Henrico County Walks to Better Health

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by Liz Stovall, Division Manager- Fitness and Wellness

Do you know that on average, every minute of walking can extend your life by one and a half to two minutes? The benefits of walking are endless! Not only does it help to prevent chronic diseases, it also gives you more energy, makes you feel good, helps you to relax, reduces stress and assists with weight management. Walking is a great choice for regular, healthy exercise. It is safe AND effective!

To address growing health concerns and to keep our employees in the best health possible, we are launching a new Health Trip initiative. HENRICO COUNTY WALKS is for all County employees to focus on the importance of regular physical activity to maintain physical and emotional well-being. It’s a fact – regular physical activity is essential for good health!

Every nine weeks employee teams will walk toward a new destination city. You can join at any time! The journey begins in Augusta, Maine and heads first to the Big Apple – New York City! To cover the 386-mile distance, employees can form a team of four, where each team member should walk two miles a day, five days a week, to stay on track! This goal makes it easy to achieve 150 minutes of physical activity per week, supporting the American Heart Association’s physical activity goal to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. For employees who are already physically active and like to jog or run on a regular basis there are options to form a team of three, two or one. These options allow smaller teams to cover the same distance with a greater per week distance to be achieved by each team member.

From New York City, walkers will head to our very own capital city, Richmond. After that, the next stop is Charleston, South Carolina and then on to the final destination city, Orlando, Florida. To assist employees with locating feasible walking routes, the County’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) office has mapped out walking routes at each County facility, including libraries, parks, schools and general government buildings. These recommended walking routes are available to view on the HENRICO COUNTY WALKS Story Map. This GIS site has several site selection tabs to assist employees in searching for a convenient and safe path close to their work location. Employees can select their work location and the recommended walking route is highlighted on an aerial map. A description of the walking route is provided including the route distance, surface-type, and step-by-step directions on how to navigate the route. Locations that do not have a feasible walking route are given the recommendation to walk at the nearest park. You may preview the HENRICO COUNTY WALKS Story Map today.

Getting started on your HENRICO COUNTY WALKS journey takes a few simple steps and can happen at any point of the journey:

  1. Form a team.
  2. Think of a fun team name and officially register by completing the registration form.
  3. Submit your registration form by September 7th to Liz Stovall.

Before you hit the road, stop by the HENRICO COUNTY WALKS information page on the employee portal for complete program details.

What About Water?

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by Liz Stovall, Division Manager- Fitness and Wellness

Water bottles seem to be everywhere you look. Perhaps right now there is one on your desk, or you filled a water bottle for your child as they headed out the door this morning. In fact, water has become the second most popular drink (behind soda). However, water lovers got a rude awakening recently when a new report found that the benefits of drinking water may have been oversold. Apparently, the suggestion to drink eight glasses of water is nothing more than a suggestion, not based on scientific research.

Don’t put your water bottle or glass down just yet! There are plenty of reasons to drink water. In fact, drinking water is essential to your health. Think of water as a nutrient your body needs. It can be found in other liquids, plain water and in high-water content food (fruits and vegetables). Throughout the day fluid loss occurs continuously, from skin evaporation, breathing, urine and stool. These losses must be replaced daily for good health. When water intake does not equal output, dehydration occurs. In addition, fluid loss is accentuated in warmer climates (think summer in RVA), during exercise, in high altitudes, and in older adults whose sense of thirst may not be as sharp.

Here are six evidence-based reasons to drink water:

  1. Drinking Water Maintains Body Fluid Balance- The body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and stabilization of body temperature.
  2. Calorie Control- While water doesn’t have any magical effect on weight loss, drinking water instead of higher calorie beverages can certainly help as a weight loss strategy.
  3. Muscle Energizer- Cells that don’t maintain their fluid balance shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. As a result, performance (either daily or exercise) can suffer. Follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for fluid intake before and during physical activity. These guidelines recommend drinking 16 ounces of water two hours before exercise. During exercise, the recommendation is to drink at regular intervals to replace fluids lost by sweating.
  4. Keep Skin Looking Good- Skin cells contain plenty of water and function as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Dehydration makes skin look dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration.
  5. Detoxification- Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste able to pass through the kidneys to be excreted in urine. The kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding the body of toxins as long as fluid intake is adequate. When getting enough fluids, urine flows freely, is light in color and free of odor.
  6. Normal Bowel Function- Adequate hydration keeps things moving along in the gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When fluid is lacking, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration – and the result is constipation. Water and fiber is the perfect combination, because fluid pumps up the fiber and acts like a broom to keep bowels functioning properly.

Try these helpful tips to support increased fluid intake:

  • Have water with every snack and meal.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables. Their high-water content will add to your hydration.
  • Keep a water bottle in hand, in the car, on your desk or in your bag.
  • Choose beverages that meet your individual needs. If you’re watching calories, go for non-caloric water.

