Welcome, Joe Tufo!

MeYou Health has a new user interface engineer, and we're so glad he's here! Let's see what Joe has to say about his job, his favorite sort of Daily Challenge, and the fun of chihuahua ownership. 

What do you do at MeYou Health?
I'm a user interface engineer for Daily Challenge. I'm the middleman between the design team and the engineers, creating code that integrates the visual designs into the web application. A goal of mine is to make sure that the aims of the product and the way members are interacting with it are accurately reflected and translated into Daily Challenge the way the product team intended.

What other sorts of jobs have you had?
For the past few years I was doing both design and development for small development agencies. I worked on a wide variety of projects, from brochure websites to web applications used by school districts across the country.

What do you like about MeYou Health?
The culture at MeYou Health is unlike any I have experienced in the past. It's refreshing to be in a work environment where everyone can have fun while meeting the company goals and expectations. Also, working on MeYou Health products has made me more aware about living a healthy lifestyle.

Do you do Daily Challenge?
Yes. My favorite kind of Daily Challenges are the physical activities. The ones where you have to get on the ground and do a yoga pose or stretch a muscle out.

What do you do when you're not at work?
Outside of work, I love playing competitive sports. My fall and winter are spent playing on two flag football teams, and my summers are dedicated to playing on an adult amateur baseball team. I also spend a good amount of my free time working on freelance web projects and hanging with a couple of chihuahuas.

Thanks, Joe!

New-mom Knowledge: A track just for first-time mothers!

We've got a special delivery this week: a track just for new mothers!

New-mom Knowledge gives first-time moms challenges that let them boost their own well-being as they adjust to the many demands of caring for a new baby. The simple challenges in this track help moms:

• get gentle exercise
• sneak in extra sleep 
• eat for energy
• bond with baby
• communicate with a partner
• talk to the pediatrician
• find resources for managing postpartum mood issues
• boost their own confidence in their parenting abilities and instincts

Although the track was designed for women navigating the world of new motherhood, many of the challenges are also useful for moms who are doing it the second time (or more!) around. Wherever women are in their motherhood journey, they should think of these challenges as something just for them. Giving a lot of yourself is to be expected once you're a mom, of course. This track ensures that when you do get a little bit of time that's just for you, you can fill it with well-being. 

Keeping Free of Foodborne Illness

The weather is getting warmer, and that means people's attention is turning to picnics and barbecues. Ensure that that these activities will be fun and safe by being mindful of new data from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), who suggest that people should be especially careful when handling ground beef and chicken.

According to a report released on April 23, 2013, CSPI used government data to analyze more than 33,000 cases of foodborne illness and evaluated which meats posed the highest risk. They learned that ground beef and chicken have led to more hospitalizations than other foods, due to pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. Turkey and steak were also deemed a high risk. Meats that posed fewer risks included deli meat, roast beef, pork, and beef or pork barbecue (deemed medium risk); and chicken nuggets, ham, and sausage (lowest risk).

To help prevent foodborne illness, CSPI promotes "defensive eating," or starting out with the assumption that meat can be unsafe. Here are some tips from FoodSafety.gov to help keep your picnics and barbecues fun and free of foodborne illness:

• Use the refrigerator for safe thawing of meat and poultry, or thaw sealed packages in cold water. Thaw it fully before you grill so it cooks more evenly.
• Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the countertop. If you plan to use some marinade as a sauce on the cooked food, set a portion of it aside before putting raw meat or poultry into the rest of it.
• Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until you're ready to use it.
• When picnicking, keep the cooler out of direct sun and avoid opening the lid too often.
• When grilling, be sure you have clean utensils and platters on hand. Don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked food.
• Cook food thoroughly to destroy any harmful bacteria.
• Refrigerate any leftovers within two hours. If the air temperature is over 90 degrees F (32 degrees C), refrigerate them within one hour. 
• Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen, so wash all surfaces, cutting boards, dishes, and utensils with hot, soapy water. Use paper towels or clean dishcloths to wipe kitchen surfaces or spills.

What about you? What are some of your go-to safe food-handling practices come spring and summertime?

Welcome, Liana Leahy!

The new employees at MeYou Health just keep on coming!

At the end of February, we welcomed Liana Leahy to our Daily Challenge engineering team. Let's see what she's been up to.

What do you do at MeYou Health?
I'm a Rails engineer and I currently write code for our Daily Challenge website to bring our members new and improved features.

