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Walking is one of the easiest, yet most beneficial forms of exercise. Walking for as little as 30 minutes a day can improve heart and lung fitness, support bone health, alleviate joint pain, fight stress and burn fat.

With so many great health benefits at stake, we want walking to be accessible to employees 365 days a year. That’s why our N Good Health team is excited to announce the completion of updates to three indoor walking paths conveniently located at Norton Healthcare facilities.

Do you need some quick steps to walk off stress? Are you looking to hit your daily step count goal on a cold, winter day? Or maybe you just want to take note of the distance you’ve traveled along your normal workday route. You’re in luck!

For any questions, please reach out to one of your facility Wellness Champions or Dannielle Hadaway of the N Good Health team at Dannielle.Hadaway@Nortonhealthcare.org.

Click below for the indoor walking paths at the following facilities:

Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital Walking Path

Downtown Campus Walking Path

CPA Lab on Breckenridge Ln. Walking Path

Photo challenge

Explore the new indoor paths, or any of the eight path options across Norton Healthcare campuses, with some friends or on your own and take your photo in front of one of the signs. Submit the photo (along with the names of all employees pictured) to NGoodHealth@nortonhealthcare.org between Dec. 1 and Dec. 20 to be entered to win a Fitbit Versa. Double up on prize opportunities and use your photo challenge steps for Holiday Hop too!

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Find your own path!

Whether walking through your neighborhood, a nearby park or along one of our facility walking paths, track your steps on NGoodHealth.com to measure progress and help you reach goals. The N Good Health website also includes instructions for synching your fitness devices for even easier step tracking. ​

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Feeling droopy?  Don’t grab that afternoon soda or sweet — take a break from your day and get your blood flowing for a natural energy boost.  This 5 minute workout requires no equipment and only a small space in your office. 

Depending on the amount of time you have on your break to complete this, these moves can be repeated to fill the duration of your break time! You can also use online resources to get your blood pumping at home, in the group fitness room, or even in your office! 

• Blogilates.com
• Fitness Blender on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/FitnessBlender/videos?app=desktop
• Instagram:  @MrandMrsMuscle

Pinterest also has some amazing resources as well- try searching for at home workouts, printable workouts or if you have a type of workout in mind, like “HIIT workout”, “body weight workout”, the more specific you are with your search terms, the better. 🙂

Winter arrives every year and with it comes colder temperatures and changes in the daylight schedule.  You don’t have to bring your outdoor workouts inside in the colder months, you just have to take some things into consideration.  Here are some tips to keep you moving outside through the colder months:

• Plan ahead – look at the weather report and remember the wind chill is a serious factor.  A sunny winter day can be deceiving if the wind brings the cold temperatures to a dangerous level.
• Dress appropriately – layer, layer, layer!  Consider 3 layers when exercising in the cold.  A base layer should be a moisture wicking material to keep you dry.  A mid-layer provides insulation to keep you warm and the outer layer should block wind and repel any water.  A zipper is ideal so you can let some cool air in if you begin to feel hot.  Be sure to cover your head and hands with appropriate weight hat and gloves/mittens.  If conditions are slick, consider putting traction cleats like Yak Tracks on your shoes for added stability.
• Stay hydrated – it’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re not sweating in the heat but it’s easier to dehydrate in the winter as your body has to work harder to humidify the drier winter air. 
• Pack a phone – putting your phone in a jacket pocket or a waistband pack provides security in case you need to call for help.  If you must listen to something while exercising, consider leaving one earbud out so you can hear and be aware of your surroundings. 
• Light yourself up – there’s less sunlight this time of year so if you are trekking out in the dark before sunrise or after sunset, be sure to wear reflective gear and lights.  Runners and road cyclists should wear light-colored clothing plus a lighted and/or reflective vest and headlamp to be seen by traffic.  A headlamp helps you see potential hazards in your path as well.  If cycling, a bike should be outfitted with at least two lights, a headlight and a flashing tail light.  Always ride with the flow of traffic and run against the flow of traffic if a sidewalk is not available. 
• Warm up – include dynamic warmup exercises before heading out to make sure your muscles are ready for the work.  These low intensity pre-workout exercises like leg swings, bodyweight squats, lunges, knee hugs, arm and hip circles get the blood flowing and help prevent injury any time of the year but most especially when it’s cold. 

Don’t forget to wear an activity tracker or use your phone to track your steps and link to your N Good Health account.  Learn more at www.ngoodhealth.com.

