FORT LEE, Va. (Oct. 22, 2015) -- "The business of changing lifestyles takes a community-wide approach." (Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary of Defense Health Affairs)
In 2013, Dr. Woodson said it is important for the Military Health System to grow beyond being a health provider to becoming a good health promoter. Toward that goal, Kenner Army Health Clinic began embedding the Army Performance Triad -- sleep, activity and nutrition -- into all health promotion programs and initiatives as early as September 2013. Military treatment facility leaders anticipated that the pilot projects were a preview of what would become a model for promoting health throughout the Military Health System.
Although the importance of the Triad pillars is not new information, raising awareness about the inter-relatedness of these three components in maintaining optimal health and body functioning provides an opportunity to shift the focus for patients and providers. Encouraging individuals to change high risk health behaviors beginning with three specific areas, Army Medicine can refocus its approach from one of treatment of disease, injury and illness to promoting health.
The challenge becomes how to put a new slant on information and make recommendations that may sometimes be viewed as impractical if not impossible.
After all, who gets eight hours of sleep these days?
The Army Performance Triad was launched by the Office of the Surgeon General and Army Medicine as a systematic approach to addressing three essential elements of health and wellness.
The Triad is not a program but an approach to shifting the focus of Army Medicine from a system of health to a system for health in which the emphasis is placed on promoting health and wellness and encouraging individuals to change high-risk health behaviors by using known information.
The Performance Triad is embedded in the Ready and Resilient Campaign (R2C) with an end-state being the execution of a well-coordinated and sustainable initiative that improves the state of health, resilience and readiness of the Total Force, families, retirees, Department of the Army Civilians and the community.
Sleep -- Sleep affects every aspect of your life -- mood, physical and mental wellbeing, relationships, performance and the overall quality of life. People cannot survive without adequate rest and sleep.
The amount of sleep each individual needs may vary. However, most adults require seven to eight hours of sleep daily. Children and adolescents need even more.
Recent studies suggest as someone gets older, they may require as much as 10 hours each night.
Here are some tips for better and more restful sleep:
• Keep your 'biological' clock in sync -- go to bed and wake up at same time each day.
• Have a regular bedtime routine.
• Make where you sleep comfortable, quiet and relaxing.
• Eat at least two-to-three hours before bedtime.
• Be physically active. Turn off the TV, computers and games and get moving.
• Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol especially if you have trouble sleeping.
Activity -- One of the most important actions individuals can take to improve their overall health is to increase daily physical activity.
Everyone benefits regardless of age or gender. Not only does regular physical activity reduce the risk of developing many chronic and debilitating conditions and diseases, it improves health outcomes in almost every category. Remember, some physical activity is better than none and moderate activity is even better.
With just 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, most people begin to feel the benefits. You don't have to be a runner; brisk walking counts as moderate-intensity exercise also.
Nutrition -- Proper nutrition is key to reducing stress and sleeping better.
What and how individuals eat impacts the way their bodies will respond to stress, sleep and physical activity. A nutrient-rich diet helps to strengthen the immune system. That, in turn, reduces the chance of getting sick, especially during times of stress. Certain foods may even improve moods.
As people improve their eating habits to include healthier food choices, they reduce the risk of developing chronic disease directly related to diet and lifestyle such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.
Tobacco-Free living -- There is no safe tobacco. Avoiding use of all types of tobacco products -- including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, pipes and hookahs -- and living free from secondhand smoke exposure is essential to good health.
For information on the health risks of tobacco use and resources on how to stop using it or avoid starting, visit the following sites:
http://tricare.mil/LiveWell/Tobacco.aspx
http://www.ucanquit2.org/
http://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/healthyliving/tfl/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion/tobacco-free-living/Pages/tobacco-free-living.aspx
https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/special-initiatives/quit-smoking/
http://www.smokefree.gov/
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/
http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/
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