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S  ProHealth 

3S1.77   report,  1988 
M2  6phr 

lysp 


ITATI  DOCUMENTS  COLLECTION 
APR  10 1990 


1988 


O  -    R 


D 


Presented  by  the  Montana  State  Personnel  Division  of  the  Department  of  Administration  in  conjunction  with  LileCare,  at  Saint  Vincent  Hospital  and  Health  Center.  Billings.  Montana. 

Editors:  Steve  Shandere  and  Linda  Kaiser. 


Inside: 

ProHeatth  lifestyle 
assessments  summary 


1988.  Saint  Vincent  Hospital  and  Health  Center.  Billings.  Montana 


ProHealth 
Project  a 
Success 

by  Steve  Shandera,  RT.,  Lifecare 
Manager,  Saint  Vincent  Hospital, 
Billings 

JUST  HOW  HEALTHY  ARE 
YOU?  WHAT  ARE  YOUR 
HEALTH  RISKS? 

Over  6,000  of  you,  and  your  spouses, 
learned  the  answers  to  these  questions 
by  participating  in  the  ProHealth 
Lifestyle  Assessment  Program.  Since 
January,  1987,  Saint  Vincent  Hospital 
and  Health  Center's  LifeCare  profes- 
sionals coordinated  the  most  com- 
prehensive health  screening  ever  offered 
to  employees  of  the  State  of  Montana. 

From  Miles  City  to  Missoula  to  Malta, 
you  provided  information  about  your 
family  health  history  and  lifestyle,  under- 
went a  series  of  screening  tests  and 
received  a  personal,  computer-gene- 
rated report  of  your  current  health  status 
and  future  health  risks. 

Health  professionals  were  available  to 
discuss  results  with  you  and  answer 
questions  on  how  to  begin  developing 
a  healthier  lifestyle.  All  of  you  were  made 
more  aware  of  your  health  risks  and 


became  motivated  to  make  lifestyle 
changes.  Keep  up  the  good  work— it's 
showing! 


prohealth    conclusion: 
exercise  more 


eat    less, 


Data  gathered  as  part  of  the  statewide 
health  screening  suggests  that  state 
employees  could  decrease  their  health 
risks  by  exercising  more  and  eating  less. 
Over  half  (57%)  were  found  to  be  at  risk 
because  of  inadequate  exercise,  and 
almost  half  (46%)  were  at  risk  due  to 
being  overweight. 

For  most  people,  regular  exercise 
goes  hand-in-hand  with  getting  rid  of  un- 
wanted pounds  forever  Getting  started 
is  the  first  big  hurdle.  Start  slowly  and 
build  up  both  the  amount  and  speed  at 
which  you  exercise.  Sticking  with  a  pro- 
gram of  regular  exercise  can  be  im- 
mensely rewarding.  Get  out  your  will- 
power and  determination  and  dust  them 
off — they're  always  ready  to  go  to  work 
for  you! 


Percent  of  ProHealth  Participants 
at  risk  by  risk  factor 


HEALTH  RISK 

RISK  LEVEL 

Exercise 

Moderate 

Serious 

Total 

38% 

19% 

57% 

Seat  Belt  Use 

18% 

35% 

53% 

Weight 

20% 

26% 

46% 

Cholesterol 

11% 

13% 

24% 

Hypertension 

14% 

6% 

20% 

Smoking 

6% 

13% 

19% 

Alcohol 

4% 

2% 

6% 

cardiovascular  fitness 

ARE  YOU  ll\l  SHAPE? 


Consider  yourself  in  good  cardio- 
vascular shape  if  you  meet  the  following 
criteria: 

•  You  are  content  with  the  way  you  look. 

•  Your  weight  is  in  the  normal  range. 


•  You  are  usually  relaxed  and  calm  and 
you  sleep  well  at  night. 

•  You  have  enough  energy  to  do  the 
things  you  want  to  do. 


MONTANA  STATE  LIBRARY 

S  351.77  M2ephr  1988  0.1 
ProHealth  report  1988  / 


3  0864  00061674  1 

Killer 
Stalking 

State 
Employees 

Are  you  one  of  them? 

by  Kathie  Shandera,  LifeCare, 
Saint  Vincent  Hospital,  Billings 


The  ProHealth  screening  program  of 
6,200  state  employees  revealed  that 
24%  are  at  risk  of  developing  heart 
disease  due  to  high  blood  cholesterol. 

This  insidious  killer,  a  fatty  wax-like 
substance,  may  be  building  up  in  your 
arteries  as  you  read  this  article!  Over 
time,  cholesterol  can  harden  and  narrow 
your  blood  vessels,  leading  you  down 
the  path  to  a  stroke  or  heart  attack. 

