On May 22, 2019, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced its plans to issue amended regulations related to wellness program incentives by December 2019. This signals the second pushback of the EEOC’s deadline to publish new wellness program incentive regulations. Back in 2016, the EEOC had finalized two rules that regulated employer-sponsored wellness programs. These rules allowed employers to offer incentives for wellness programs that asked employees health-related questions or included medical exams. Read More

• Take a good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains should take up the largest portion of your plate. Remember to use a normal- or small-sized plate, and avoid larger platter-sized plates.
• Swap 1 cup of chopped vegetables for 1 cup of pasta or rice in your favorite dish.

Snacks:

• Try hummus and baked tortilla chips with salsa instead of chips and dip.
• Top a cup of low-fat, plain yogurt with fresh, sliced fruit.
• Store cleaned, cut-up vegetables in the fridge at eye level and keep a low-fat or fat-free dip on hand.

Tips for Children

Fruit and vegetable consumption is crucial for children, especially if they are overweight. It can be difficult to persuade them to eat fruits and vegetables, especially

MANAGING WEIGHT WITH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Eating more fruits and vegetables is a safe and healthy way to achieve a healthier weight.

Low-calorie Options

To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses. It’s easy to create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by substituting fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. Here are some simple ways to cut calories for each meal:

• Breakfast: o Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches or strawberries.
• Substitute spinach, onions or mushrooms for one of the eggs or half the cheese you would have in an omelet.
• Lunch: o Add a cup of chopped vegetables such as carrots in place of 2 ounces of the meat or 1 cup of noodles in your favorite broth-based soup.
• Substitute vegetables such as spinach, green peppers, cucumbers or onions for 2 ounces of the cheese and 2 ounces of the meat in your sandwich, wrap or burrito. Read More

Mental health plays a huge role in your overall health and well-being. It affects everything, including how we think, feel and act, and helps determine how we make healthy choices and cope with stress.

Because it’s such a crucial component of your health, it’s important to focus on maintaining or improving your mental health. Here are five simple ways to do so every day:

1. Express gratitude. Taking five minutes a day to write down the things that you are grateful for has been proven to lower stress levels and can help you change your mindset from negative to positive.

2. Get exercise. You probably hear all the time how beneficial exercise is to your overall health, but it’s true. Exercising regularly can benefit your brain function, reduce anxiety and

improve your self-image.

3. Spend time outdoors. Getting outside, especially when it’s sunny, can greatly improve your mood, which in turn, benefits your mental health.

4. Be kind. Helping others and being kind not only helps the receiver of the act but can also help you. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy—holding the door or giving a compliment can go a long way.

5. Get a good night’s sleep. Fatigued individuals typically experience drowsiness, mood changes, loss of energy and appetite, headaches, and a lack of motivation, concentration and alertness. Strive for seven to eight hours of sleep a night to improve your mental health. Read More

On March 28, 2019, a federal judge ruled that parts of the Trump administration’s 2018 final rule on association health plans (AHPs) were invalid. The court directed the Department of Labor (DOL) to reconsider how the remaining provisions of the final rule are affected.

In its ruling, the court stated that the final rule was an “end-run” around the ACA and that the DOL exceeded its authority under ERISA.

The court specifically struck down two parts of the rule:

• The provision defining “employer” to include associations of disparate employers
•  The provision of expanding membership in these associations to include working owners without employees

Employers and business owners without employees that have joined an AHP, or are considering doing so, should review how their plans may be affected by the court’s ruling. Contact us today for any questions on AHPs. Read More