CEOs and senior executives at businesses large and small all have one thing in common: demanding careers. With high levels of demand, come even higher levels of stress. For many corporate executives, their schedules are jam-packed with meetings and travel, leaving little time for personal health and well–being. Eating healthy and keeping up with a fitness regimen often falls at the bottom of a CEO’s long to-do list. With Shakthi’s Executive Wellness program, we show individuals that a demanding career does not have to come at the expense of their health. Great leaders lead by example, so why shouldn’t corporate executives be the example of optimal health?
A High-Stress Career Affects Overall Health! Here’s How Shakthi Helps
Busy executives need to fuel their bodies to keep up with the burdens of a demanding career. When health is swept to the side, we often see these individuals present with fatigue, sleep problems, decreased performance, weight gain, poor concentration, and negative metabolic changes including cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure.
These imbalances develop over time as busy executives focus less on eating the right foods and getting the exercise needed to maintain optimal cardiovascular health and weight. At Shakthi Health & Wellness Center, we work with many corporate leaders on optimizing health through a comprehensive Executive Wellness program focused solely on the unique lifestyles of busy executives. The program addresses:
- Grabbing a bagel or a sugar-filled muffin at a breakfast meeting and then eating lunch on the go or while sitting at a desk is often the way many executives go about their day. Diets that lack the proper nutrition to not only fuel the body but also the mind, will often result in a body that lacks the energy needed to get through a demanding and high-pressure day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so start the day right with food high in protein and low in simple carbohydrates (like bagels and muffins). Add in fresh fruit and you’re off to a good start that will promote higher levels of focus and concentration. For lunch, go for the greens, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates to deliver essential vitamins and nutrients needed for peak performance. Make time to sit and relax over a well-balanced dinner that includes plenty of vegetables. Avoid processed foods and foods high in sodium and fat, which are often found in many prepared and take-out meals. Shakthi’s Executive Wellness program includes a comprehensive nutritional consultation that not only teaches people what to eat but how to eat healthy, for greater balance and overall wellness.
- While it may be difficult to find 30 minutes or an hour to fit in exercise, your body will ultimately reward you for working out through greater mental acuity and improved cardiovascular health. At Shakthi, we work with one of the leading fitness and personal trainers who help executives develop a plan for fitness they can work into their busy schedules. Add workouts to your calendar and make these sessions a priority as you would any other meeting.
- Cardiovascular health. A poor diet, lack of exercise and high stress all contribute to cardiovascular disease. Making your heart health a number one priority as you age is extremely important, especially in a high-pressure lifestyle. A leading part of Shakthi’s Executive Wellness program is a thorough medical evaluation that includes cardiovascular checks such as heart rate variability (which measures how well the body recharges itself), EKG, an expanded lipid panel, and a non-invasive test called EndoPAT (Endothelial Peripheral Arterial Tone). This test can painlessly and effectively measure the health of blood vessels and is a unique component to Shakthi’s program that is not often available in primary care practices.
- Stress reduction. Stress in a high demand career is a given. How people deal with the stress can make or break their health and wellness efforts. Getting enough sleep and eating right will help reduce imbalances and inflammation that leads to poor performance and fatigue. High levels of stress can also take its toll on a person’s heart health. Stress-reducing remedies such as acupuncture, the infrared sauna, and even yoga also help lower the amount of cortisol in the body, which is the stress hormone.
Making health a priority is one of the best ways to be an effective leader, in and out of the boardroom. Our Executive Wellness packages are designed specifically for the high demands of the C-suite to reduce stress, enhance sleep quality, and increase focus and energy while balancing nutrients and hormones to improve overall cardiovascular health. Our patients who participate in the program experience a marked improvement in cardiovascular indicators as well as overall wellness thanks to Shakthi’s integrated approach to caring for the whole body and addressing the unique needs of individuals with high-pressure careers.
Call Shakthi Health & Wellness Center today to begin your journey to greater health and learn more about our Executive Wellness packages.