What other kinds of careers have you had?
In college, I did a double major in computer science and theatre. My day job as a programmer allowed me to subsidize my life as a musical theatre actor in New York City. I worked off Broadway, on soaps, and in films. I went to the Tonys twice. And thanks to my dual career, I was able to telecommute while on National Tour.

What do you like about working on a product like Daily Challenge?
Finding work/life balance as a working mother has been challenging, and significantly improving my well-being was a New Year's resolution for me. I was already using the product for some time before I came to MeYouHealth. And I am so excited that I get to work on a product that I actively use to improve my life.

Women are very under-represented in the tech field. How do you encourage other women to explore careers in this area?
We can encourage more folks to explore technology by providing appealing projects and inspiring role models. I am most proud of my work with RailsBridge Boston (http://www.railsbridgeboston.org/), which provides patient mentors and a supportive network of colleagues who understand the importance of nurturing a tech culture that demands the best of everyone.

What do you like to do when you're not working?
I am teaching my toddlers to sing and dance like their mama. I hope to book ourselves out as Victorian carolers to exploit their cuteness for the sake of their college funds.

Thanks, Liana, and good luck with that caroling! ;)

Kick up your heels for the Limber Legs track!

We're delighted to announce the launch of our newest Daily Challenge track, Limber Legs!

This track was developed with a professional trainer and offers 28 days of challenges that are simple, satisfying, and fun. Many of the challenges can be done while seated, and all of them stretch and strengthen the muscles in your backside, thighs, and calves. You'll find challenges that have you bending your knees, tightening different leg muscles, standing on tiptoe, enhancing your balance, and more!  

The point of all this strengthening and stretching? When muscles are stronger, they work better with nearby bones and joints. For example, strong quadriceps (the large muscles on the front of the thighs) make it easier for knees to do their job properly, and strong glutes (the muscles in your backside) get a big thank-you from hip bones.

This means that it's easier to walk, run, twist, bend, take stairs, and do other everyday activities of daily living. Stronger leg muscles also help lessen your risk of knee and hip injuries, so you're better able to stay active and do everything you want to.

We hope you enjoy Limber Legs, and we look forward to reading your feedback! 

Meet Carol T., the first Daily Challenge member to reach the Orchard of Fame!

Today we are featuring longtime member Carol T., the first to have reached the Flourishing level – the highest one possible in Daily Challenge! Carol was inducted into the Orchard of Fame, the area that recognizes this amazing achievement, on January 24, 2013. Let's talk to Carol about her rich history in Daily Challenge and what well-being means to her.  

When did you join Daily Challenge?
I first heard about what I would eventually come to know as Daily Challenge in March of 2010. The founder of another Healthways website sent a message to people using that site and asked if we wanted to help them "invent the new, new thing." He invited us to visit MeYouHealth to help design and test new services that they hoped would improve people's lives "one small step at a time"! 

Of course I said yes, and I participated in the early testing. I joined Daily Challenge on September 21, 2010, the first chance I had, and I've loved every moment! 

What are your favorite kinds of challenges?
My very favorite challenges are the physical ones, as well as those pertaining to food, two of many things that are so very important to our overall well-being. But since the introduction of tracks, I try to do all of my connections' challenges each day. 

I remember one challenge in a nutrition track that I kept researching before I posted, digging a bit deeper each time. I discovered that while MSG does not usually appear on labels anymore, it is still in a lot of processed food; it can be called other things, but bottom line, it's still MSG.

What do you like best about being in Daily Challenge?
Everything! I know, but it's hard to choose what is best. The people, definitely, from my connections and those I'm not connected to, as well as all the people behind the scenes at MeYou Health. The way we interact. It's almost like an extended family, and we all have each other's back; always looking out for one another, lending a hand, a word of support. 

I've been very fortunate to have met several connections in person, and others I speak with frequently on the phone and/or email. Some of us here in SoCal have talked about having a "DC meet," but we haven't planned anything yet. My long-term personal plan is to one day meet as many of my DC friends as I can, both here in the US, in Canada, and in other countries, as well.

What does well-being mean to you?
Well-being, to me, is all-encompassing. Body, mind, and spirit. It is being content with my life, being positive and feeling good, being happy and healthy, satisfied with life, and enjoying all the little pleasures every day brings my way. Sounds simple, and for me, it really is!   

