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March Personal Best now online

The March issue of the Personal Best health and wellness newsletter is now online.

Low back pain ranks high as a common health problem and usually results from daily habits, which can be changed. The cover story this month, "Best Back Savers," has some day-to-day tips to help prevent pain and improve your lifestyle. See Body Matters for an exercise to strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles.

Stress is a normal part of life; many men are slow to acknowledge their vulnerability to chronic stress, choosing instead to ignore it. However, it can seriously affect a man's well-being. Becoming aware of stress and tension, and coping with it, is important. "Tension Relief for Guys" lists possible symptoms of stress and ways to control the day-to-day tensions.

When a loved one dies, few of us are able to cope with the grief and loss. We may lose a job, or suffer a disabling injury or illness. While everyone experiences grief differently, allowing time to grieve is important for recovery. This month's newsletter discusses the recognized emotional stages of grieving: shock and denial; guilt and anger; acceptance; and depression. The Laboratory's Employee Assistance Program is well equipped to help Lab workers who may be having difficulty coping with grief or similar situations.

Celebrate National Nutrition Month by making a commitment to healthier food choices. This month's nutrition article focuses on the building blocks of good nutrition. Follow some simple suggestions being recommended by many nutrition experts for healthier eating. If these suggestions seem like a big change, read "Healthy Portable Snacks" before visiting the vending machine when you get a craving.

Support from friends and family also can make it easier and more fun to prepare healthy meals. Join the Wellness Center's Food to Work By motivational program individually or with a buddy or team. Also, sign up for "A Pantry Full of Quick Meals" from 12:05 to 12:55 p.m., March 23, for more tips on quick, nutritious meals. Contact Marta Gentry Munger of the Wellness Center (HSR-2) at 7-7166 or mgm@lanl.gov by electronic mail for more information.

Do you live a balanced life and have the time to do everything you would like, at work and in your personal life? Most people have difficulty fitting in everything no matter how organized they are. Personal Best has suggestions to help you find balance and devote time to what matters most.

"Using Your Head to Prevent Hand Injuries in Safety Solutions" provides some helpful tips for taking care of our hands.

The Recipe of the Month is Chewy Oat Bars.

Also in this issue: A daily drink; Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; nondrug headache treatments; St. John's wort; lung cancer risks; National Children's Dental Health Month; job fulfillment; macular degeneration; exercise and smoking; wrist protection; body piercing; warm up before exercise; and bladder infections.

Personal Best is published by Scott Publishing in Edmonds, Wash., and is part of the Lab's Positive Health Directions program in Occupational Medicine (HSR-2) and Benefits and Employment Services (HR-B).

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