It’s the holidays and for most Americans, that means eating – lots of eating – followed by weight gain and a New Year’s resolution to lose weight.

But why not take a healthier approach to what we eat during this holiday season and beyond?

According to a recent website survey, about 18 percent of people say it’s hard for them to eat healthy because they don’t want to stop eating their favorite foods. The good news is you don’t have to.

You can still enjoy your favorite occasional indulgences, but in moderation. It’s all about being mindful of what you eat.

Mindless Eating

Mindless eating is consuming food just because it’s there. It’s eating while distracted – watching TV, working at a computer or texting on our smartphones. It’s eating for emotional comfort instead of for hunger. Simply put, it’s not paying attention to what we eat which can lead to being overweight and even obesity.

“Mindless eating has always been an issue,” said Riska Platt, M.S., a registered dietitian and certified nutritionist for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. “The key to mindful eating is awareness. Just by paying more attention to what you eat, you’re more likely to make beneficial changes.”

Awareness

When you pay attention to what you’re eating, you can make small changes that make a big difference. Here are some tips toward a more mindful approach:

• Control portions. Especially during the holidays, know that you’ll have more opportunities to eat festive snacks and desserts. You don’t have to deprive yourself, just eat smaller portions and less often.
   
• Eat when you’re hungry. Just because the clock says noon doesn’t mean you have to eat. If you’re not hungry, wait until you are – just don’t wait until you’re famished because you might overeat. Also, don’t eat just because the food is available. Learn more about why you might be eating when not hungry.
   
• Plan. Prepare healthy snacks throughout the day. If you tend to get hungry between meals, bring along a 200-calorie, whole grain, high-fiber snack. Fiber keeps you feeling full longer. Learn how a little planning helps your heart, and your budget.
   
• Slow down. Enjoy each bite and put your fork down while chewing, then take a drink between each bite. This gives your body enough time to trigger your brain that you are satisfied (not necessarily full).
   
• Pay attention. Do not eat in front of the TV or computer, or while standing in the kitchen or talking on the phone. When you do these things, you’re more likely to lose track of how much you’ve eaten.
   
• Use technology. As we continue to become increasingly distracted by modern technology, our focus on health can fall to the back burner. But it doesn’t have to be that way. “We can actually use our smartphones and other electronic devices to help us,” said Platt, a volunteer with the American Heart Association. “There are now apps that manage food records, count calories, help you track what you eat and even provide guidance on healthy food choices at the grocery store and restaurants.”
   
• Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat, look at it, then identify why you ate it – was it hunger, stress, boredom? Then look for areas you can make adjustments and incorporate healthy changes. “Keeping a food diary is really key to awareness,” Platt said. “Most people are surprised at all they’ve consumed when they review what they’ve eaten.”

Remember- you don’t have to avoid the foods you love and look forward to all year- by using the tips above, you can enjoy yourself in moderation and make this the year that you have zero regrets when it comes to indulgences. You got this!

About 10.5% of the American population has diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association and nearly 1 in 5 adults live with the disease unknowingly.  Diabetes (type 2) is a chronic, long-lasting metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar levels because the body is not effectively making or using its own insulin. 

November is National Diabetes Month with this year’s focus on prediabetes and preventing diabetes.  The diagnosis of prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be at diabetes level.  According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 1 in 3 US adults have prediabetes but the majority don’t know they have it as many do not display symptoms. 

Those with prediabetes do not automatically develop type 2 diabetes.  Early treatment can actually return blood sugar levels to the normal range so having annual check-ups with your primary care provider is important.  Lifestyle changes like choosing to eat more vegetables and less processed foods, drinking water rather than soda and incorporating more movement into your day make it possible to reverse prediabetes and prevent diabetes.

If you have high blood glucose levels or you have previously been diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, you have options through N Good Health, your employee wellness program:

• Prevention:  if you have prediabetes or just want to take preventive action, you can make small changes that can have huge impact (CLICK HERE for how you can do that). Research shows that you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 58% by losing 7% of your body weight and exercising moderately for 150 minutes per week (30 minutes per day, 5 days per week).  With Omada, a free benefit through Norton Healthcare medical insurance, you can connect with a health coach and learn how to build healthy habits to help you lose weight.  Click here to learn more and determine if you are eligible. 
• Maintenance:  N Good Health has two options to help diabetics manage symptoms and blood sugar levels.  Omada, mentioned above, also offers tools to keep glucose levels in check through nutrition, manage stress and move more.   A plan is designed for you to help you build routines, manage medications and be supported.  Additionally, Rx For Better Health is your diabetes management program created specifically for employees and their family members.   Meet with a Norton Healthcare pharmacist, nutritionist and/or counselor to save you money on your prescriptions while empowering you to take care of your health.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help along your journey in preventing or managing diabetes.  Your doctor combined with resources available through N Good Health are vital connections to support and guide you to better health.