How has Daily Challenge changed your well-being?
Daily Challenge has enhanced my well-being in every way possible. I have a bigger circle of friends: some virtual, some on the phone, and some in 3-D. I know my 3-D circle of friends will continue to grow. DC gives me small steps to take daily. Sometimes they are reminders to do certain things for myself that I already do, and they are always something that enhances my well-being. I am so thankful I was asked to join this great community; thank you for bringing all of us such a great place to interact healthfully with others on a daily basis!

Carol, thank YOU for all the feedback and positivity you've shared with us over the years! Daily Challenge would never be the product it is today without committed, enthusiastic members like you. Many congratulations from everyone at MeYou Health, and we look forward to seeing where your well-being journey takes you next.  

Welcome, Peter Leis!

MeYou Health continues to expand! Today we're talking with Peter Leis, who arrived in early 2013 to help us create a whole new way for people to improve their health. Let's see what he's up to.

What do you do at MeYou Health?
I'm the product manager for a yet-to-be-created product. My work focuses on envisioning and creating a web and mobile product that focuses on weight management. Right now, we’re diving in and defining, discovering and learning. It’s fun, inventive, and important.

What excites you about this project?
What’s so fantastic about the weight management product is that it’s a chance to do something really important in the field of mobile health. Thankfully, we as a society are moving away from the “patient is powerless” mode and into a self-empowered world where the tools are finally becoming available to support and drive people to improve  their well-being. I totally buy into that. This about real people, real positive change.

What did you do before coming to MeYou Health?
The driving theme of my career has been the thoughtful application of information technology to solve business problems and create innovative products and programs. I’ve worked in non-profit national resource centers for substance abuse prevention and Internet professional services. I have a master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I focused on technology (and met my spouse!). I recently completed 11 years in a local business school IT group, where I worked with teams to create solutions for almost all departments—including the full student and alumni life cycle, from admissions through recruiting and reunions. 

Here's Peter having fun with his 3-year-old son in Maine.

What do you like about it here so far?
To be part of MeYou Health is to be surrounded by technologists, designers, and researchers who are super-talented in their areas of expertise, but also passionate about contributing and making a difference in online health. Folks here see a direct connection from their work to positive changes in people’s lives. So it’s serious work, but fun as well—the website’s claims match reality. I’m encouraged to be creative ... and meet the day's daily challenge. [Editor's note: Peter is by far our punniest employee, so every day is a new adventure in groan-inducing puns.]

How do you increase your own well-being?
I've always tried to make healthy choices regarding food and exercise for my family and myself. For instance, I measure out the kids’ breakfast muesli in gram-size portions. Just kidding. But since joining MeYou Health, I have added a layer of self-quantification. For example, today I’m wearing a wireless pedometer, and the step and calorie data feeds to an online site where I also track food and exercise calories and see data from my wireless scale. On my bike ride home through Boston and along the Charles River tonight, I’ll use my phone to track route, speed, and energy output. 

And, I can’t wait to get back on the river and resume rowing. I’ve been a member of  Community Rowing, a Boston-based rowing group, for years. Racing in an eight (eight rowers and a coxswain in a boat) is maximum exhilaration, and rowing in a shell (a sculling boat that holds just one rower) on a quiet morning is my spiritual happy place. There and Alta, Utah, but it’s harder to get to Utah on a daily basis.

Thanks, Peter!

5 Questions for Josée Poirier, Ph.D., Director of Program Design and Research

Welcome to 5 Questions: Science Edition! This time we're featuring Josée Poirier, Ph.D., Director of Program Design and Research at MeYou Health. Josée's expertise lends a special dimension to Daily Challenge, one that uses science to help it evolve and become an even better experience for our members. Let's talk to her now!   

What do you do at MeYou Health?
My job is twofold. One, I scour scientific literature to find the most recent advances that MeYou Health needs to know about. Two, I carry out research studies that examine how effective our products are and evaluate the products' features. In other words, I gather scientific evidence to inform our product development.  

I also publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences to share some of the lessons we've learned through our work. This is MeYou Health’s contribution to the advancement of the fields of health informatics and behavior change. 

Here's Josée in the center of some other MeYou Health-ers after finishing a race in Boston's Fenway Park.

Why is your work here so meaningful?
It is rare for a researcher to be an integral part of a product development team like ours. The insights we gain through our studies inform product development. As a team, we talk about the research results and what they show us about the things we’re doing right and what we can do better. Then our designers and engineers add new features or continue to develop existing ones to make our products more engaging and effective and still keep them user-friendly. We build scientifically sound products, but we believe they also should be fun and easy to use. 

