Health information

After the rush of the holidays come the winter blahs – we’re more tired, less motivated, or fighting a nasty cold. But this slump isn’t inevitable or unpreventable. Boone Hospital Center’s Health Promotions Nurse Brenda Wilson has a short list of simple things you can do to feel well all year round.

A barrier is an obstacle that prevents movement or access. With healthy living, a barrier is anything that is keeping you from living the healthiest life you can. 

We count, measure and obsess over calories, sodium and carbohydrates, but fiber is the one nutrient that most of us don’t get enough of. According to the Institute of Medicine, only 5% of people in the United States meet the daily target of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. But why aren’t we getting enough fiber in our diets?

As a kid, you resisted going to bed. Now that you’re grown up, you set your own bedtime, but when it comes to how much sleep you need, your body still makes the rules. Sleep lets your body and brain restore itself so you’re ready to go the next day. And, like a balanced diet and regular exercise, sleep is vital for a healthy lifestyle.

You may have seen this motivational message on T-shirts, social media or the wall at your gym. Fitness culture focuses on competition and hard work. You don’t see motivational images of an athlete getting a good night’s sleep, and you don’t get a cool window decal for eating a balanced diet. But recovery is a necessary part of athletic training

Thirty years ago, if you wanted to catch up on the news, you read a daily paper or watched a nightly newscast. Today, the news catches up with us through 24-hour news channels and social media feeds. And most of it seems to be bad news.

If you’ve eaten any fresh fruits or vegetables at Boone Hospital Center, as a patient or visitor, you may have noticed them tasting extra crisp and flavorful. But you probably didn’t know they were grown right here in the Columbia area.