This week is Coeliac Awareness Week. We all know somebody who is coeliac, whether it be a friend, family member or a work colleague.. but what exactly is Coeliac Disease?
According to Coeliac Australia, in people with coeliac disease, the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats), causing small bowel damage and inflammation. This reduces the surface area of the bowel available for nutrient absorption, which can lead to various gastrointestinal and malabsorptive symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms:
Diarrhoea;
Bloating;
Gas;
Fatigue;
Weight loss;
Iron-deficiency;
Constipation;
Depression;
Itchy Rash;
(Healthline.com 2017)
How do you cure Coeliac Disease?
Unfortunately, there is no cure of Coeliac Disease. However, symptoms can be managed by adhering to a strict gluten free diet. This means that any products containing wheat barley, rye or spelt must be eliminated.
Foods to avoid:
Unless specifically labelled ‘gluten free’, the following foods should be avoided:
Pasta;
Bread;
Cakes;
Pies;
Crackers;
Cookies;
Beer;
Dressings;
Sauces;
Gravies;
(Healthline, 2017).
Cutting out processed foods and learning to read labels can make a gluten-free diet much easier. Some foods to be included in a gluten free diet may include:
Meat, poultry & seafood;
Eggs;
Dairy;
Fruits;
Gluten-free grains such as quinoa, rice, buckwheat and millet;
Vegetables;
Legumes;
Nuts;
Healthy fats;
Herbs and spices;
Diagnosing Coeliac Disease:
If you suspect you may have a gluten intolerance, consult your doctor and get tested to determine if a gluten-free diet is a necessity for you.
According to the Australian Government – Department of Health (2020), Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory infections. These can range from the common cold to more serious diseases.
COVID-19 is the disease caused by a new coronavirus. It was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, City in China.
If you believe you are sick with COVID-19, DO NOT ATTEND YOUR LOCAL GP UNANNOUNCED. Please call the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Information Line – 1800 020 080. They will advise on steps to take.
If you’d like to talk to your GP, call the clinic and speak with reception before potentially spreading the virus to others.
If you need to self-isolate:
According to health.gov.au, If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must stay at home to prevent it spreading to other people.
You might also be asked to stay at home if you may have been exposed to the virus.
Staying at home means you:
Do not go to public places such as work, school, shopping centres, childcare or university;
Ask someone to get food and other necessities for you and leave them at your front door;
Do not let visitors in — only people who usually live with you should be in your home;
You do not need to wear a mask in your home. If you need to go out to seek medical attention, wear a surgical mask (if you have one) to protect others.
It is recommended that all adults should aim for at least 7-9 hours sleep per night – (Sleep Health Foundation, 2019).
What are the benefits of a good night’s sleep on your work performance?
Increases alertness;
Improves memory;
Increases productivity;
Higher levels of reasoning;
Decreases stress;
Levels mood;
Increases attention to detail;
Allows for focused, reasonable thinking;
Ability to think more clearly;
On top of this, sleep can help you to:
Maintain a healthy body weight;
Decrease your risk of developing heart disease or stroke;
Decrease your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes;
Avoid depression;
Increase your immune function;
Decrease inflammation in the body;
(healthline.com, 2018)
What can you do to ensure a good night’s sleep?
According to sleepfoundation.org, the best tips are:
Stick to a sleep schedule – same bedtime and same wake up time, even on weekends;
Practice a relaxation bedtime ritual – A relaxing, routine activity (such as reading or meditation) conducted away from bright lights;
Avoid naps – power naps may get you through the day, but if you find you can’t get to sleep at bedtime, cut them out;
Exercise daily – vigorous exercise is best, but even light activity is better than no activity;
Evaluate your room – your bedroom should be cool, free from any noise or light. Consider ear plugs and eye masks;
Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows – invest, full stop.
Avoid bright lights at night time – save this for the morning;
Wind down – spend the last hour before bed doing a calming activity such as reading. For some people, electronic devices such as a laptop can make it hard to fall asleep;
If you can’t sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired – it is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the bedroom. Save your bed for sleep;
If you’re still having trouble sleeping – don’t hesitate to speak to your local GP.
‘Because of the high rate of influenza in the general population, vaccinating employees can result in workplace benefits such as increased productivity and reduced absenteeism’ – Australian Immunisation Handbook (2020).