What have you learned from your research about Daily Challenge?
These are many ways in which we build on science and research to offer the best products possible. For example, we knew certain members wanted to invite their loved ones to take part in Daily Challenge so they could support one another, but they found it hard to know who would be interested and likely to accept an invitation. So we studied who our members had invited in the past, and who had accepted the invites. 

Next, we developed an algorithm (a math formula) to improve the chances that our members’ invites would be accepted. Through this work, we were able to make it easier for members to build their Daily Challenge support network.

We also recently completed a clinical trial, which we registered with the National Institutes of Health, to evaluate the impact of Daily Challenge on well-being. The results will be published soon (stay tuned!).

What do you like best about your job?
Knowing that our work helps people feel empowered and provides them with genuine tools to take charge in their own well-being. I find it troubling that, as individuals, many of us have been relegated to taking passive roles in our own health care. (Thankfully, this is changing.) It is also upsetting to know that many people feel overwhelmed or hopeless when it comes to their physical or emotional well-being. So I am humbled and grateful when members write to let us know how our products have made a difference for them. I love that my job allows me to lend a hand and contribute to making people happier.

Selfishly, I also love my job because I learn so much about so many things. I have a deeper appreciation for the potential of technology in health care and for the human value of social media. And the science we do is just cool!

What do you like to do when you're not at work?
I’m an active, outdoors-y person. So I spend a lot of time walking, hiking, or training for athletic events such as triathlons or obstacle races. Don’t be fooled – I’m no athlete and I sometimes struggle to convince myself to work out. But I love challenging myself physically, and I can’t survive without some down time in nature. Hiking is a great activity because it’s a good workout that doesn’t feel like one. I enjoy every minute of it and get to spend quality time with friends.

My love for the outdoors is also evident in my travels. For example, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (19,341 ft or 5,895 m) last year, and I trekked in the Moroccan desert two years prior.

I’m passionate about the world and typically travel off the beaten path to experience a country’s culture more genuinely, from up close. For my most recent trip, I visited India for about three weeks (mostly Mumbai, the Rajasthan region, and the foothills of the Himalayas). It was just my backpack and me, with my eyes and ears wide open.

Thanks, Josée!

Does being sleepy make you snack?

When you've hit the hay later than usual or had a bad's night sleep, do you find that you are hungrier than usual the next day – and that unhealthy foods are the ones that call to you the loudest? 

If so, you're not alone – and there is data to prove it. The results of a small Swedish study, published online in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, showed that lack of sleep led normal-weight men to choose larger portions of high-calorie snacks and meals, compared to when they had gotten a full eight hours of sleep. The brain's function can even change: In an earlier study carried out by the same research team, men who went without a night's sleep had more brain activity in the areas that control the desire to eat. 

Similar studies have explored the link between lack of sleep and overeating, and they all arrive at the same conclusion: too few zzzs equals too many calories. For example, in 2012, researchers from a Mayo Clinic trial shared that study participants who were sleep deprived ate an additional 500 calories a day. Just as importantly, they learned that lack of sleep directly affected participants' levels of leptin and ghrelin, hormones that influence our appetite and sensation of fullness. 

It's recommended that adults get roughly eight hours of sleep a night, but many get much less, with some 28% reporting that they get six or fewer hours of shut-eye. "Bearing in mind that insufficient sleep is a growing problem in modern society, our results may explain why poor sleep habits can affect people's risk to gain weight in the long run," said Uppsala University's Pleunie Hogenkamp, author of the Swedish study. In other words, there may be more than a casual relationship between how sleepy we are as a nation and our growing obesity problem.

What about you? Do you snack more when you are tired, or eat larger-than-normal portions at meals? Have you found healthy ways to snack on those days?  

Daily Challenge Pregnancy Tracks Have Arrived!

Break out the bubble gum cigars and join us in welcoming our new additions! Daily Challenge now includes three pregnancy tracks – one for each trimester – and we couldn't be happier.  

The tracks were created to help mom take care of herself as she nourishes her growing baby – from the moment she learns she's pregnant right up to the big day! Challenges focus on all areas of well-being, from eating healthily and exercising to saving money and communicating with a partner. Best of all, the challenges can be done by newbies and veterans alike. Whether it's the first child or the fourth, babies and their moms will benefit from the challenges in all three tracks:

First Trimester 
Happy, woozy, nervous, sleepy ... moms have so many different feelings and sensations these first three months. Manageable challenges help them combat nausea and fatigue, eat nutrient-rich foods, explore how to communicate with an ob-gyn or midwife, get safe exercise, and learn what to avoid while they're expecting. 

