MANHATTAN, Kan. – Health matters, but when we are young, we often take it for granted, said David Hunnicutt, president of the Wellness Councils of America.

“Attitudes toward health usually begin changing around age 40 or so, when a simple task – picking up a towel a child left on the bathroom floor is an example – prompts a twinge of back pain,” said Hunnicutt, while speaking about health and wellness at Kansas State University. “The pain may subside quickly, but is a wake-up call.”

“We don’t know when – or how – our lives will end, but we do have some choice in the matter,” he said. The wellness expert provided tips, including:

* Take stock. Complete a personal health-risk appraisal (history plus current status).

* Walk 30-45 minutes most days of the week to manage stress and improve physical, emotional and mental health. If time is short or if physical activity has not previously been part of the daily routine, take 10-minute walking breaks three or four times a day.

* Choose a variety of health-promoting foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, poultry, fish and lowfat dairy products. If dining out or traveling, choose lean baked, broiled, grilled or a vegetarian entrée; request dressings and sauces served on the side.         

* Trim 100 calories a day to lose 10 pounds in a year’s time. (Keeping a food diary can simplify this recommendation.)

* Stop smoking. Smokers who start smoking as teens, but quit at age 45, can recover as much as 75 percent of their lung capacity; smokers who quit at age 60 can generally recover about 50 percent of their lung capacity.

* Balance time at work with time at home, with family and in community.

* Nurture personal relationships to add value to life.

More tips for improving health are available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices, on the Extension Web site: www.oznet.ksu.edu and from the Wellness Councils of America: www.welcoa.org.

                                                                        -30-

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by: Nancy Peterson
nancyp@ksu.edu
K-State Research & Extension News

David Hunnicutt is at 402-827-3590.