Summer means vacation and travel for many, but some professionals are working through the summer months. If you’re stuck surfing the Internet rather than riding the Florida surf, there is still opportunity for you to reap the healthy benefits of summer.

“Intertwine healthy summer activities into all areas of your life, including family activities, social time, and at work,” said Connie Gee, vice president of Med-Vision, LLC, an independent, unbiased eye analyzing employee health claims data to help employers develop site-specific wellness programs.

Some employee populations have high risk of certain diseases, for which Med-Vision’s wellness experts implement customized programs to counter those health risks and educate the workforce on preventative measures.

     “We have various plans for different health risks, but it seems that summer is a perfect opportunity for any busy professional to get more exercise and eat healthier,” said Gee.

In a quest to stay on the leading edge of wellness, Gee recently toured the Human Performance Institute, a Johnson & Johnson organization situated on a 9-acre campus in Orlando. The world-class institute has a team of performance coaches, nutritionists, and exercise physiologists that provide training programs for corporate executives to learn how to expand their energy and achieve their personal best. While she wishes every executive could take part in a corporate athletic program or retreat this summer, Gee says there are simple measures individuals can take on their own, such as:

• Switching up your shopping: Summer is a great season for fresh produce. Organize a family trip to your local farmer’s market and let everyone pick out his or her favorite item.

• Bringing the salad bar to work: Organize a group of coworkers to each bring in one cleaned and chopped fruit or vegetable for a lunchroom salad bar. Mix it up each week, and alternate folks bringing low-fat dressings and healthy toppings like chickpeas or almonds.

• Making a splash: Spend your weekends on the water. Kayaking and canoeing are great for the upper body. Swimming laps provides a low impact, total body workout, while water aerobics classes are a great way to socialize and get in shape.

• Firing up the grill: Try grilling out a few nights of the workweek to achieve weight loss. Grilling lean meats and vegetables is a better choice than prepackaged fried foods. Experiment with different ways to prepare your family’s favorite items, such as grilling watermelon.

Fruits and vegetables in season include tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, blueberries, cantaloupe, and grapefruit. Check: www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org for a full list. Visit www.med-vision.com to view Med-Vision’s quarterly newsletters featuring additional tips for a healthier lifestyle.

 

About Med-Vision:

Founded in 2005, Med-Vision delivers health plan risk management and wellness strategies to help employer groups achieve optimal employee health and productivity. Med-Vision caters to the needs of self-funded employer plan sponsors and impacts health plan members across the nation. Med-Vision has helped corporations, healthcare facilities, municipalities, and school districts to reduce risk, reverse trends, and decrease healthcare costs while increasing quality of care for their employees.