by Grace | Sep 22, 2020 | Workplace Education
Prostate Cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Australian men with 20,000 diagnoses and close to 3,300 deaths each year.
(www,prostate.org.au, 2017)
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia (2017), all men over 50 years of age (or 40 if they have a family history of prostate cancer) should talk to their GP about testing for prostate cancer, as part of their regular health check-up.
“Finding cancer early improves your chances of successful treatment and long-term survival.” – The Cancer Council, 2020.
Help increase the awareness of prostate cancer support Australian men with prostate cancer and their families, you can donate here – https://www.prostate.org.au/donate/
by Grace | Sep 14, 2020 | Workplace Education
Caffeine is a stimulant that acts on the brain and nervous system.
How much caffeine should we be consuming per day?
According to healthdirect.gov.au (2019), the research is not clear but it’s likely that healthy adults can in general consume around 400mg of caffeine a day, that’s two espresso coffees or 5 energy drinks. Below is a guide to what this may look like:
- Espresso (50ml cup): 150-200mg
- Instant coffee (1 teaspoon): 60-80mg
- Black tea (250ml cup): 50mg
- Energy drink (250ml can): 80-100mg
- Coca Cola (375ml can): 50mg
- Dark chocolate (50g bar): 60mg
- Milk chocolate (50g bar): 10mg
*Pregnant or breastfeeding women should limit their intake to 200mg a day (for example, 1 espresso, 2 instant coffees or 4 cups of tea). In addition, people with health conditions should speak with their doctor about caffeine incorporation in their lifestyle.
Does consuming caffeine come with its benefits?
Healthdirect.gov.au (2019) reveals that in addition to caffeine making you feel more alert and energetic as it is a stimulant, people who drink coffee regularly might have a lower than average risk of:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Depression
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Bowel cancer
- Alzheimer’s Disease
What about too much caffeine?
Some people are particularly sensitive to caffeine where 1 coffee per day gives them a racing heart. If this is the case for you, it is advised you give up coffee. For the average person who consumes more than 500mg of caffeine per day, for example 3 espresso coffees or 6-7 instant coffees, you may experience the following:
- Agitation
- Anxiousness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid heart rate
It is said that if you drink a lot of coffee over a long period of time, it may increase your risk of:
- Heartburn
- Osteoporosis
- Insomnia
Withdrawing from caffeine:
According to healthdirect.gov.au (2019), because caffeine is addictive, many people have withdrawal symptoms after a day or two without it which can include:
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Difficulty concentrating
If you would like to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume, it’s a good idea to do this gradually. For example, reduce your intake over a couple of weeks and avoid cutting down by more than 1 caffeinated drink between consecutive days. Another option for coffee drinkers would be to gradually switch to decaffeinated coffee.
by Grace | Aug 31, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Today is Gold Bow Day (Thyroid Awareness).
“Statistics show 1 million Australians have an undiagnosed thyroid disorder.” – The Thyroid Foundation, 2020.
What is the thyroid gland and what does it do?
According to the Thyroid Foundation (2020), the thyroid gland is located at the front of the neck below the voice box or Adam’s Apple, and consists of two lobes located either side of the windpipe.
The thyroid hormone regulates body and brain growth and development, body temperature, energy levels and metabolic functions.
Hypothyroidism:
If the thyroid gland produces insufficient thyroid hormone, this is known as Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid). According to healthdirect.gov.au (2020), somebody with Hypothyroidism may experience the following symptoms:
Hyperthyroidism:
According to the Thyroid Foundation (2020), if the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone, it is known as Hyperthyroidism where symptoms may include the following (Mayoclinic.org.au, 2020):
- Unintentional weight loss, even when your appetite and food intake stays the same or increases
- Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) — commonly more than 100 beats a minute
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Pounding of your heart (palpitations)
- Increased appetite
- Nervousness, anxiety and irritability
- Tremor — usually a fine trembling in your hands and fingers
- Sweating
- Changes in menstrual patterns
- Increased sensitivity to heat
- Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements
- An enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which may appear as a swelling at the base of your neck
- Fatigue, muscle weakness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Skin thinning
- Fine, brittle hair
Thyroid issues ARE treatable and you do not have to live with the symptoms.
It is advised you seek medical advice from your GP if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and NOT ASSUME you have thyroid issues. However, it doesn’t hurt to mention you have been educated on the topic!
Gold Bow Day symbolises support for Thyroid Cancer in Australia. If you’d like to donate, click here – https://thyroidfoundation.org.au/Donate
by Grace | Aug 31, 2020 | Uncategorised
In light of National Stroke Week, we thought we’d simplify for you what strokes are, the signs when somebody at your workplace is having a stroke, the effects of a stroke and preventative measures.
