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April is National Stress Awareness month. It’s also spring, which means trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and the grass is turning green. The signs of new growth in Tulsa will soon bring vibrant colors and sweet smells to delight in.

Spending time enjoying nature, whether inside or out, is a healthy activity for Tulsa employees. Research has shown that “Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings.”

Enjoying nature is just one of the many different things that can be done to help reduce stress and create a calmer state of mind. The key is remembering what works and what doesn’t. Below are six suggestions that everyone should consider.

Diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein, and drink lots of hydrating beverages. Not only will you have more energy, but you’ll be able to deal with what the day brings more easily.

Exercise: Keep moving even if it’s only going for a walk or taking a yoga class online. Regular physical activity is necessary to maintain a healthy body, but it can also help relax the muscles and improve one’s mood.

Sleep: Getting enough sleep while feeling stressed out can be hard, but not getting enough can make it even tougher. Try to develop a healthy bedtime routine that encourages relaxation and includes turning off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed and spending some time reading or meditating.

Feelings: Whether it’s talking with a trusted friend or family member or writing everything out, expressing what is causing stress is a great way to problem solve and let the brain know that you’ve got this.

Planning and Priorities:  Take some time to think about what is important. From there, set some short-term goals. They might include planning ahead, getting organized or a list of healthy snacks to enjoy. Either way creating order out of what feels chaotic helps the brain to relax.

And finally, smile, laugh and have some fun. Whether it’s a new hobby or an old one, a funny movie or just being silly with family or coworkers, each of these activities is great for one’s mood and overall health.

While we may not be able to help Tulsa essential employees exercise or get more sleep, we are here to provide refreshments including healthy snacks and beverages, fresh food and coffee service to their break rooms. Continuing to offer these services to essential employees will help them stay on-site during their workday and keep their focus on their responsibilities. For more information about our current services, please call Blue Sky Supply at (918) 599-9100.

For the first time in history, bottled water is the No.1 packaged beverage in the United States (by volume). People are shifting away from less healthy packaged drinks and choosing the healthy option—bottled water.

–  Jill Culora, International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), Vice President of Communications

According to a recent study by the IBWA, more than 63 percent of Americans choose bottled water as their beverage of choice. And 94 percent of Americans believe that bottled water is healthier than soft drinks. But what exactly does the phrase ‘bottled water’ mean? The definition is more complex than it might initially seem.

Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), bottled water is a consumer food product; which means that strict standards of identity must be followed in order to legally call a bottle filled with water ‘bottled water’. The FDA requires that the “type” of water must be clearly printed on the label of all bottled water sold in the United States. To understand the FDA’s classifications, it is important to know the following terms.

Spring Water: “Derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface, this water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole that taps the underground formation feeding the spring. If some external force is used to collect the water through a borehole, the water must have the same composition and quality as the water that naturally flows to the surface.” 

Purified Water: “Bottled water that has been treated by distillation, reverse osmosis, or another suitable process may meet standards that allow it to be labeled as “purified water.””

Mineral Water: “This water comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals and trace elements must come from the source of the underground water. They cannot be added later.”

Artesian Water/Artesian Well Water: “This water is collected from a well that taps an aquifer—layers of porous rock, sand, and earth that contain water—which is under pressure from surrounding upper layers of rock or clay. When tapped, the pressure in the aquifer, commonly called artesian pressure, pushes the water above the level of the aquifer, sometimes to the surface. Other means may be used to help bring the water to the surface.”

Well Water: “This is water from a hole bored or drilled into the ground, which taps into an aquifer.”

Understanding the different water sources and methods of extraction will help Tulsa employees answer questions about the taste, quality, and safety of a specific type of water. This is especially important as 82 percent of Americans think they should drink more water and 90 percent believe that bottled water is a healthy and convenient beverage.

To help your Tulsa employees stay hydrated and healthy, make sure to include bottled water in your office break room vending machine. Try offering healthy snacks with healthy beverages at a reduced cost. It not only keeps everyone hydrated and satiated, but it’s also a great moral booster. For more information about adding healthy vending machines to your Tulsa break room, call Blue Sky Supply at (918) 599-9100.