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Employee Wellness Newsletter
You are welcome to share these wellness resources with your employees, family, or friends.
March 2021: Are You Financially Well? 
Behind work related stress, financial stress is the next biggest stressor for American adults as more than half of workers are stressed about their finances according to Quantis. Believe it or not our financial well-being impacts our overall well-being. When we worry about our finances we may not sleep as well, eat as well, think as clear, move as much, be socially connected, or feel the need to take time off. If you feel this way you are not alone as 75% of employees live paycheck-to-paycheck (Quantis). Furthermore, a recent Benefits Attitudes Survey states that financially stressed employees are absent on average 3.5 days more annually. Utilize these resources in March so that you and your family can maintain good financial well-being in order to thrive across all dimensions of well-being throughout the year!
Eat Well:
Eight Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget

1. Opt for the frozen vegetables and fruits
  • Frozen can be just as nutrient dense as fresh. Frozen fruits and vegetables are easy to buy in bulk and can stay in your freezer for long periods.

2. Consider the marketing on food labels, especially ones that might come with an up-charge (Example ā€œHormone Freeā€ on poultry)
  • Any poultry products that come with a ā€œHormone Freeā€ label is a marketing tool as the FDA prohibits the use of hormones in these items to begin with. ā€œHormone Freeā€ dairy and beef products are great though!

3. Utilize all parts of meat
  • If you cook a meat that includes bones donā€™t toss them away! Use those bones to create your own collagen rich bone broth for soups or a nutrient dense drink.

4. Donā€™t feel pressured to buy everything organic
  • The clean fifteen and dirty dozen list gives you an idea of what produce has the highest pesticide content and which produce usually has the least. Spending extra on organic strawberries (dirty dozen) can be more worthwhile than the up-charge on organic avocados (clean fifteen).
  • Clean fifteen: Avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, sweet peas, eggplant, asparagus, cauliflower, cantaloupe, broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, honeydew melon, and kiwi.
  • Dirty Dozen: Strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, and potatoes 

5. Buy in bulk and plan out your meals
  • Putting in some time to plan and prepare your meals for the week can help prevent you from running into a scenario where you are starving and grab food on the go. Buy products in bulk for the week and then meal prep for your busy days.

6. Make your own sauces
  • Going through sauces and dressings each week can add up. Look up recipes for items like an avocado oil mayo or olive oil based salad dressing and make it yourself!

7. Cook at home as often as you can
  • Not only is it cheaper to buy ingredients and cook at home, you also have more control over what goes into your food and therefore can make healthier choices. Win-win right there!

8. Opt for whole foods over processed foods as much as possible
  • Whole, unprocessed foods provide our bodies with nutrients that our body craves to stay satisfied. A nutrient dense avocado provides quality energy versus a convenient bag of chips. It is very easy to over consume and therefore over purchase hyper palatable processed foods.
 
Recipe: Starbucks Inspired Breakfast Wraps ā€“ Make Your Own at Home Here https://www.flavcity.com/starbucks-meal-prep/
Live Well:
Getting into the practice of preparing and saving will help you become more financially secure. With the right preparation, you will not have to worry when life throws you a curve-ball. Resources are provided below so that you can financially live well today, tomorrow, and in the future:

-   Preparing for Retirement [checklist]
-   Preparing for Retirement [worksheet]
Be Well:
Are you ready for retirement? Watch our webinar this month to learn many steps you can take now to be prepared when it is time to retire in the future! Josh Kopec is the Retirement Plan Practice Leader at Connor & Gallagher OneSource and helps thousands of plan participants prepare for retirement.

Virtual Wellness Fair Replays
CGO hosted a virtual wellness fair - Revitalize Your Well-Being - in February. Click on the link below to access the 7 recorded versions of the wellness sessions that were offered. Please feel free to share with your family and friends to enhance your well-being this year!
In Good Health,
Looking for Additional Well-Being Tools to Thrive?
 
Check out our Wellness Page which features Wellness Seminars, Mindful Moments, and much more!

Kayla Isaacs, CHES, CWWS 630.737.9383 | kisaacs@GoCGO.com

Madeline Engelking, MBA, RDN 630.737.9356 | mengelking@GoCGO.com 
About the Monthly Wellness Newsletter
The everyday choices we make can help us live healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives. The CGO Employee Wellness Newsletter provides monthly resources and education on a variety of topics like nutrition, exercise, emotional health and resilience, prevention and more. Our hope is that this information empowers you to incorporate sustainable healthy habits for a lifetime of good health and well-being.

Always consult with your physician before beginning any wellness program. This general information is not intended to replace your healthcare professional.  
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Sources: Zywave, Quantis, Food & WaterWatch


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