There  are  no  warning  signs  of  high 
cholesterol.  Only  a  blood  test  can  deter- 
mine who  is  at  risk.  Employees  whose 
blood  was  tested  through  the  screening 
received  information  stressing  the  impor- 
tance of  periodic  blood  cholesterol 
checks. 

Some  blood  cholesterol  is  manufac- 
tured naturally  by  our  bodies,  and  we 
add  more  through  the  foods  we  eat.  For 
most  people,  eating  too  much  fat  and 
foods  high  in  cholesterol  will  result  in 
high  levels  of  cholesterol.  Some  have  a 
hereditary  form  of  elevated  cholesterol, 
which  is  not  a  direct  result  of  diet. 

Tips  for  lowering  fat  and  cholesterol 
in  your  diet:  choose  low  fat  and  low 
cholesterol  foods:  skim  milk,  fruit,  cereal, 
beans,  whole  grains  and  vegetable  oils. 
Trim  all  fat  from  meats  and  remove 
poultry  skin.  Grill  or  broil  meat  and  limit 
meat  portions  to  pieces  about  the  size 
of  a  deck  of  cards.  Exercise,  use  non- 
caffeine  drinks  (or  limit  caffeine 
beverages  to  two  a  day).  Above  all, 
recognize  that  changing  a  health  habit 
takes  time  and  patience.  Take  each  day 
one  at  a  time,  and  do  the  best  you  can. 


uuaiity  Centre:!  cf  Cailactiars  'iicrKH^set: : 


EacJn  task  listed  beiaiu  requires  initials  cf  persanCs!'  doing  the  pracessing. 
L'pan  campisticn ,  the  entire  sheet  requires  review  initials  of  HLZ  cr  DS .  Thank 
you . 


Date  item  received  at  Pit: 


RID: 


Author:  

Title:  

Call  number 


Auii3  0l§ig 


CATTACH  WLN  RECORHD 


COLLECTION  ID  5  1 

■•\»,:l      wln88-1614:l.2 
l.ON  i  ■:! 

TIL»0         la 
IMP.  !a 


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db  08/30/88      08/30/88       /■-••/ 

(WaOLN) 5007497 

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A  d  IT.  i  n  i  s  t  r  a  t  i  o  n  y  1. 9  8  8 » 

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Dewey  number  assignment: 

is  number  consistent  throughout  the  processing? 

is  number  consistent  uith  collection? 

is  number  clearly  visible  on  spine  or  upper  left  hand  corner  of  item? 

Is  the  RID  used  in  cataloging,  attaching  holdings  statements,  and  crdering 
cards/labels  the  same? 


□ 


Is  there  evidence  of  a  correct  nt  holdings  statement  on  ULN?   Is  the  Deiuey 

number  in  the  holdings  statement  the  same  as  the  Dewey  number  on  the  cards  andl [ 

shelf  list?  L [ 


Date  Item  cleared  cataloging  functicn: 


□ 


Pre  special  ccllsctions  correctly  noted:  ie.  reference,  stats  decs,  fed  docs, 
color  dots,  etc.'' 

If  the  item  needs  a  color  dot  to  indicate  where  it  is  to'  be  shelved  fiready     i     i 

reference,  online,  census,  etc.),  is  the  dot  clearly  visible  on  the  spine?    I.    1 

Is  ownership  stamp  visible  on  or  within  publication  in  at  least  two  iccations'i'L I 

Is  acquisition  date  and  price  noted  inside  the  cover  and  on  the  shelf  list?   |    | 

Does  informaticn  on  card  and  pocket  mat:.h'!'  j [ 

Date  item  left  prccessing  area 


Date  item  located  on  correct  shelf  cr  m  circulation 
Comments: 


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Stress-p^hat^a  Mess! 