Second Trimester
This track helps moms savor the energy and excitement of the second trimester! The challenges include gentle exercises to prevent back pain, methods for communicating with a partner, tactics for saving money, best foods to eat for baby, and ways to stay strong and flexible as their body grows and changes.   

Third Trimester
Home stretch! The challenges in this track help moms stay comfortable and energetic as they prepare for the big day. Simple challenges offer ways to eat healthily, manage aches and swelling, boost energy, make the home safe, talk with a partner about roles and responsibilities, and explore how life will change with the new addition. 

We hope you enjoy the new tracks and look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Welcome, Sammy Navé!

Big news: We recently welcomed Sammy Navé to MeYou Health! Sammy is our mobile web engineer for Daily Challenge, and we're very happy to have him. Let's learn a little bit about his background and what he does in and outside our office.   

Where are you from originally, and where else have you lived?
I grew up in Hickory, North Carolina and went to a college that was pretty close to home. I took a Japanese language class in college as an elective, and on a whim I decided to apply to study abroad. I ended up studying in Japan for a year and fell in love with traveling and experiencing new cultures.

What brought you to Boston?
I came up to Boston to pursue a master's degree in international relations, but when I graduated I couldn't find a job. I got into web development as hobby and almost immediately became obsessed with it. Not the most linear career path, but I wouldn't change it!

What do you do at MeYou Health? 
I'm the mobile web engineer and I currently work on our Daily Challenge Mobile website. Working with the rest of the team, my goal is to make the experience of Daily Challenge available on your phone so you can complete your challenge anywhere you like.

What do you like about it here so far?
The people and culture, for sure. Everyone here is so friendly and helpful. I also really like being immersed in a culture so focused on health and well-being. It really does rub off. I'm healthier and feel better than I have in a long time, and I've only been here a month!

What do you do in your spare time? 
The bulk of my free time is split pretty evenly between brewing beer, drawing pictures, and making stupid websites. My most recent brew was a chocolatey imperial stout and my most recent drawing was a world-conquering cat-centaur with a ray gun. The stupid website I'm currently working on is www.ratemybatleth.com. When it launches, it's going to take the world of Klingon sword enthusiasts by storm! You'll be able to post pictures of you and your Bat'leth and have a community of like- minded individuals rate it. Did I mention that I've been watching a ton of Star Trek recently?

Patients Active in Their own Health Care Have Lower Costs

When you think of your relationship with your doctor, do you consider it a partnership, one in which you make decisions about your care together? Or do you consider him or her to be the sole decision-maker?  

Although there's no right way to interact with your doctor, a new study shows that patients who play a more active role in their care may end up with more money in their wallets. 

The study, conducted at the University of Oregon, examined data from roughly 33,000 patients in Minnesota and explored the relationship between involvement in one's own health care and the costs. Researchers learned that patients with the highest levels of motivation, skills, confidence, and knowledge had health care costs 8% to 21% lower than those with the lowest levels. 

The research team also found that even when looking at patients with the same type of chronic illness, those who played a more active part in their care had lower health care costs. 

In a university news release, study leader Judith Hibbard, a professor emerita in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon, said, "The study highlights the important role that patients play in determining outcomes." Her group suggested that health care systems support patients who want to become more engaged in their own care.

What about you? Do you play an active role in your health care, or not?

To learn more about protecting your health – from getting the most out of doctor's appointments to learning about affordable health care resources – check out our Take Care track.  

Study Shows Yoga Offers Many Health Benefits

Do you do yoga or know someone who does? Yoga is more popular than ever, and it's widely promoted as a way to help improve mental well-being. But are these effects real – or the result of good marketing? 

A team of researchers decided to find out, motivated by the idea that "... yoga has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has become difficult for physicians and patients to differentiate legitimate claims from hype. Our goal was to examine whether the evidence matched the promise," said Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, author of the study and a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. 

Dr. Doraiswamy led his team in a review of more than 100 studies, putting particular focus on 16 high-quality studies that examined how yoga affects depression, ADHD, sleep problems, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and problems with cognition. Results showed that yoga offered measurable benefits for people with depression, ADHD, sleep issues, or schizophrenia. Prior research shows that yoga can also help lower stress and relieve chronic pain.  

