Retirement Planning Strategies January 2018

The Heart-Healthy Lifestyle

Improve Your Health With the Mediterranean Diet

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Nuts and seeds

Calorie-cutting diets are a thing of the past. Instead of depriving our bodies of nutrients, we’ve turned to lifestyle changes that can be maintained for a lifetime. Losing weight and reaching a healthy nutritional balance isn’t easy, and a few months of eating 1,000 calories per day or shakes just does not cut it. Enter the Mediterranean diet, a lifestyle change that’s quite popular and effective. This diet is inspired by the traditional eating habits of people throughout Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Spain. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is a realistic and sustainable way to reduce disease-causing inflammation and lose weight, and it is one of the most heart- conscious ways of eating. The Mediterranean lifestyle promotes heart- healthy foods, including: Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens and non-starchy veggies with intense colors

in its natural state (for example whole potatoes versus frozen fries) is usually much less costly than using highly processed food. Additionally, increasing the use of lentils and beans as a source of protein will help reduce costs at the grocery store. Some Mediterranean diet enthusiasts may believe that if a daily glass of wine is good for your heart, then three glasses per day is okay, too. While moderate amounts of red wine certainly have unique heart benefits, drinking too much has the opposite effect. The Mayo Clinic recommends no more than five ounces of wine daily for women and men over 65, and no more than 10 ounces per day for those under 65. Anything more is bad for your heart. But even if you switch over to Mediterranean- friendly recipes, your work doesn’t stop there. It’s also important to mirror the other ways these Europeans live their lives. When it’s time to eat, don’t rush or watch TV. Sit down, relax, and enjoy a leisurely meal with others. And of course, get plenty of exercise.

Legumes and beans

Herbs and spices

Whole grains

Wild-caught fish and seafood

High-quality, pasture-raised poultry, eggs, cheese, goat milk, and yogurt

Red meat, but only on special occasions

• Daily glasses of red wine Following the Mediterranean diet has many benefits. The Mayo Clinic credits this lifestyle with reduced incidences of cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. In addition, women who eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts may have a reduced risk of breast cancer. It’s not just about the type of foods, it’s also about taking the time to cook rather than microwaving or using highly processed foods. Many people believe it costs a small fortune, but the reality is that food acquired

Olive oil

SHARE THE LOVE AT WORK WHY WE USE PROPFUEL Due to some combination of architecture, wind patterns, and foliage, we always his landscaping, he found a note from Ann thanking him for restoring order “even when the wind ruins our best intentions.”

seem to have a pile of leaves right outside our door. It’s like being at the bottom of a leaf funnel. No matter how much prep we do, you can bet the leaves will be there. That’s why we were so grateful to see Trace Teboda, our new business specialist, outside with a leaf blower one morning. It’s certainly not part of his job description — though we guess that a clear walkway isn’t going to hurt new business — so it was just another example of our team going above and beyond. The reason we tell this story is because it illustrates a perfect opportunity to compliment (or give props) to a staff member. In the past, those props would’ve been doled out in the form of a thank- you, high-five, or pat on the back. For the past few months, however, we’ve been using a service called PropFuel to hand out compliments where the whole team can see them. When Trace came in from

While PropFuel is great for sharing love, that’s not all it does. At Retirement Planning Strategies, we also use it for team-building activities like our question of the week. One week, we might ask everyone’s favorite wintertime beverage. The next, we ask everyone to name a movie they can’t stand. These may not be the most crucial activities, but they give everyone something fun to talk about. Additionally, you can use PropFuel to discuss work projects or everyone’s mood in a given week. PropFuel is a fun way to spread some thanks, recognize great effort, and involve everyone in casual water-cooler conversations. We’ve really enjoyed having it around the office.

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