Stress.  A  fact  of  life.  Stress  is  always 
with  us.  Happy  stress — weddings,  first 
dates,  birthi  and  sad  stress— death,  lay- 
off, work — are  all  a  part  of  normal,  every- 
day life.  Keep  in  mind  that  everyone  has 
stress.  How  you  handle  it  is  up  to  you 
and  though  some  of  us  encounter  more 
stress  than  others,  the  way  we  perceive 
and  react  to  it  is  more  significant  than 
the  amount  of  stress  we  face.  Here  are 
some  stress-busters  to  put  to  work  when 
you  feel  the  pressure  mounting: 

STRESS-BUSTERS 

Say  no.  Get  up  20  minutes  earlier 
tomorrow  to  allow  for  some  spare  time 
for  you.  Put  on  comfortable  clothes- 


even  if  they're  what  you  wore  yesterday! 
Write  down  everything  you  need  to  do 
today  then  cross  them  off  as  you  com- 
plete them,  invest  in  2  jars  of  spaghetti 
sauce  and  a  couple  of  bags  of  spaghetti 
—dinner's  done,  and  it'll  taste  great, 
especially  with  a  little  cottage  cheese 
mixed  in!  Have  things  to  do  while  you 
wait  in  line:  balance  your  checkbook, 
prepare  a  grocery  list,  read  a  paperback, 
write  a  thank  you  note.  Wall<  for  10 
minutes  on  your  lunch  hour,  even  if  it's 
around  the  block  twice.  Remember  this: 
the  sun  is  going  to  rise  and  set  today 
anyway  and  there's  nothing  you  can  do 
about  it.  Except  enjoy  it  more! 


F    EXERCISE  GUIDELINES 

•  Check  with  your  doctor  before  be- 

• Work  up  gradually  and  stick  with 

ginning  an  exercise  program  if  you 
are  over  50  and/or  have  a  heart 
problem. 

your  program  for  at  least  8  weeks. 

•  Allow  time  for  warm-up  and  cool 
down. 

•  Choose  activities  that  you  enjoy 
and  vary  your  routine. 

•  Exercise  continuously  for  at  least 
30  minutes  per  session,  at  least  3 

•  Schedule  your  exercise  at  the  same 

times  a  week. 

time  everyday  and  try  to  exercise 
with  a  friend  when  possible. 

Ci 


start  training 
to  stopsmoi<ing 


Smoking,  once  considered  glamorous 
— Bette  Davis,  Lauren  Bacall,  Humphrey 
Bogart— is  out.  A  danger  to  health, 
fitness  and  beauty  smoking  is  also  one 
of  the  greatest  risk  factors  for  cancer 

Now  is  the  best  time  to  stop  smoking. 
It  can  be  easy  if  you  prepare  to  quit,  well 
in  advance.  Give  yourself  a  month  to 
"train."  Think  of  yourself  as  an  athlete, 
preparing  for  a  10K,  and  use  this 
strategy: 

Eat  well.  Fresh  veggies,  fruits,  grains. 

Cut  down  on  animal  fats,  sugar,  salt  and 

caffeine.  Eat  lightly  and  eat  more  than 

three  times  during  the  day 

Sleep.    Lots    of    heavenly    refreshing 

sleep.  Before,  during  and  after  you  quit 

smoking. 


Over  19%  of  employees 
screened  are  at  risk 
because  they  currently 
smoke. 


Exercise.  If  you  don't  have  a  favorite  ac- 
tivity, commit  to  walking  briskly  every 
day  for  10  minutes.  If  you're  already  on 
a  program,  increase  the  length  of  your 
workouts. 

Drink  plenty  of  water.  Everyone  needs 
8  glasses  of  water  a  day  Not  soda,  not 
juice,  but  water  It's  so  good  for  all  your 
organs,  especially  your  skin.  If  you  think 
you  retain  water,  it's  because  your  body 
holds  on  to  all  it  gets,  which  isn't  much. 
Keep  the  water  coming  through  to 
cleanse  your  system.  When  you  get  the 
urge  to  smoke,  have  a  glass  of  water 
instead! 

Picture  yourself  a  non-smoker. 
Visualize  yourself  without  the  cigarette 
monkey  on  your  back.  The  more  you 
think  of  yourself  in  a  healthy,  active 
lifestyle,  the  better  off  you'll  be.  Mind 
over  matter 

At  the  end  of  the  month,  you'll  feel 
and  look  better  You'll  have  treated 
yourself  to  a  healthy  program.  What  bet- 
ter time  to  stop  smoking.  .  good  luck! 


GOVERNOR'S 

CUP 

RESULTS 


Ellen  Feaver  and  Dean  Hersey. 

Over  250  state  employees  ran,  walk- 
ed, jogged  and  sweated  in  the  annual 
Governor's  Cup  Race  in  Helena  on  June 
4.  Nineteen  agencies  participated  in  the 
State  Government  Competition.  Partici- 
pation increased  significantly  from  last 
year  The  winners  were: 

AGENCY  TEAM  EVENT 

1st  Place:  Institutions — Jim  Pomroy 
Bobbie  Dixon,  Dean  Hersey,  Carrie 
Froehereich,  Doug  Weisenberger,  Dan 
Hoy 

2nd  Place:  Fish.  Wildlife  &  Parks— David 
Clark-Snustad,  Mary  Anne  Aafedt,  Dick 
Mayer,  Rich  Milspon,  Rich  Clough. 