Interestingly (and perhaps unsurprisingly to those who practice yoga), the Duke University study also found evidence from biomarker studies that showed yoga can affect the human body in the same way that antidepressants and psychotherapy do. In other words, says Dr. Doraiswamy, “The search for improved treatments, including non-drug based, to meet the holistic needs of patients is of paramount importance. If the promise of yoga on mental health was found in a drug, it would be the best-selling medication worldwide.”

What's your experience with yoga? Do you find it improves your emotional and mental well-being? And if you've not done yoga and want to try, check out our Simple Yoga track.

How do you feel about Coca-Cola's new ad campaign?

Coca-Cola made a splash last week when it unveiled its new "Coming Together" commercial – but response from some health advocates suggests that the ad campaign has fallen flat.

A woman provides a voice-over for the TV ad, which features fit adults, physically active children, and Coke being enjoyed in a variety of settings. She explains that "Today, we'd like people to come together on something that concerns all of us: obesity."

She tells us that Coca-Cola is well-positioned to be part of the solution, because the company's collection of more than 650 beverages includes 180 low- or no-calorie drinks. Furthermore, she points to the company's smaller serving sizes and listing of calorie counts as examples of their commitment to trimming the nation's waistline. 

Later in the ad, as children exercise, we learn that "Beating obesity will take action by all of us, based on one simple common-sense fact: All calories count, no matter where they come from, including Coca-Cola and everything else with calories." A second Coke ad with a related theme is set to debut on January 23; this one will champion the idea that burning off the 140 calories in a mini-can of Coke could be fun.

As expected, public health experts have been quick to attack the ad campaign. Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said, "The soda industry is under siege, and for good reason. This new advertising campaign is just a damage control exercise and not a meaningful contribution toward addressing obesity."

And Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and one of the top U.S. experts on beverage consumption, challenges the ad's notion that "all calories count, no matter where they come from." He said, "The Coca-Cola Company still remains one of the major causes of obesity in the U.S.A. and globally. Yes, other foods matter, but the biggest single source contributor to child and adult obesity in the U.S.A. is sugar-sweetened beverages."

Coca-Cola spokesperson Ben Sheidler told NBC's TODAY show that the "Coming Together" theme represents his company's efforts to provide more choices and transparency. Stuart Kronauge, also of Coca-Cola, said in a prepared statement: "Obesity is complex, and it requires partnership and collaboration to help solve it. We have an important role to play in the effort to find solutions that work for everybody."

What do you think? Does Coca-Cola play an important role in finding solutions to the country's obesity problem? Do they bear responsibility for the problem, or not? Do you feel that their concerns about our health are genuine?

Taking Action to Fight the Flu

The U.S. is in the midst of one of the worst influenza outbreaks in years, with 41 states reporting widespread flu activity and over 2,300 people hospitalized since October 1, 2012. In Boston, Mass., the epidemic recently became so intense that Mayor Thomas Menino declared a state of emergency. 

The main strain this season is H3N2, which doctors say tends to cause serious problems in children and the elderly. The good news is that H3N2 appears to be a good match for the flu strains in this year's vaccine, making it all the more worthwhile to get a flu shot. 

If you haven't received a flu shot and think it's too late, think again: public health experts are urging everyone to get one. Dr. Robert Graham, an internist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, says, "People should ideally get the flu shot at the beginning of the flu season . . . but at the same time, whenever you can get the shot, I strongly recommend it. It's the least painful way of combating the flu." It's especially critical for pregnant women, young children, adults 65 and older, and anyone with a chronic illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), who says that these groups are especially susceptible to complications.

The flu shot takes two weeks to become completely effective in your body. In the interim, the CDC recommends taking these precautions:

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If these aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Try to avoid touching your face.
• Take time to clean and disinfect surfaces that can harbor flu germs, such as kitchen counters, keyboards, desks, doorknobs, phones, and refrigerator door handles. The flu virus can live on surfaces for a long time – sometimes up to 48 hours.

Most importantly, if you do start to feel sick, stay home. Most people are contagious one day before they start feeling symptoms and four days after the symptoms appear. Get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help manage fever and aches. Flu sufferers (especially those who are at risk of complications) can also ask their doctor about an antiviral drug, which can help to make the illness milder and shorter. 

What about you? Has the flu come to your city or town? How do you protect yourself?

5 Questions for Alyssa O'Connor, Social Media Intern

Welcome to 5 Questions: Collegiate Edition! This week we're featuring Alyssa O'Connor, MeYou Health social media intern and student at Cornell University. This busy senior is majoring in Biology and Society, minoring in Nutrition, making tracks on the cross country team, and managing our social media presence. Let's hear what she has to say!

