Poll: Should Employers Mandate That Workers Eat Healthy?

The New York Health Department recently sent a memo to its 3000 employees stating that employees are more or less required to eat healthier while on the job.

The memo was entitled "Life in the Cubicle Village" and covered several workplace guidelines in addition to the dietary ones, including personal hygiene, use of perfumes, and displaying offensive material in cubicles, but does this infringe on their workers' rights?

Cakes, cookies, coke, and deep fried foods are on the forbidden foods list as well as any drink that has more than 25 Calories per ounce. Also, water must be served whenever food and drinks are provided.

Now I'm all for healthy eating, but are employers overstepping a bit here and in this case it's even a governmental agency, which starts to get a little scary when I think about it. One of the great things about America is freedom and the ability to choose. If a person wants to drink a Coke during their lunch break they should be able to without punishment from the workplace food police.

What do you think? Participate in the poll and comments below.

Source: NBCNewYork.com

Is it right for employers to control what their employees can or cannot eat and drink while on the job?

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Music and Laughter Help Lower Blood Pressure

A funny joke or listening to music may help lower your blood pressure, says a new study, maybe as much as losing weight or cutting salt from your diet.

The results were modest, but the reductions in blood pressure were associated with a 5% to 15% lower risk of dying from heart disease.

In the United States, one out of three people have high blood pressure, and one in five people have undiagnosed blood pressure; according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

Presented on Friday at the American Heart Association meeting in Atlanta, Japanese researchers reported that people who attended bimonthly group sessions involving music and laughter lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of five to six points at the end of three months. The people involved in the study where 90 men and women, ages 40 to 74.

A control group, who did not receive music or laughter therapy, had no change in either blood pressure reading. Systolic blood pressure is the top number. Diastolic blood pressure is the bottom number.

Experts compared the effects on blood pressure on someone consuming less salt, taking blood pressure medication, or losing ten pounds. But music and laughter is not enough to treat blood pressure.

Previous research has shown that upbeat music improved the inner lining of blood vessels, allowing them to expand by 30%. Also, the release of nitric oxide may help lower blood pressure. Nitric oxide (nitrogen monoxide) is a signaling molecule in the human body and other mammals.

Risk factors for high blood pressure include obesity, lack of exercise, family history, and over-consumption of salt (sodium).

Image credit: DavidDennisPhotos.com

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Link Time! No Calorie Bacon, GeoPalz and More

Do you long to have your bacon and eat it too?

Well BaconAir doesn't exactly let you eat bacon, but it will let bacon lovers consume the calorie free bacon aroma combined with 95% pure Himalayan oxygen.

I thought for sure that this was one of those April Fools jokes, but it looks legit. If you are one of those people who thinks bacon is better than sex, BaconAir might be right up your alley.

It can be extremely difficult for parents to motivate their children to exercise, but this little gadget might just help motivate kids to get moving.

GeoPalz are cute pedometers that kids wear during the day and then log their steps onto the GeoPalz website. Kid's then earn prizes like chocolate and lollies... Just kidding, they earn prizes like footballs, hacky sacks, and frisbees to encourage them to move even more!

Lastly, why should the kids have all the fun. If you're an iPhone, iPad, or iPod user then you may want to check out the Free version of Fun Run Trainer. It allows you to run virtually on the coolest streets/places on the planet all from the comfort of your treadmill.

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