Robert Wagner Insurance June 2022 Newsletter

Thinking of Skipping Vacation? Don't!

Can you buy a ticket to a better mood? Hop a flight to a healthier heart? The travel industry would say yes - and increasingly, so does science.

Over the past two years many of us have had our summer vacation plans cancelled due to the pandemic. Perhaps you planned to visit family or take annual vacation to the beach or mountains. Whatever your thwarted plans entailed, you might be thinking of skipping a vacation altogether.

Several studies indicate that performance nosedives when we work for extended periods without a break. In addition, the benefits of taking a vacation are clear: It results in improved productivity, lower stress and better overall mental health. It also spurs greater creativity for example Lin-Manuel Miranda conceived Hamilton while on vacation.

Taking a vacation allows us to come back feeling refreshed and recharged, with renewed focus. Research shows that those who take more than 10 days of vacation are 30% more likely to receive a raise, and those who take regular vacations have greater job satisfaction.

For decades researchers have been probing the benefits of vacations. Almost across the board they found evidence that vacations can positively impact everything from blood pressure to energy levels. And that doesn't just apply to wellness escapes - you don't need to spend up on a destination spa or engage in trendy forest- bathing

Here are some of the ways that vacation can improve your life.

  • Increase mindfulness
  • Improve your heart
  • Reduce stress
  • Boost brains
  • Lift moods

While your plans will likely look different than before, below are some guidelines that help you reap the benefits of vacation, wherever you go.

  • Get a change in scenery
  • Plan ahead
  • Identify the type of experience you want to have
  • Spend time outdoors
  • Unplug
  • Create memories

As easy as it might be to keep on working and skip a vacation, don't. Following the suggestions above can provide you with an experience that leaves you refreshed and re-energized, and you don't have to go far to do it. So, get packing and go. You'll be glad you did it.

Health Insurance Smartphone Apps​

Health plan members can access their benefits easily on their mobile device by downloading their health plans Smartphone app. The app is free and can be downloaded anytime from the Google Play or Apple App store.

The health app can:

  • Provides quick access to their health plan information, including a digital version of their member ID card.
  • Helps members easily track claims and confirm benefit coverage.
  • Members can search and locate in-network doctors.
  • Members can even request a new prescription or refill an existing prescription.

The Incredible Power of a Post-Meal Walk

From SilverSneakers Newsletter

It’s natural for blood sugars to rise after eating. But if you are older or have diabetes or prediabetes, they can rise to a dangerous level that can damage your health over time. Making a habit of walking after dinner can make a dramatic difference.

Why Blood Sugars Rise After Meals

“What you eat sends [blood sugar] up, and then insulin gradually pushes it back down,” explains Daniel Cox, Ph.D. Cox is a University of Virginia professor researching the effectiveness of lifestyle changes on managing type 2 diabetes.

After a meal, your body digests carbohydrates into glucose, which enters the bloodstream. Rising blood glucose signals your pancreas to release insulin. This hormone tells other cells in your body to take up that glucose from your blood to store or use for energy.

If blood glucose rises too high, and your cells can’t take it up quickly enough, that excess glucose in the blood can cause damage over time.

If you have diabetes, your pancreas may not make enough insulin, or your cells don’t respond to it as well as they used to. Even if you don’t

have diabetes, you may experience higher blood sugars as you age.

“As we get older, the pancreas becomes more sluggish and takes a bit longer to respond with insulin. And, that response may not be as strong,” says Loretta DiPietro, Ph.D., M.P.H. She’s a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the Milken Institute of Public Health at George Washington University.

How to Use a Post-Meal Walk to Lower Blood Sugar

Tip #1: Get Moving 30 Minutes After You Put Your Fork Down

Tip #2: Walk for at Least 15 Minutes

Tip #3: Go at a Moderate Pace

Tip #4: If You Can Do Only One Post-Meal Walk, Do it After Dinner

Tip #5: If You Can’t Walk, Pick Another Activity

Tip #6: Be Consistent

To read the complete article Read more >>

What is Inflammation

There are a lot of products and diets out there that promise to combat inflammation, but what does that mean? What is inflammation? What causes it, and how does it influence our health?

Inflammation is one of those health industry buzzwords that you see often, but it’s never really defined. So often, it’s tied to some product that promises to reduce inflammation, with a tagline that inflammation is the leading cause of some scary-sounding condition. It may surprise you that inflammation is a natural occurrence for our bodies. While inflammation can have health detriments and chronic inflammation can influence or lead to certain illnesses or conditions, you can’t eliminate inflammation entirely.

Inflammation occurs naturally in the body as an immune response. There are two kinds of inflammation that we may experience, acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is a short-lived bout that lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Chronic inflammation may last longer, sometimes from months to years.

While both can have symptoms, it’s chronic inflammation that can lead to health complications.

What are the Symptoms of Inflammation?

Common symptoms that you may experience along with inflammation are redness and swelling at the site of the injury or inflammation. You may also experience joint stiffness and pain. The site of the swelling may also be warm to the touch.

The swelling and joint pain you experience with arthritis is the result of the autoimmune reaction caused by rheumatoid arthritis, leading to inflammation. A skin rash caused by an allergic reaction is an example of an external cause that could be leading to chronic inflammation if you are regularly exposed to the allergen.

Read More >>

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