What do you do?
I create content for all of our media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram. I have also been known to make an appearance on the MeYou Health blog! One of my more behind-the-scenes jobs is tracking social media metrics, which allows me to see which types of content people like and respond to the most. This helps me tailor all of our well-being posts and tweets to best meet the needs and interests of our members. 

How long have you been with MeYou Health?
I joined MeYou Health in July 2012, expecting it only to be a summer internship. But here I am five months later, blessed with the opportunity to still be working here. I work part-time from Ithaca, NY, but I come back and visit the office when I can.

What's your favorite part of this internship?
It's the people I have been exposed to: my passionate and driven co-workers, as well as Daily Challenge members who love to share how our products are changing their lives.

What do you hope our members gain from your contributions?   
My goal with my posts is simple: curate content that will encourage healthy behaviors. If I can’t instill well-being, then I at least hope to make someone smile and make his or her day a little brighter.

What are your plans after you graduate?
I haven't finalized any of my post-graduation plans yet, but I am applying to a couple of different graduate schools where I want to study public health. Over the summer, I plan on backpacking the John Muir trail, a roughly 200-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail that winds through the Sierras in California.

Thanks, Alyssa!

Start 2013 with the New Year Spark Stamp and a Look Back at Daily Challenge

2013 is nearly here – and you can celebrate it with Daily Challenge and earn a New Year Spark stamp! Do your challenge on January 1, click “Done,” and begin 2013 with a brand-new stamp that shows you’re starting off the year with your well-being front and center. 

Before we begin ringing in the new, let’s take a minute to look back at how Daily Challenge changed in 2012. Here are just some of the improvements and changes that we hope make Daily Challenge even more enjoyable for our members:

We send your challenge faster. We deliver over 500,000 emails each day, whew! In 2012 we made major changes to ensure that members get their morning challenge email as close to 7:00 AM as possible.

Getting support is easier than ever. We moved to an online support system that’s much easier for our members to use. Even more importantly, we now have Lisa Wright, our Daily Challenge support representative! She’s available by phone, email, and live chat.

The site is quicker and more responsive. We implemented a lot of changes that make your Daily Challenge experience much speedier overall. This is especially true if you have lots of connections, or if you add lots of new connections.

Your posts now have images that offer more detail. If you post how you did your Daily Challenge and you got encouragement for that challenge or are in a pact, we show that on your post. That way, people can see your progress and who is encouraging you. 

The mobile site is new and improved. For members who do Daily Challenge on their mobile devices, we launched a major revision to our mobile-optimized website. The updates allow them to do more things with more speed, and we continue to see more and more members using Daily Challenge mobile!

Health news is just a click away. This year saw the launch of Well-Being Wire within Daily Challenge. It’s a place to read quick re-caps of the day’s health news and share your thoughts with others in the Daily Challenge community. 

New tracks offer even more diversity. The start of 2012 brought Exploring Emotions, Happy Tummy, Setting Goals, and Natural Living tracks to Daily Challenge members. Later in the year we launched Senior Exercise and Simple Yoga tracks, which our members joined in record numbers. 

Daily Challenge had its own research study. We spent a portion of 2012 conducting a research study to help us learn how much Daily Challenge affects well-being. Study results will be coming in 2013.

You can take time off. Getting away from it all is an important part of well-being, so we created the Daily Challenge time-away feature. It allows you to take a pre-determined amount of time off from Daily Challenge without breaking your streak.

We’re bringing Daily Challenge to new audiences. We spent a good portion of 2012 working on ways to bring Daily Challenge to people in health plans, companies, and different regions around the world.

Thank you to all of our members for a fantastic 2012! Without your feedback, comments, and commitment to the Daily Challenge community, Daily Challenge could never be what it is today. We look forward to bringing you more changes, enhancements, and challenges – and to hearing from you what works and what could be better. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2013!  

Caregivers Neglect to Care for Themselves

Many of us know a person who is singlehandedly caring for an ill spouse or parent, and it's likely that we worry about that caregiver as much as we do the ill relative. According to a recent NBC Nightly News report, we are right to be concerned: Caregivers are so busy tending to the needs of others that they neglect their own physical and emotional health. 