What is a Stroke?
According to The Stroke Foundation (2020), there are three types of strokes that can affect all ages. Strokes occur when blood supply to the brain is blocked or hindered, resulting in the death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen and nutrients.
Ischaemic Stroke:
A stroke that is caused by a blood clot blocking the arteries, cutting off blood flow to the brain.
Haemorrhagic Stroke:
A stroke caused by a break in the wall of the blood vessel, causing blood to leak into the brain and hindering the delivery of oxygen and nutrients.
TIA:
A transient ischaemic attack happens when the blood supply to your brain is blocked temporarily. The blockage clears and blood supply to the brain starts again and the signs of a stroke disappear. TIAs should never be ignored and you should always call 000 even if symptoms subside as this can be an indication of a larger stroke to come.
How do you know if your work colleague is having a stoke??
Think FAST, act FAST.
F- FACIAL droop, especially around the mouth.
A – The person is unable to lift both ARMS to shoulder height
S- SLURRED speech or difficulty understanding you
T- TIME is critical. Call 000 immediately (even if you are unsure)!
The effects of a stroke:
Every stroke is different. The effects depend on the type of stroke, location of the blocked or burst artery, what part of the brain is damage, etc.
Some problems people who have a stroke may experience include:
- Weakness on one side of the body (including arms and legs)
- Problems controlling or coordinating movements
- Difficulties swallowing food, drink or own saliva
- Personality and behavioural changes
- Having uncontrollable outbursts of emotion
- Problems with thinking, memory and insight
- Difficulty receiving messages from senses
- Problems speaking and understanding
- Problems reading and writing
- Vision loss
- Incontinence
- Fatigue
People who experience a stroke generally receive rehab help from allied health specialists such as speech pathologists, physio therapists and occupational therapists to help with strength building and communication post a stroke.
How can you prevent a stroke from occurring?
- Book in regular health assessments – WHS Vic offer these to your workplace at your workplace, otherwise book into your GP regularly
- Stay active
- Eat well
- Stop smoking
- Drink alcohol in moderation
For more information about workplace education or health assessments, get in contact with [email protected] or call 0456 387 569.
by Grace | Aug 24, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
At Workplace Health & Safety Victoria, we strive to help you pick the best assessments relevant to YOUR business. We tailor packages to suit your needs. Therefore, we talk with our customers one on one prior to booking any services to gather the best understanding of their workplace and the services needed.
Ever wondered what is involved in our pre-employment medicals and health assessments? Our Nurse visits your workplace to complete basic health assessments and we have facilities in Geelong & Torquay for your staff to visit us to complete the more extensive assessments.
Investing in your employee’s health comes with its own benefits including:
- Reduced absenteeism
- Improvement of injury incidence and outcomes
- Retaining top talent
- Increased workplace productivity
- Improved company morale
- Support for an aging workforce
- Identification and support for mental illness
- Raised awareness of relevant health issues and providing referrals where appropriate
Pre-Employment Medicals:
Pre-employment medicals are now an integral component for any business when employing new staff or to assess existing staff’s ability to perform general or specific tasks important to their job.
Pre-employment medical assessments present a realistic overall picture of a potential employee to an employer, which assesses the efficiency and productivity that employee can bring to your organisation.
- Standard Pre-Employment Medical
- Hearing (Audiometry)
- Vision
- Blood pressure
- Spirometry (lung function)
- Physical assessment (completed by a physiotherapist)
- Strength tests
- Joint range of movement
- Spinal assessment
- Musculoskeletal testing
- Functional capacity assessments
- Drug & alcohol screening
- Skin checks
- Assessment and administration of immunisations (if needed)
- ECG’s (to measure heart activity)
- Chest x-rays
- MRI scans
Health Assessments:
Health Assessments form an overall picture of the health of your staff. Assistance to address any issues that may be evident can then be provided through programs created by our General Practitioners and Allied Health Practitioners.
We offer three different levels of health assessments (as well as pre-employment medical assessments) ranging from 15 minutes to 1 hour, which can include the following:
- Height, weight and waist circumference
- Blood pressure, heart rate
- Cholesterol and heart health
- Glucose levels (screening for Diabetes)
- Body composition scan
- Mental Health assessment
Other areas and tests can be included based on your needs.
Whether it be a pre-employment medical assessment or yearly health assessment, our GP’s and Nurses will review the information and advise on areas of focus for the employee’s age group and areas of their health and wellbeing that may need additional attention.
Interested? Get in touch to find assessments suitable for your business – [email protected] or 0456 387 569.