The Not So Sweet Side of Added Sugars

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by Liz Stovall, Division Manager- Fitness and Wellness

A healthy lifestyle includes how much we exercise, what we eat and what we drink. People often know the exact calorie count for foods they consume, but don’t know how many calories are in their drinks. Let’s look at a brief history of soda size. In 1916, Coca-Cola was sold in six and a half ounce bottles. In 1950, the six and a half ounce bottle was still the standard size but the 10 and 12-ounce bottle also appealed to consumers. Today the 12-ounce can is considered the regular size. This size is getting even larger as vending machines offer 20 and 24-ounce bottles and convenience stores sell 32 and 44-ounce cups.

Sugar, used to sweeten the taste of most sodas, has a lot of calories. These calories are termed “empty” because they offer no nutritional value. When looking at the nutrition facts label on a 12-ounce can of soda, you’ll see it contains approximately 40 grams of sugar. One teaspoon of sugar from the sugar bowl equals four grams. This means you are drinking 10 teaspoons of added sugar in every 12-ounce can of soda.

Here’s a quick overview of the amount of added sugar found in a variety of drinks consumed by Americans:

  • 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola contains 64 grams of sugar.
    • This equates to 16 teaspoons of added sugar, the same amount of sugar found in five Little Debbie Swiss Rolls.
  • 15-ounce bottle of Minute-Maid Apple Juice contains 49 grams of sugar or 12 teaspoons of added sugar.
    • The same amount of sugar found in 10 Oreos.
  • 23-ounce can of Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey contains 51 grams of sugar or the same amount of sugar in 30 Hersey Kisses.
    • This equals 13 teaspoons from the sugar bowl.
  • One Starbucks grande Iced Vanilla Latte contains 28 grams of sugar.
    • This equals the sugar in two and a half Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugars consumed. For most women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about six teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about nine teaspoons. Check out the AHA infographic by clicking on the image.

Of all the liquids we could drink, water is the very best for quenching our thirst. And, water is the ultimate diet drink because it has no calories. Replacing sugary drinks with water may help with achieving a healthy weight. In addition, our bodies need water to function. Water moves nutrients through our system and keeps us hydrated. Sip smarter and learn about healthier choices with this infographic.

Slip, Slap, Slop. Summer Sun Safety. (Say that five times fast)

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by Liz Stovall, Division Manager- Fitness and Wellness

Some people think about sun protection only when they spend a day at the lake, beach or pool. But, sun exposure adds up day after day, and it happens every time a person is in the sun. While brief exposures to sunlight help the body make Vitamin D to stay healthy, too much sunlight can cause cancer. That’s why sun-safe habits should begin in childhood and last a lifetime. Everyone’s skin and eyes can be affected by the sun and other forms of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Tanning occurs when UV radiation is absorbed through the skin. It causes an increase in the activity and number of melanocytes, the cells that make the pigment melanin. Melanin gives the skin its color. It also helps to block out damaging UV rays up to a point. While sunburns are thought to increase a person’s risk of skin cancer, UV exposure, even without a sunburn, can raise skin cancer risk.

Take these steps to stay sun-safe:

  1. Slip on a shirt and sunglasses: When out in the sun, wear clothes that protect the skin as much as possible. Clothes provide different levels of UV protection. Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, or long skirts cover the most skin and are the most protective. Many companies now make clothing that is light-weight, comfortable, and protects against UV exposure, even when wet. These sun-protective clothes may have a label listing the UV protection factor (UPF). The higher the UPF, the higher the protection from UV rays. UV-blocking sunglasses are also important for protecting the delicate skin around the eyes. The ideal sunglasses should block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Before you buy, check the label to make sure it reads “UV absorption up to 400nm.” Sunglasses labeled “cosmetic” block only 70% of UV rays. If there is no label, don’t assume the sunglasses provide any protection.
  2. Slap on a hat: A hat with a two to three-inch brim all around is ideal. It protects areas often exposed to the sun such as the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose and scalp. A shade cap (which looks like a baseball cap with about seven inches of fabric draping down the sides and back) is also good. A baseball cap protects the front and top of the head but not the back of the neck or ears, where skin cancers often grow. Straw hats are not recommended unless they are tightly woven.
  3. Slop on the sunscreen: Apply sunscreen to the skin to help protect against the sun’s UV rays. Sunscreens come in many forms – lotions, creams, ointments, gels, wipes, and lip balms, to name a few. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher (broad spectrum means that the sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB rays). Be sure to use enough and re-apply every couple of hours while you’re in the sun. Best practice is to use sunscreen as one part of your skin care routine, especially if staying in the shade and wearing protective clothing aren’t available as your first options. Some cosmetics such as moisturizers, lipsticks, and foundations, are considered sunscreen products. Be sure to always check the label first.

Additional sun-smart ideas:

  • Protect children from the sun: Since they tend to spend more time outdoors, children need special attention as they can burn more easily than adults. Parents and caretakers should be sure their children wear clothes, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen to protect from harmful UV rays.
  • Limit midday sun exposure: UV rays are most intense during the middle of the day, usually between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. To check the sun’s intensity, use the shadow test. If a person’s shadow is shorter than they are, the sun’s rays are the strongest. If possible stay out of the sun during this time of day.
  • Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps: Tanning beds and sun lamps give out both UVA and UVB rays. These rays can cause serious long-term skin damage and can lead to skin cancer.