Sources:  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; American Diabetes Association; Center for Disease Control

You may have noticed that NGoodHealth.com looks a little different right now- that’s because we are preparing for some BIG changes for 2022!  These changes will include:

• An easy-to-use well-being portal
• Interactive tools and resources
• Group and personal challenges
• Video courses you can use throughout your well-being journey

Accessing your account is easy by using the mobile app, allowing seamless syncing of steps, activity, sleep hours, nutrition and more — even with Apple devices!

Earn real time rewards, through the rewards mall, for your engagement in the well-being portal*.  The choice is yours.  Choose from merchandise items, gift cards, wellness credits or give back to the community with charitable donation options.

How can I get started?

Starting Jan. 1, 2022, all employees need to visit NGoodHealth.com to create a new account. NGoodHealth.com is accessible on all devices with internet access. In addition, all employees should download the Navigate Wellbeing app on their mobile devices.

Who can participate?

All employees have access to the N Good Health wellness program, the well-being portal and mobile app. Spouses on a Norton Healthcare medical plan will have the same access.

The N Good Health team truly cares about your well-being and is available to help you along your path of creating a healthier you. In addition to our exciting program changes, we also offer a number of wellness opportunities and discounts; our team of wellness experts can provide you with in-person or virtual assessments to help guide you to resources that best meet your needs.

Have questions?

You can reach our team by calling (502) 629-2162 or submitting a self-service ticket. Go to Nsite, click on Departments, then N Good Health and select the Contact Us button.

*Employees and spouses enrolled in a Norton Healthcare medical plan will be able to earn points to redeem rewards.

Sign-ups start Monday, Nov. 8. Challenge kicks off on Monday, Nov. 22!

Visit NGoodHealth.com to sign up for the 4-week challenge. All Norton employees and eligible spouses can participate in this individual to a team challenge. Teams can have from three to ten members, so think of something fun for the holidays.

Weekly cash prizes will be awarded based on steps logged per day.

15,000 steps per day                       10,000 steps per day                       7,500 steps per day

$75                                                         $50                                                         $25

2 winners                                            3 winners                                            4 winners

Discounted fitness devices are still available. Visit NGoodHealth.com and click on the “Get Your Fitness Device” button in the left column. Remember that you can sync your device to your N Good Health account, there are certain devices that are compatible. Click on the ‘Connect Your Apps & Devices’ button and follow the prompts to sync your device before the challenge.

Questions? Contact N Good Health at (502) 629-2162 or submit an N Good Health self-service ticket on Nsite.

N Good Health will be participating in The Great American Smokeout, on November 18. Join Norton Healthcare employees as we take a pledge between: Nov. 1 – Nov. 18 in celebrating our tobacco-free campuses. We can also learn and share the benefits of quitting with others.

Click here to pledge

Remember to stop by one of the interactive booths near your hospital cafeteria from 11am-1pm on November 18th for educational materials and to get entered into a raffle to win a wellness goodie bag. 

On November 19th, one employees who pledged on the Nsite will win an annual membership to Planet Fitness!

The American Cancer Society warns that cigarette smoking is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States. Furthermore, Kentucky ranks No. 1 in lung cancer deaths. Let’s do something about these staggering facts. Let’s support tobacco-free living and spread the word about why you’ve chosen to be tobacco free!

Support for employees
As a tobacco-free hospital system, Norton Healthcare supports all employees, patients and visitors in becoming healthier. We can support one another by learning about tobacco cessation resources available to anyone working to become a non-tobacco user. To learn more about tobacco cessation programs, visit NGoodHealth.com, click on Tobacco Cessation and choose a resource that best fits your needs, including:

• N Good Health online workshops
• Freedom from Smoking
• Free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products at any Norton Pharmacy

Nicotine replacement therapy is also available for employees and spouses/partners through are retail pharmacies when completing a cessation workshop through N Good Health.

Note: Norton Healthcare’s campuses have been tobacco free since 2007. For more information, refer to our Tobacco-free Environment policy in the Policy Library on Nsite.