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Take Action on Executive Health

For most professionals, stress is a part of any day. Long hours and regular business travel often aren't always conducive to living a healthy lifestyle or finding time to relieve stress. In fact, 85 percent of medical problems may be stress related, according to the American Institute on Stress.

Cooper Clinic physicians often see patients who work in high-level positions and fast-paced environments. Unfortunately, many of these men and women experience health issues that can be directly associated with workplace stress, including high blood pressure, inflammation and anxiety or depression.

“The biggest issues we see in overstressed professionals are lack of sleep, exercise and proper nutrition,” says Dr. Tyler Cooper, President and CEO of Cooper Aerobics. “These people try to do too much, and in effect, they sacrifice their own self care.”

The importance of maintaining health and wellness during your working years is made evident later in life. “My dad, who still comes to the office and sees patients every day and travels the globe at age 84, is a great example of this,” explains Dr. Tyler Cooper. “Focusing on your health at midlife will give you the opportunity to live longer and with a higher quality of life.” Without proper care and attention to your own health, you should expect a reduction in the quality and quantity of your life as you age, which Dr. Tyler Cooper explains as "squaring off the curve." In essence, you should strive to live at a high level of health and fitness for a long number of years until death occurs quickly and naturally, as opposed to living a life of mediocre health and fitness and experiencing a slow decline in health over the final years of life.

Dr. Tyler Cooper recommends incorporating the 8 Steps to Get Cooperized into a routine in order to combat workplace stress and embrace professional wellness. This includes maintaining a proper weight, eating healthy foods most of the time, exercising regularly, taking the right supplements for you, eliminating use of tobacco, moderating alcohol intake, managing stress and getting a comprehensive physical exam. Following these steps can decrease the risk of all-cause mortality by 58 percent. Some of these, such as stress management (including maintaining healthy sleep habits), exercise and nutrition, should be maintained daily for maximum results.

These steps are proven to be beneficial when it comes to both health and wealth, which Dr. Tyler Cooper and Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper outline in their most recent book, Start Strong Finish Strong. By incorporating them into your daily habits, you have the potential to increase your wealth assets by nearly $12,000 on average if you're a woman who reduces her BMI (body mass index) by 10 points and by $13,000 on average if you're a man who reduces his BMI by 10 points. This goes to show that you can earn more in your professional career if you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

An estimated 38 percent of workers experience fatigue, according to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Sleep is an important factor in helping to manage your stress, but at the same time stress can also affect your quality of sleep. Seven to nine hours of sleep per night is optimal for your health.

According to an article published by Fairleigh Dickinson University, workplace stress and resulting health issues cost U.S. employers an estimated $200 billion per year in employee absenteeism, reduced productivity, staff turnover, workers’ compensation, medical insurance and other expenses. “Employers should emphasize health and wellness because a company should truly care about its employees and their betterment,” says Dr. Tyler Cooper. “Keeping employees healthy not only helps productivity and the bottom line, but also improves society as a whole.”

Cooper Clinic offers preventive individual exams for professionals, as well as concierge medicine through Cooper Clinic Platinum. Additionally, Cooper Wellness Strategies works with organizations across the country to develop wellness programs and fitness center management for their employees. These programs were developed based on the statistics showing that healthier people are more productive and can be a business advantage in today's competitive marketplace.

For more information about Cooper Clinic’s Executive Health Program, visit cooper-clinic.com or call 972.560.2667.

Article provided by Cooper Aerobics Marketing and Communciations.