One of the best things about developing an audience engagement product like Nudge is finding out uses for it that you weren't expecting. As we've built all of the features and functionality into Nudge - The Nudge Factor, Nudge Clubs, 3rd party integration such as Moves tracking, and backend data and market research tools, there have been several uses our clients have brought up that we haven't thought about.

Last week we learned a how to categorize your wellness audience by creating personas. This is a key step in any wellness initiative which enables you to craft a relevant program and communicate it effectively. Now that you've correctly identified your audience and you have an interesting wellness plan formulated, what next?

An employee wellness program is an effective method to promote health and wellness amongst the members of your team. Programs can be designed to encourage awareness of health related issues, create a positive and fun workplace culture, increase employee engagement and productivity, and often times reduce cost of healthcare throughout the company over the long term.

Success with any wellness initiative relies on defining goals that you want to achieve. These goals need to be realistic and appeal to your company's interests. By creating a roadmap of sensible milestones, your wellness initiative will be on the road to success.

Did you know that being a social butterfly could improve your health and wellness? A healthy social life is almost as beneficial as tossing your smoking habit.

You may have heard that smoking is bad for your teeth and gums, but do you know why? Smoking affects your oral health in a number of ways, and can be responsible for everything ranging from yellow teeth to cancer of the mouth or throat. In fact, the consequences of smoking on oral health apply to more than just cigarette use and include cigars, pipes, and even smokeless tobacco.

Obesity is a consistent topic in America both with children and adults and we've all heard the statistics. Between 16 to 33 percent of children and adolescents and over 35 percent of adults are obese. It's clear to see why this is viewed as such an epidemic since adult obesity was less than 12% in 1990 - a 200% increase in the last 20 years.

I've always loved the flavor and texture of lentils, but I typically don't think of recipes that use them. That's something I'm going to change since lentils are one of the healthiest legumes out there. They're quick to make compared to their other dried siblings since they are much smaller and are easier to hydrate for a smooth texture. Lentils are low in calories and high in nutrition and have an earthy meaty flavor that is very filling.

It's always fun to take advantage of vegetables that are just in season and fresh okra should be in abundance at your supermarket or in your garden. Okra gets a bad rap many times because of the "slime factor". Most times it's relegated to be a thickener in soups and stews, but it's hot outside, who feels like soup or stew? It's also breaded and fried, a great way to make a vegetable unhealthy, or pickled which most of us don't have the time or resources to do.

The final regulations were released on May 29, 2013 by the U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Labor (DOL) regarding wellness program provisions in the Affordable Care Act. There are two categories of wellness programs that are identified in the regulations which are "participatory wellness programs" and "health-contingent wellness programs". The participatory wellness programs are basically unchanged from the current 2006 regulations - participatory wellness programs must comply with HIPAA nondescrimination requirements as long as the participants dont have to meet additional standards and it's available to all employees.

The economic downturn over the last 5 years has forced companies to optimize their workforce in order to stay in business. Jobs were cut, salaries reduced, and longer work weeks were introduced. Many Americans suffered whether they had a job or lost one. Fingers crossed, things seem to be looking better and hopefully this country is on a road to recovery.