 participants of a two-year study, on average, lost 13 pounds at six months and maintained a 9 pound loss at two years. Participants also reduced their waistlines by 1 to 3 inches by the end of the study.

In addition, participants showed other health improvements. All variations of the diets use helped risk factors including a reduction in triglycerides, a lower LDL (so-called "bad") cholesterol combined with an increase in HDL (so-called "good") cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. (Here's a little memory helper for remembering which is the good cholesterol and which is the bad: Think of the "L" in LDL as "Lousy" and "H" in HDL as "Healthy." A free tip, no extra charge!)

Here's the bottom line, right from the press release itself:

Previous studies have shown that a loss of 5 to 10 percent of body weight will help reduce risk factors for heart disease and other medical conditions. In this study, 15 percent of patients achieved a 10 percent weight loss after two years.

Just so you know, this study was not from some company trying to promote its own line of products. This was reported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services's medical research agency National Institutes of Health. Finally, there's some good news coming out of our government during these challenging times.

Links in this post:
Press Release "Heart-Healthy, Reduced-Calorie Diets Promote Long-term Weight Loss"
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health.

Have you heard about "Healthy Monday" yet?

Healthy Monday.
The day all health breaks loose.


You have got to love that tag line. But what is this Healthy Monday thing? Founded by leaders in the field of public health, they encourage you to "resolve to use Monday to begin a new healthy behavior or stop an unhealthy one." They further state "Monday can be a weekly start for a healthier you!"

Officially, The Healthy Monday movement centers on the use of Monday as a nationally recognized day dedicated to increasing health awareness, empowerment and action. That is from the "Core Principles" listed on their website. Healthy Monday is a project of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Here are some example topics covered: "DO THE MONDAY 2000!" which suggests after a weekend of less-structured eating and indulgence, you use Monday to reset the FDA’s recommendation of 2000 calorie budget you have to spend; there is "Go Red Monday" that encourages women to wear red every Monday to extend and reinforce the message of the millions of women wearing red during February to highlight the risks of heart disease; and also "Quit & Stay Quit Monday!" which asks you to use each subsequent Monday to recommit to something you started, or more specifically, quit on New Years.

Why Mondays? Monday is a fresh start, the January of every week. A day to refocus and recommit, and to celebrate your journey towards your better health.

Here are some ways they encourage us to spread the message:

Raising Health at Work
Want to raise health at work? Join the Healthy Monday campaign! Research shows that a Healthy staff is a productive staff and can save your company lost employee time, sick leave and benefits cost.

Raising Health on Campus
Take the lead by bringing Healthy Monday to your campus and instantly become part of a growing network of Healthy Monday campuses throughout the country.

Raising Health in Town
Be the voice of health in your community by adopting Healthy Monday programs.

I am sure you can see how you can use this same approach to ba an advocate for the health of your family and even for groups and organizations to which you belong. You can sign up for a weekly Monday health tip on their Join The Movement Page too. We here at Medi-Facts encourage to sign up and to help spread the word.

Links in this post:
Healthy Monday
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications
Join The Movement Page

The Promotional Product - What Can It Do?

We discussed what a Promotion Product was in a February post. Here we want to talk a little bit about how they work or what they can do for you.

We often associate promotional products as the swag we get from vendors at trade shows. Of course we realize that not all items we pick up wandering up and down the aisles are equal. Some exhibitors simply entice you to stop at their booths (quite effectively) with a simple bowl of candy. While this works at the original goal of helping generate traffic at the booth, stop for a minute and try to recall the names of the vendors that provided you these treats at a show six months ago.

On the other hand, chances are you kept (or at least handed off to a friend or family member) something like a pen, a stress ball, a magnet or some other token with a company's name imprinted on it. According to a 2004 study by L.J Market Research, 55% of the study participants generally kept their promotional products for more than a year. That creates a lot of repeat "impressions" for the vendor who chose an imprinted item over a few pieces of candy.

That is one example of how a promotional product can work for you. Here are a few other ideas for you to consider as you notice the environment around you. Hotels have imprinted pens in every room and these pens often leave with guests; but not only does the guest get brand name reinforcement but think about how many times you have loaned a pen that never made it back into your hands? Pizza shops, doctors and dentists, real estate agents, schools and more understand the brand-building power of the refrigerator magnet. Churches, business of all types, civic organizations will gladly give you a calendar for your wall or desk in exchange for a full year's worth of exposure. The idea behind all of these goes beyond brand name recognition though. The sponsor also gets a customer, employee or other recipient that has received a gift with perceived value.

Here is another concept to consider. We tend to think of promotional products as smaller and relatively inexpensive items that are giveaways. There are a number of examples where items have much greater value and are perceived as being "earned." Have you or a family member ever worked for a company and received a t-shirt or hat that has become a favorite? How about more expensive items such as a jacket with an embroidered logo, an engraved desk set, an imprinted bag or briefcase, or a service anniversary gift of even greater value? These too are promotional products. The perceived value when earned is greater and fosters more dedication of the recipient and of those, including co-workers, around them.

We introduced this article by saying we would talk about how promotional products work or what they can do for you. In summary we will answer the "What's in it for me?" question for two parties of a promotional product. For the recipient, they get something of useful, something worth holding on to, something of value. For the sponsor that puts their name on a product, they get the building or reinforcing of their brand identity, typically over a longer term with repeat impressions, plus the enhancement of their image within their target communities.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog. You will find a full mix of health and wellness tips, business thoughts and ideas, and observations of life in general. We also encourage your comments and questions.