PARTICIPATION  EVENT 

Legislative    Fiscal    Analyst— 59% 

participation. 

Legislative  Council — 49%  participation. 

INDIVIDUAL  RUNNER  EVENT 

1st  Place— Dean  Hersey— Dept.  of  Insti- 
tutions Based  on  a  percentile  score,  i.e., 
percentage  of  same  age,  same  sex  run- 
ners in  event  which  the  runner  finished 
ahead  of,  adjusted  to  eliminate  walking 
scores. 

Runners  above  the  90th  percentile: 
Charlotte  Fuson — SRS;  Jim  Pomroy — 
Institutions;  Jeff  Miller — Revenue;  Bob- 
bie Dixon — Institutions,  Women's 
Marathon  winner;  Steve  Wilson — 
Administration. 

Remember,  you  only  have  a  year  to 
get  in  shape  for  next  year's 
competition! 


Are 

for  High 
Cholesterol? 

C.«  a  ^>"'^'"^-"^^';f  prescribe  stringent 
£rS:;s^U>i^a,.necess.rv,bv 

drug  therapy. 


.•      Hioh  (200  to  239  mg/dl) 

levels. 

„,.,,„    familv   history  of 

•'^'^^  ^^Thean    dSse,    sn^oking. 
premature    hea«  ^^^^^    ^.^j,^^,, 


Desirable  (less  than  200  mg/dl) 

Recheck  within  five  years  or  with  regular 
exams. 


NOTE:  mg/dl:  milligrams  per  deciliter. 


Source:  .National  Institute  of  Health  Report 
of  the  Expert  Panel  on  Detection. 
r.\aluation  and  Treatment  of  High  Blood 
Cholesterol  in  Adults.  19H"  Inlike 
previous  NIM  guidelines,  risky  cholesterol 
levels  arc  no  longer  dependcni  upon  age. 

American  Health  January/l-'ebruary  '88 


12500  copies  of  this  public  document 
were  published  at  an  estimated  cost 
of  $.20  per  copy,  for  a  total  cost  of 
$2495.00,  which  includes  $2447.50  for 
printing  and  $47.50  for  distribution. 


Top  Illness: 
High  Blood  Pressure 

Also  known  as  hypertension 

Lori  Ryan,  R.N.,  LifeCare,  Saint  Vincent  Hospital,  Billings 


In  the  good  old  USA,  hypertension, 
known  to  many  of  us  as  high  blood  pres- 
sure, is  the  number  one  adult  illness. 
Usually,  there  are  no  signs  or  symptoms 
at  all.  That's  why  a  blood  pressure  check 
was  part  of  the  ProHealth  Program 
Health  Risk  Assessment.  Twenty  percent 
of  the  participants  were  found  to  be  at 
risk  because  of  high  blood  pressure.  The 
good  news  is  that  high  blood  pressure 
can  be  treated  and  controlled. 

If  your  blood  pressure  is  over  140/90, 
you  are  at  risk  and  need  to  take  steps 
to  bring  it  under  control.  If  your  blood 
pressure  is  over  160/100  you  must  see 
your  doctor  The  following  changes  will 
improve     your     blood     pressure: 

Quit  smoking.  10-20  minutes  after 
you  smoke  a  cigarette,  your  blood 
pressure  goes  up  and  your  heart  beats 
faster  and  harder  If  you  smoke  a  pack 
a  day  you  have  two  times  the  chance 


of  having  a  heart  attack  than  a 
non-smoker 

Lose  weight  if  you  are  overweight. 

Excess  weight  puts  an  extra  burden  on 
the  heart  by  forcing  it  to  pump  more 
blood. 

Exercise  regularly.  We  can't  stress 
this  one  enough! 

Reduce  alcohol  and  caffeine  in- 
take. If  you  have  3  or  more  drinks  or 
cups  of  coffee  each  day  you  are  more 
likely  to  have  high  blood  pressure  than 
if  you  limit  yourself  to  one  or  two. 

Reduce  saturated  fats  in  your  diet. 

Read  those  labels!  Get  in  the  habit  of 
knowing  what  you're  putting  into  your 
body. 

Reduce  salt.  Salt,  or  sodium,  sneaks 
into  your  diet  in  many  ways.  Avoid  salted 
snacks  and  cured  foods — bacon, 
pickles,  olives. 


