Puvema

04/27/2026

"Developing certain habits, like keeping a consistent schedule and limiting blue light exposure before bed, can improve your sleep hygiene and promote quality sleep."

"Sticking to a schedule, having a relaxing bedtime routine, exercising regularly, keeping your bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature, and watching what you eat and drink can all impact the quality of your sleep."

https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-hygiene

Sleep hygiene is about having healthy sleep habits. Learn which behaviors, both during the day and around bedtime, can affect your sleep quality.

04/27/2026

Hot off the press!

We invite you to check out our latest article:

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Use It and Keep It

https://puvema.com/use-it-and-keep-it/

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If this were simply a statement a boy made while walking around a fairly large zoo on a fairly hot day, it wouldn’t have given me pause.

04/26/2026

If you enjoy our posts and you’re challenged by yo-yo dieting, we invite you to check out our special report:

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How to Permanently Overcome Yo-Yo Dieting

https://puvema.com/report/how-to-permanently-overcome-yo-yo-dieting/

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Jason Gootman
Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach
National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach

This special report gets to the bottom of yo-yo dieting.

04/24/2026

"Crucially, health coaches are behavior change specialists."

"The most significant regulatory body for health coaches is the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). This organization partners with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to provide a certification exam for aspiring health coaches. National Board Certification is considered the gold standard for health coaches."

"With some six in ten Americans managing a chronic illness, and that number increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a widespread need for health coaching."

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/04/20/health-coaching-101-everything-you-need-to-know-about-a-promising-field/?fbclid=IwAR21gXFtbejKlqBDpViXTlbgWpMxt3Ynk19f9EzLwyv_Wjw4QbMa24krJTY&streamIndex=0

Most health coaching focus areas fall under one of two umbrellas—preventative coaching or symptom and disease management. Within these categories, a coach can engage deeper dimensions of health.

04/22/2026

"The early days of lockdown restrictions had a profound effect on people's daily lives. Alcohol sales skyrocketed, physical activity dropped off sharply, and ‘comfort eating’ led to weight gain, too.

So, what's happened since March of 2020? After two years of pandemic life, many of these effects persist. The strategies we used to adapt and cope have cemented into habits for many of us. And this is not a surprise to scientists who study behavior change."

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/10/1085243050/unhealthy-pandemic-habits

After two years of pandemic life, people have learned to cope in ways that have become stubborn, unhealthy habits. But there are positive steps we can take to reset a healthy lifestyle.

04/20/2026

"Just 10 extra pounds add 40 pounds of pressure on your knees and other lower body joints. That can wear them out quicker. Extra fat can also cause inflammation--when chemicals in your body damage your own tissues over time, including your joints. Losing even a little weight can ease these effects. If you keep it off, you’re much less likely to get arthritis later in life."

"One study showed that older women who lost at least 5% of their body weight lowered their chances of breast cancer by 12%. There’s no such clear proof that losing weight protects you from other types, but some changes that happen when you shed pounds hint that it might. For example, overweight people who slim down have lower levels of some hormones linked to cancer, like estrogens, insulin, and androgens."

"People who are overweight gain extra tissue in the back of their throats. When your body relaxes when you sleep, that tissue can drop down and block your airway. It makes you stop breathing over and over all night, which causes all kinds of health problems, especially for your heart. Slimming down a little can often help with sleep apnea--sometimes enough that you can stop using the bulky breathing devices that treat it."

"Weight loss may help chase your blues away. Scientists are still trying to work out why, but better body image and improved sleep may be part of the reason. In one study, depressed people who were very overweight felt better after they lost an average of 8% of their body weight. Other research shows you’ll continue to feel better, even after 2 years--as long as you keep the weight off."

https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-five-percent-weight-loss

Losing a little weight goes a long way. Find out the benefits you could get if you shed just 5% to 10% of your body weight.

04/19/2026

If you enjoy our posts and you’re interested in the psychology of lasting behavior improvement and positive habit formation, we invite you to check out our special report:

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How to Form Self-Care Habits That Truly Stick

https://puvema.com/report/how-to-form-self-care-habits-that-truly-stick/

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This special report describes how to make change go from seemingly impossible to eminently doable.

04/17/2026

In the west, there's a land.

The people there struggle with type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, chronic neuromusculoskeletal pain, anxiety, depression, and related ailments.

Despite knowing what to do and having good intentions, they struggle with their eating habits, exercise habits, and overall self-care habits.

This is the Province of Knowledge and Good Intentions.
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In the east, there's a land.

The people there are thriving.

They consistently maintain their self-care habits.

They adeptly turn knowledge and good intentions into action, habits, and results.

This is the Province of Thriving.
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Between the two lands is a 100-mile-wide gap:

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Implementation Gap

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Each and every day, millions of people try to travel from the Province of Knowledge and Good Intentions to the Province of Thriving, but most don't make it through Implementation Gap.

They get sucked up by quicksand, eaten by dragons, or swept away by tsunamis.
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Some rather benevolent figures also roam these lands:

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Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach Jason Gootman and his team of wellness professionals

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Jason and his team are IMPLEMENTATION SPECIALISTS.

They help people build IMPLEMENTATION BRIDGES that enable them to successfully navigate Implementation Gap.

They provide people with accountability, guidance, and support rooted in the psychology of lasting behavior improvement and positive habit formation and help them get from the Province of Knowledge and Good Intentions to the Province of Thriving.

The end.

04/15/2026

"Maintaining a healthy BMI can lengthen your life by more than a decade, a 2018 study found, and has been linked with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Regular physical activity and eating healthy foods can help you with this goal."

"People who sleep less than seven hours nightly tend to have higher levels of stress hormones, blood sugar and blood pressure, Goldberg said."

"Avoiding too much alcohol can add at least several years to your life by lowering your risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic diseases, a 2020 study found."

"Having close, positive relationships adds happiness and comfort to our lives and reduces stress, experts have said. Studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends and community have fewer health problems, live longer and experience less depression and cognitive decline later in life, according to Harvard Health."

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/23/health/longevity-live-longer-tips-wellness/index.html

Living life to the fullest starts with paying attention to your body and mental well-being. Health professionals share the main habits you should implement to give yourself the best chance at a longer, happier life.

04/13/2026

"Researchers report that stair climbers reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 39% compared to people who don’t use stairs."

"'Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives,' said Paddock. 'So, whether at work, home, or elsewhere, take the stairs.'"

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/climbing-stairs-may-improve-heart-health-promote-longevity

Jason Gootman
Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach
National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach

Researchers say climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator improves heart health by combining aerobic with strength training exercise

04/13/2026

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

We invite you to check out our article:

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Making a Big Commitment to Yourself

https://puvema.com/making-a-big-commitment-to-yourself/

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I received several e-mails last week soliciting a 30-day diet. The diet was pitched as a way to “reset” after “the holidays” and was framed in the context of self-care. Self-care is a big part of my work, so I can sniff out the real stuff and the predatory mimicry right away. These smarmy so...

04/12/2026

If you enjoy our posts and you’re interested in lifestyle medicine, we invite you to check out our special report:

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Lifestyle Medicine Saves Lives

https://puvema.com/report/lifestyle-medicine-saves-lives/

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This special report details the potency of lifestyle medicine.