It's not an uncommon situation, the result of people living longer with diseases and long-term health conditions. About one in three American households has at least one person in the role of unpaid caregiver. That translates to almost 40 million households where there is a caregiver, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving in conjunction with the AARP. Many of these caregivers are tending to a relative with Alzheimer's disease. There are currently five million Americans who have been diagnosed with the disease, and the Alzheimer's Association   estimates that there are 15 million people caring for them. 

Regardless of the loved one's illness, nonstop caregiving is very taxing, stressful, and ultimately hazardous. The 24-hour demands mean that caregivers' own needs are pushed to the wayside, making it more likely for them to become ill themselves. “Caregivers don’t go to the dentist; they don’t get mammograms or annual checkups,” says Melissa Gartenberg Livney, a clinical psychologist with the PENN Memory Center at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “So they get sick.” Worse, there is evidence that this kind of long-term stress can play a part in the onset of dementia.

Many caregivers also believe they have to go it alone and are unlikely to ask for help, even as they spread themselves thinner and thinner. But doctors and experts urge them to reach out for help, take time to care for their own needs, and allow themselves to be imperfect. “When you’re taking care of someone over a period of time, you can’t just soldier on,” says Beth Kallmyer, vice president of constituent services for the Alzheimer’s Association. “At some point your health will be impacted and that will keep you from being the best caregiver you can be." 

What about you? Are you (or have you ever been) a caregiver? Have you found ways to care for yourself as you care for another?

Judge Orders Tobacco Companies to Advertise Dangers of Smoking

Anti-tobacco advocates have a reason for cheer this holiday season: A U.S. judge recently ordered American tobacco companies to include information about their products on all of their marketing materials.  

The defendants, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Phillip Morris USA, must publish statements on their websites, in newspaper ads, on TV, and in cigarette package inserts that address the consequences of smoking. Among other statements, the companies must say:

• "More people die every year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes, and alcohol, combined."
• "Secondhand smoke kills over 3,000 Americans each year."
• "Smoking kills, on average, 1,200 Americans. Every day."

The tobacco companies initially claimed that the decision was a violation of their First Amendment rights, which the judge rejected. A spokesman for the Altria Group, the parent company of Phillip Morris USA, said that his company is studying the court's decision; a spokesman for R.J. Reynolds conveyed the same.

Next up for the tobacco companies, per the judge's orders: Talking about how to implement the ruling next month. (That timeline may change, of course, if there are appeals from the tobacco companies.) Anti-tobacco advocates hail the ruling, saying it's a big step toward curbing tobacco use in the United States.

What do you think about this ruling? Do you think it's a good idea? Will it help curb tobacco use, or not?

5 Ways to Manage Stress and Sadness During the Holidays

The holiday season brings parties, presents, visitors ... as well as upended schedules, stress, and sometimes sadness. To improve your emotional well-being this season, try some of these tips:

• Embrace "good enough." It's OK to aim high during the holidays, but trying to make everything perfect is a recipe for stress. Perhaps you won't be able to repeat certain traditions from previous years, or you won't have enough time to bake or decorate something just so. This doesn't make the holiday any less meaningful. Being realistic and saying "It's not perfect, but it's just fine this way" are the best gifts you can give yourself.
• Don't forget about healthy habits. Enjoying special foods and drinks are part of what makes the holidays fun, but it's very easy to go overboard. Combine overeating with lack of sleep from staying out at parties or doing late-night holiday prep, and you're bound to feel cranky and stressed out. Make an effort not to overindulge, and try to maintain your regular sleep schedule.  
• Make a budget. Excessive holiday spending on gifts can leave you feeling overwhelmed, guilty, and worried – surely not how your loved ones want you to spend the holidays! Decide how much you are able to spend, and stick to it. Talk to friends and family about ways to save money, such as doing a gift exchange. Most importantly, remember that for most adults, a towering pile of presents doesn't buy happiness. It's being together that matters most. 
• Be true to your feelings. There is a lot of pressure to be "merry and bright" at the holidays, but don't try to make yourself feel or act happy if that's not how you really feel. If someone has died, if there has been a job loss in your family, or if you can't be with loved ones, the holidays can cause feelings of loneliness or sadness. Take time to acknowledge your feelings and express them.
• Reach out to others. If you are feeling sad or isolated, look for events and activities in your community or place of worship. These may help you feel more connected and offer an easy way to enjoy others' companionship. Volunteering is another way to boost your mood; helping others is proven to give feelings of satisfaction. And the recipient of your good works will likely feel happier, too!

What about you? How do you manage stress or sadness at the holidays?