What  Are  Your  HDLs  and  LDLs? 


There  are  two  types  of  cholesterol: 
1)  high  density  lipoproteins  and  2) 
low  density  lipoproteins.  Your  body 
produces  HDLs  which  are  considered  to 
be  the  "good"  cholesterol  and  contain 
the  smallest  amount  of  cholesterol  and 
the  greatest  amount  of  protein.  HDLs  are 
known  to  sweep  away  the  cholesterol 
plaque  from  your  arterial  walls.  High 
levels  of  HDL  are  usually  found  in  peo- 
ple who  exercise  regularly,  don't  smoke 


and  maintain  their  weight.  Low  density 
lipoproteins  are  considered  to  be  the 
"bad"  cholesterol  because  they  contain 
the  greatest  amount  of  cholesterol  and 
the  smallest  amount  of  protein.  LDLs 
deposit  on  the  arterial  walls  and  in- 
crease your  risk  of  heart  disease. 

Take  yourself  off  the  heart  disease  "hit 
list"  by  knowing  your  blood  cholesterol 
level  and  working  to  maintain  it  in  a 
healthy  range. 


Find  the  Fat 


Here's  a  simple  math  procedure  that 
can  help  you  determine  the  percentage 
of  calories  that  come  from  fat— from 
frozen  dinner  to  canned  vegetable.  You 
just  need  to  know  the  amount  of  fat  and 
the  number  of  calories  per  serving — 
both  easily  found  on  a  nutrition  label. 

Example:  A  frozen  Chinese  dinner 
that  has  20  grams  of  fat  and  340  calories 
per  serving.  Multiply  the  number  of 
grams  of  fat  (20)  by  the  number  of 
calories  per  gram  (1  gram  =9  calories.) 
The  total  number  of  calories  from  fat  per 
serving  is  180.  Next,  divide  the  number 
of  fat  calories  (180)  by  the  total  calories 
(340)  and  multiply  by  100.  Your  answer: 
the  percentage  of  calories  that  comes 
from  fat  is  53%. 


Fat  Quiz 


Find  the  percentage  of  calories  from 
fat  in  the  following  examples: 

1.  Lowfat  cottage  cheese:  1  gram 
fat,  90  calories  per  serving. 

2.  Mayonnaise:  11  grams  fat,  100 
calories  per  serving. 

3.  Graham  crackers:  3  grams  fat, 
120  calories  per  serving. 

4.  Non-dairy  creamer:  1  gram  fat, 
12  calories  per  serving. 

Answers:  1    10%         2    99%         3   23%         4    75% 

Fat  Reminder:  Beware  food  labels 
that  read  "no  cholesterol"  without 
spending  more  time  determining  the 
calories  from  fat  figure. 


What  to  look  for  when  you  purchase  an  exercise 
video  or  participate  in  an  exercise  program. 

By  Nancy  Colton 

Assistant  Professor  of  Physical  Education,  Department  of  Health  and  Human  Development,  Montana  State  University 

Reprinted  with  permission. 


So  you've  decided  to  develop  some 
type  of  fitness  routine — you  know  the  im- 
portance of  becoming  fit  either  from  the 
media,  your  physician  or  your  best  friend 
who  has  lost  "x"  number  of  pounds  this 
past  year  and  who  radiates  with  new 
found  health. 

This  isn't  the  first  time  you've  initiated 
a  fitness  routine— each  year  your  well 
meaning  intentions  have  lasted  a  week, 
a  month,  six  months  and  then  an  injury 
or  lack  of  motivation  caused  you  to  drop 
out. 

This  time  you've  decided  an  exercise 
video  might  be  the  key  to  a  successful 
workout.  Let's  face  it,  popping  a  video 
into  the  VCR  in  the  privacy  of  your  home 
has  much  to  offer  You  can: 

1.  work  out  anytime  day  or  night; 

2.  wear  comfortable  clothes  and  you  don't 
have  to  dress  up  in  silly  leotards  with  the 
legs  cut  out  up  to  your  waist; 

3.  save  your  pennies;  a  $16.95  video  is  con- 
siderably cheaper  than  membership  to  a 
health  club; 

4.  improve  self-esteem  by  NOT  being  sur- 
rounded by  18  year  olds  with  9  inch 
waists  who  drop  their  noses  to  the  floor 
during  a  flexibility  warm-up  exercise; 

5.  turn  it  off  when  you've  had  enough  in- 
stead of  going  into  overdrive  to  please  an 
instructor  or  to  keep  up  with  the  18  year 
olds. 