Flu season is quickly approaching! We visit workplaces to provide flu shot clinics to your staff – contact [email protected] for more information.
Influenza (the flu) is a common disease of the respiratory tract, affecting people of all ages (Australian Immunisation Handbook, 2019).
The flu is deadly. In 2017 within Australia alone, there were 1,255 deaths due to influenza (ABS, 2017).
Flu symptoms include:
Runny nose or sneezing;
Cough or sore throat;
Fever and chills;
Headache;
Body aches;
Vomiting and diarrhoea;
‘Absenteeism from work due to the flu costs workplaces $7 billion each year in lost wages’ – thesector.com.au, 2018.
How does the flu spread?
According to health.gov.au (2019):
When an affected person coughs or sneezes, and you breath it in;
Through direct contact with fluid from an infected person’s cough or sneeze;
By touching a contaminated surface with a flu virus on it, then touching your mouth, eyes or nose;
‘Presenteeism (attending work whilst unwell with the flu) costs workplaces $34 billion each year in loss of productivity’ – thesecotr.com.au, 2018.
Prevention:
Vaccination is the best protection against the flu.
According to Centres for Disease, Control and prevention (2019), a flu vaccine is needed every season for two reasons. First, a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccine is needed for optimal protection. Second, because flu viruses are constantly changing, flu vaccines may be updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that research suggests may be most common during the upcoming flu season.
The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus that cannot transmit infection, prompting your body to create tools (antibodies) to fight the virus when exposed to it. The vaccine itself does not cause the flu. However, it takes a week or two for protection from the vaccine to work (webmd.com, 2017 and health.hardvard.edu, 2018).
How can you protect your workplace from the flu?
Educate employees of the symptoms of the flu;
Encourage employees to stay at home when they are sick;
Encourage employees to keep their distance from those who are sick;
Educate employees to wash their hands frequently, and provide workstations with alcohol sanitisers;
Disinfect frequently touched surfaces;
Educate employees to cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze;
Educate employees to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth;
Encourage employees to keep their body defences up by: – Adequate sleep; – Healthy eating; – Drinking plenty of fluids; – Keeping active;
Educate employees on the importance of the flu vaccine;
Please contact us should you require flu shots within your workplace – [email protected]
According to Hearing Australia, hearing loss is when your ability to hear is reduced, making it more difficult for you to hear speech and all the other sounds of life.
‘Hearing loss affects approximately one in seven people in Australia’ – HCIA (2017)
Safe Work Australia (2019) notes that work-related noise-induced hearing loss is a preventable but irreversible condition that affects many Australian workers. Dangerous levels of noise are over 85 decibels across an 8-hour shift or a maximum noise level of 140 decibels. This may include tasks using a sledgehammer, front-end loader, lawn mower or a chainsaw.
According to Worksafe Australia (2019), if an employee needs hearing protection to reduce their exposure below the standard, you must provide audiometric testing within three months of when they start the relevant work, and at least every two years.
Worksafe Health Victoria provide hearing tests to workplaces to help you protect your employees and organisation – please contact us on [email protected]
Occupations that are connected to occupational hearing loss include:
Factory workers;
Entertainment venue employees;
Musicians;
Farmers;
Construction workers;
Coaches and game officials;
Pre-school teachers and cafeteria workers;
Surgeons using medical drills;
Military personnel;
The good news is, ‘Over a third (37%) of adult hearing loss is preventable’ – HCIA (2017).
How can your workplace help prevent employees from hearing loss?
Provide employees with necessary personal protective equipment including ear plugs or ear muffs when performing tasks or visiting sites using machinery that is greater than 85 decibels;
Provide appropriate training to employees;
Provide appropriate education to employees;
Rotate employees between noisy and quiet jobs;
Ensure all levels of management, from office workers to tradespeople are aware of dangerous levels of noise and the necessity to wear protective equipment when exposed;
Introduce engineering controls, such as adding material to reduce vibrations on machines, fitting silencers to air exhausts and blowing nozzles;
Erect enclosures around machines to reduce the amount of noise emitted into the environment;
Use barriers and screens to block the direct path of sound;
Position noise sources further away from workers;
Please contact us should you require education to your staff or hearing tests – [email protected]
