Healthier Living in Oklahoma Cities

House Committee Passes Legislation Encouraging Healthier Living in Oklahoma Cities

Legislation attempting to make Oklahoma a healthier state through local efforts promoting healthy behavior and personal responsibility unanimously passed House committee this week.

            Senate Bill 1818 creates the Oklahoma Certified Healthy Communities Act. The bill directs the State Health Department to maintain a program for the voluntary certification of communities that promote wellness, encourage the adoption of healthy behaviors and establish safe and supportive environments.

            Under the bill, towns could become official "healthy communities" if they provide amenities such as walking trails, farmer's markets, and similar benefits for residents.

            The bill passed the House Public Health Committee with a vote of 15-0 and will next be considered by the full House

7 Steps to Exercising Before Work

 

 

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7 Steps to Exercising Before Work

via How to of the Day on 3/16/10

If you're not excited about exercising after work because you feel tired and lunchtimes are already too busy, a great plan can be to start exercising before work. Exercising in the early morning can give you an energetic boost and lift your mood before the day begins; it certainly clears out the sleepy cobwebs! This article explains how to get started on being active before work.

 

 

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Your Heart! The most important muscle in your body.

Giving your heart a health make over will improve the way you feel, give you energy, even help you live longer.

FIRST THINGS FIRST *******NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW*******

BLOOD PRESSURE- measures the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. The top number (systolic) is the pressure of blood flow when the heart beats; the bottom number(diastolic) is the pressure when your heart is relaxing.

Aim for

• 120/80 mm Hg or less

CHOLESTEROL- A strong heart needs healthy blood vessels that have a smooth lining.

There's two types of cholesterol good(HDL) and bad(LDL) cholesterol.

• LDL chol.-can cause fatty plaque in the walls of the arteries
• HDL chol.- removes excess LDL from the arteries and delivers it to the liver for disposal

Aim for

• Total Cholesterol below 200 mg/dl
• LDL (bad) below 100 mg/dl
• HDL (good) above 50 mg/dl

TRIGLYCERIDES-This blood fat fuels muscles but, in excess, is stored in the fat cells and in the liver.

Aim for

• Below 150 mg/dl

BLOOD SUGAR-Someone with the precondition has a 1.5-fold higher risk of getting heart disease than a healthy person: if you have type 2 diabetes the risk is 2 to 4 times higher.

Aim for

• Fasting glucose level of up to 100 mg/dl