TO  BUY  OR  TO  RENT  IT 

Before  purchasing  a  video,  check  with 
local  video  retail  stores  to  see  if  you  can 
rent  it.  Preview  the  video  keeping  in 
mind  the  following  pointers: 

1.  Do  you  enjoy  the  personality  of  the  exer- 
cise leader? 

2.  Do  you  like  the  music? 

3.  Is  the  video  produced  for  the  theatrical 
effects,  i.e.,  participants  whooping  it  up 
unrealistically  to  "sell"  how  much  fun 
they're  having. 

THE  RIGHT  STUFF 

Next,  whether  it  be  a  video,  an  exer- 
cise class  or  you  undertake  your  own  ex- 
ercise routine,  these  points  need  to  be 
considered: 

1.  You  need  to  have  a  good  pair  of  support 
shoes.  If  the  exercise  leader  on  the  video 
doesn't  wear  shoes  especially  during 
aerobic  or  weight  bearing/bouncing 
movements,  don't  follow  their  example. 

2.  Make  sure  you're  wearing  clothing  that 
is  comfortable  and  non-restrictive. 
Because  participants  on  the  video  are 
wearing    flashy    leotards,    don't    be 


Over  57%  of  employees 
screened  are  at  risk  due  to 
lack  of  exercise. 


pressured  into  wearing  something  like 
this  if  it's  uncomfortable. 

3.  If  you  are  over  40  years  of  age  and  have 
been  inactive,  a  check  with  your  physican 
is  warranted.  If  pregnant,  you  must  follow 
your  ob-gyn  recommendations. 

4.  Don't  set  high  unattainable  goals  or  ex- 
pectations. If  weight  loss  is  desirable,  a 
sensible  diet  in  combination  with  exercise 
is  the  key  This  will  take  time — months. 

5.  Intensity,  duration  and  frequency  of  the 
workout  are  the  keys  to  fitness 
improvement. 

A)  Intensity— Karvonen's  Formula: 
Subtract        your        age        from 
220  =  maximum  heart  rate — do  not 
exercise  at  this  rate. 

Subtract  resting  heart  rate  and  multi- 
ply by  .60  =  heart  rate  reserve. 
Add  your  resting  heart  rate  =  target 
heart    rate— maintain    this    during 
exercise. 

Can  you  carry  out  a  conversation 
while  exercising?  If  out  of  breath,  slow 
down. 

B)  Duration— at  least  20  minutes  at  the 
intensity  described  above.  Start  out 
even  less  and  gradually  build  up.  Too 
much  too  soon  will  result  in  muscle 
soreness,  or,  worse  injury. 

C)  Frequency — the  ACSM  suggests 
three  times  a  week  on  a  non-consecu- 
tive day  pattern.  Don't  overdo  in  your 
zest  for  fitness.  This  leads  to  fitness 
dropouts. 

6.  Never  perform  exercise  that  are  ballistic 
(bouncy).  Never  hyperextend  your  knees 
(lock  your  knees  backward)  while  in  a 
standing  position  with  your  head  over 
your  knees.  Always  keep  your  knees  over 
your  feet,  not  out  to  one  side.  Don't  arch 
your  back  or  hyperextend  it  while  doing 
exerices  on  all  fours.  Never  assume  the 
yoga  plow  position.  In  doing  abdominal 
exercise,  push  the  small  of  the  back  into 
the  floor,  never  arch  it  or  raise  legs  upon 
top  of  a  bench  to  achieve  a  90 "  angle. 
Often  the  instructors  and  participants  in 
videos  are  poor  examples  of  correct  body 
mechanics.  Don't  follow  their  model. 

7.  If  you  experience  a  burning  sensation  or 
the  exercise  hurts,  ease  up.  Hold  the  less 
strenuous  position  and  if  you  feel  the 
muscle,  relax,  then  go  down  a  little  fur- 
ther Exercise  leaders  that  encourage  you 
to  "burn,  baby,  burn"  are  in  reality  say- 
ing "injury,  baby,  injury!" 


8.  In  performing  aerobic  exercises,  never 
work  out  on  a  cement  surface  even  if  it 
is  covered  with  carpeting.  The  best  sur- 
face is  a  wood  floor  or  carpeting  over 
wood. 

9.  A  good  exercise  program  consists  of  a 
warmup  (5-10  minutes),  an  aerobic  phase 
(20-30  minutes)  and  a  cool  down  (5-20 
minutes).  Another  variety  is  to  add  a 
calisthenics  segment  (15-20  minutes),  i.e., 
abdominal  work,  hip  flexor,  and  quadri- 
cep  strengthening,  after  the  first  cool 
down  and  add  a  second  cool  down  (7-10 
minutes).  Each  video  is  varied  in  its  pro- 
gram. See  attached  chart.  You  may  have 
to  include  additional  time  to  these 
segments  if  the  video  you  choose  runs 
short.  All  three  components  are  very  im- 
portant. Initially,  .pend  more  time  warm- 
ing up  and  cool  ig  down  and  only  10-12 
minutes  on  the  aerobic  segment.  This 
can  gradually  be  increased  (about  1.0% 
a  week)  until  you  work  for  20-30  minutes 
on  the  aerobic  component. 

10.  In  any  aerobic  workout,  make  sure  when 
making  contact  to  the  floor  that  the  ball 
of  your  foot  hits  first  and  then  roll  through 
to  your  heel.  Most  video  exercise  leaders 
constantly  land  on  the  balls  of  their  feet 
and  never  roll  through.  DO  NOT  model 
their  example. 

11.  Do  you  know  the  credential  of  the  exer- 
cise leader  of  the  video?  An  actor,  model 
or  someone  that  claims  to  be  a  fitness 
lover/teacher  for  "x"  amount  of  years, 
doesn't  mean  they  are  qualified  to  teach 
fitness.  In  Montana,  as  in  every  other 
state,  one  must  be  licensed  to  cut  or  color 
hair  and  yet  exercise  leaders  are  exempt 
from  licensing.  There  are  two  nationally 
recognized  certifying  agents  for  exercise 
leaders,  the  American  College  of  Sports 
Medicine  (ACSM)  and  International 
Dance-Exercise  /^sociation  (IDEA).  If 
your  instructor  has  passed  the  re- 
quirements of  either  of  these  groups  or 
has  a  degree  in  physical  education,  you'll 
be  exposed  to  quality,  medically  sound 
instruction. 


"Fitness  cannot  be  bestowed 
or  bought;  like  honour,  it  must 
be  earned." 
(Big  Sky  Winddrinkers) 


Exercise  videos  are  available  from  the 
State  Wellness  Program  for  employees 
who  would  like  to  establish  an  on-site 
group  exercise  program.  Contact  Vi 
Pigman  of  the  State  Personnel  Division 
for  information — 444-3871. 


Show  You  Care  by  the  Belt  You  Wear 

Safety  bet  leelly  do  wok! 

Reprinted  courtesy  of  the  fJlontana  State  Higfiway  Patrol. 


The  Safety  Belt  Issue 

Each  year  over  200  Montanans  lose 
their  lives  as  the  result  of  motor  vehicle 
accidents  and  another  8,700  are  injured. 
Yet,  92%  of  the  accident  victims  failed 
to  wear  seat  belts,  resulting  in  occupant/ 
vehicle,  occupant/occupant  collision  and 
passengers  being  thrown  from  the 
vehicle. 

Auto  accidents  in  Montana  are  the 
major  cause  of  paraplegia  and  quadri- 
plegia  from  damage  to  the  spinal  cord, 
and  the  largest  contributor  to  new  cases 
of  epilepsy  (from  head  injury). 

The  costs  related  to  motor  vehicle  ac- 
cidents are  staggering.  Montana  econo- 
mic costs  due  to  the  17,398  reported  ac- 
cidents in  1985  resulted  in  $134  million 


—insurance  payments,  health  and  medi- 
cal costs,  lost  wages,  and  property 
damage. 

Safety  belt  studies  over  the  past  22 
years  have  shown  conclusively  that  safe- 


ty belts  reduce  the  risk  of  death  and 
serious  injury  by  over  50%.  Despite  the 
proven  effectiveness  of  safety  belts,  less 
than  21%  of  the  population  of  Montana 
use  them  regularly. 


Over  53%  of  employees 
screened  currently  are  at 
risk  because  they  do  not 
use  seat  belts.  Studies 
Indicate  that  safety  belts 
reduce  the  risk  of  death 
and  serious  Injury  by 
over  50%! 


Responsibility 


Motor  vehicle  accidents  result  in  road 
related  trauma  and  economic  costs.  Our 
society  is  realizing  that  much  of  the  cost 
related  to  traffic  accidents  is  a  burden 
shared  by  everyone.  Our  society  cannot 
continue  to  let  this  costly  activity  go  on. 
Therefore,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  all 
Montanans  to  take  prudent  and  reason- 
able steps  to  reduce  death,  injury  and 
related  costs.  One  step  is  to  wear  safety 
belts  in  motorized  vehicles. 


the  bribe  tbat  worked! 

Linda  Kaiser,  Wellness  Coordinator,  State  Personnel  Division 


The  State  Wellness  Program  "bribed" 
you  to  make  healthy  lifestyle  changes 
and  many  of  you  rose  to  the  challenge. 
You've  made  the  commitment  and  are 
well  down  the  path  to  a  healthier  you. 

We  are  particularly  pleased  that  we 
have  reached  beyond  those  employees 
who  already  recognize  the  importance 
of  and  habitually  pursue  a  healthy 
lifestyle.  Over  80%  of  employees  apply- 
ing for  a  reimbursement  had  identified 
health  risks  including  elevated 
cholesterol,  high  blood  pressure,  excess 
weight  or  smoking. 

By  reducing  these  risks  we  reduce  the 
chances  of  personal  and  family  catas- 
trophe, and  we  reduce  costs  to  our 
health  benefit  plan.  Not  bad  for  some- 
thing that  makes  us  feel  healthier  and  fit. 

Here  are  a  few  comments  from  "satis- 
fied customers"  in  the  Bribe  Program; 

"/  have  lost  30  lbs.  and  many,  many 
inches  and  am  feeling  terrific — thanks!" 

"I  am  continuing  the  program  in  an  ef- 
fort to  maintain  my  newly  acquired 
health  status." 

"I'm  going  to  be  a  skinny  person  yet!" 

".  . .  the  aerobics  program  is  really 
great!" 

"I  appreciate  the  Wellness  program 
helping  me  with  this  (kicking  the  smok- 
ing habit)." 


THE  ONGOING  BRIBE 

We  had  such  a  good  response  to  the 
"Bribe"  Program,  we  plan  to  continue  it. 
Here's  how  the  reimbursement  works  for 
the  new  fiscal  year  (July  1988 — June 
1989): 

IF  YOU:  Attend  75%  of  the  sessions  of  an 
approved,  introductory  cardiovas- 
cular fitness  program  for  three 
months.  .  . 

WE  WILL:  Reimburse  $35.00  of  the  cost  of 
the  program. 

IF  YOU:  Are  a  smoker  and  attend  75%  of 
the  sessions  of  an  approved 
smoking  cessation  program 

WE  WILL:  Reimburse  75%  of  reasonable 
costs  for  the  program. 

IF  YOU:  (1)  Are  identified  as  "high  risk"" 
through  the  PRO  HEALTH 
SCREENING  because  of 
elevated  cholesterol  (240mg  or 
greater),  elevated  blood  pressure 
(140/90  or  greater)  or  excess 
weight  (20%  over  recommended 
weight  for  you  height)  and 
(2)  Attend  75%  of  the  sessions  of 
an  approved  cholesterol/blood 
pressure  reduction  program 
and/or  weight  control  program  or 
an  introductory  fitness  program 

WE  WILL:  Reimburse  75%  of  reasonable 
costs  for  TWO  programs  for  the 
new  fiscal  year 


TO  GET  IN  ON  THIS  OFFER 
TAKE  THE  FOLLOWING  STEPS 

1.  Obtain  a  Wellness  application  from  the 
Employee  Benefits  Office  in  the  State  Per- 
sonnel Division  by  calling  444-3871. 

2.  If  the  program  you  wish  to  attend  has  not 
been  approved,  also  obtain  a  Wellness 
Program  Information  Form  and  have  it 
completed  by  the  provider  and  returned 
to  the  Employee  Benefits  Office. 

3.  After  you  have  received  notice  that  your 
application  and  the  program  has  been  ap- 
proved, participate  in  the  program  and 
upon  completion  submit  the  following  for 
reimbursement: 

(a)  copies  of  attendance  sheets 

(b)  proof  of  payment. 
Remember,  the  reimbursements  are 
limited  by  available  funds.  Funds  will  be 
committed  on  a  first  come  basis.  Pro- 
grams must  also  meet  established  criteria 
to  be  approved  for  reimbursement  and 
program  costs  may  not  exceed  establish- 
ed cost  ceilings. 

We've  approved  over  60  programs 
statewide  in  Billings,  Anaconda, 
Missoula,  Kalsipell,  Havre,  Poison, 
Great  Falls,  Dillon,  Glendive,  Helena, 
Wolfpoint,  Boulder,  Libby,  Butte, 
Superior  and  Lewistown.  We'd  like  to 
approve  more — contact  us  if  you 
would  like  to  see  a  program  approved. 

Sign  up  today  for  the  "Bribe".  You 
have  nothing  to  lose  but  some  bad 
habits!