by Grace | Dec 21, 2021 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Foods from the dairy food group are lacking in the diet of most Australians, and it’s estimated 8 out of 10 Australian adults are missing out on the minimum recommended serves of milk, cheese, yoghurt and/or alternatives (Dairy Australia, 2021).
According to Nutrition Australia (2021), dairy foods are known for their role in bone health, but research over the past decade has demonstrated that consumption of dairy can protect us against heart disease and stroke, can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and some cancers, and may reduce our risk of Type 2 diabetes.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends at least 2.5 serves of dairy or alternatives a day for adults. A serve from of the dairy food group may include:
- A cup (250ml) milk;
- 3/4 of a cup (200ml) of yoghurt;
- Two slices (40g) of cheese;
- ½ a cup of ricotta cheese;
- Alternative: 1 cup of soy, rice or other cereal drink with at least 100mg of added calcium per 100ml;
- Alternative: 100g almonds with skin;
- Alternative: 60g sardines, canned in water;
- Alternative: 100g firm tofu (check the label as calcium levels vary);
Tips to increase your dairy intake:
- Grab a latte on the way to work;
- Have a bowl of fruit and yoghurt for breakfast or after a workout;
- Include cheese in a salad sandwich;
- Instead of sour cream, dollop natural yoghurt on a jacket potato;
- Incorporate milk and yoghurt into a delicious smoothie;
- Grate or shave parmesan or mozzarella cheese on pasta dishes;
- Have a warm glass of milk in the evening;
Replacing some or all of our ‘junk foods’ such as fried potatoes, cakes, muffins, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, meat pies or biscuits with yoghurt or cheese is not only one way to increase your dairy intake, but it’s also a strategy to a healthier diet!
by Grace | Dec 21, 2021 | Drug & Alcohol Testing, Equipment Hire, Flu & Travel Vaccinations, Health Assessments, Skin Checks, Workplace Education
Ever wondered if it would be worth incorporating a corporate/employee wellbeing program into your workplace benefits?
According to My Short Lister (2021) and Hunter Link (2021), we’ve done the hard work for you and found the statistics and evidence!
How do employees benefit from Wellness Programs?
- 70% of employees enrolled in wellness programs have reported higher job satisfaction than those not enrolled in the company’s program;
- Employees are more likely to recommend a company that supports well-being, as a great place to work;
- 56% of employees have fewer sick days because of wellness programs;
- Employee morale is cited as the most improved (54%) metric from implementing wellness plans;
- 62% of participants in a wellness plan said that is helped them lower healthcare costs;
- Increased productivity;
- Improved engagement;
- Encourages innovation;
How employers benefit from Wellness Programs?
- Increased productivity from their employees;
- Reduced accidents and incidents;
- Reduced absenteeism;
- Increased staff engagement and retention;
- Positions your company for an employer of choice;
- 63% of employers offering wellness programs reported increased financial sustainability and growth;
- For every US dollar spent on wellness programs, the company saves $5.82 in lower employee absenteeism costs;
- About 77% of employees agree that workplace wellness programs can help reduce costs;
- Employees feel their needs are recognised and valued and goodwill and collaboration is more prominent;
What are some ideas to incorporate into your wellness program?
- Yearly health assessments, measuring heart health, diabetes screening and cholesterol screening (offered by WHS Vic);
- Yearly skin checks (offered by WHS Vic);
- Education sessions on healthy eating and physical activity in the workplace (offered by WHS Vic);
- Free flu shots for employees on site (reducing sick days and minimising the time spent away from work, offered by WHS Vic);
- Offer workshops on stress management in the workplace(offered by WHS Vic);
- Bike sharing program;
- Lunchtime walking group;
- Lunchtime meditation;
- Mental health training workshops (offered by WHS Vic);
- Resiliency and positive psychology (offered by WHS Vic);
- Corporate yoga/pilates classes;
- Team fitness challenges – ie. the team who runs the most km’s for the month wins a prize;
- Gym membership subsidies;
- Team games;
- Corporate team cooking classes;
- Healthy cooking demonstrations;
- Nutrition seminars (offered by WHS Vic);
- Men’s and Women’s Health Seminars (offered by WHS Vic);
- Corporate massages;
- Corporate retreats;
by Grace | Aug 30, 2021 | Health Assessments
6th-10th September, we are celebrating all women, using this as an excuse to put yourself and your health first!
The Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week is a campaign of events and online activities – all centred on improving women’s health and helping you make healthier choices. Everyone has access to quizzes, podcasts, interviews, competitions to win and free webinars to utilise during next week – https://www.womenshealthweek.com.au/
‘Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer to affect women in Australia, with 1 in 78 women being diagnosed at some point in their life.’ – Health Direct (2020).
Considering Victoria’s current lockdown restrictions, Women’s Health Week is holding an array of online events https://www.womenshealthweek.com.au/get-involved/attend-an-event/ Better yet, your workplace can hold an online event.
Additional online reputable information for women can be obtained from https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/womens-health
‘Overweight and obesity are increasing for all women, and particularly in younger generations.’ – Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (2018).
In normal non-restricted times, Workplace Health & Safety would be visiting workplaces to conduct health assessments (screening for heart health, diabetes, cholesterol, body composition and more), or exciting presentations to your workplace filled with lots of statistics and tips on living your healthiest life! We are still here for your workplaces – via zoom or over the phone advice.
by Grace | Aug 17, 2021 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Every day in Australia, around 115 people die from cardiovascular disease – The Heart Foundation (2021).
The biggest contributors to the burden of heart and the blood vessel disease are:
- High blood pressure
- Poor diet
- High cholesterol
For many of us, heart disease risk factors can be addressed with small lifestyle changes:
- Eat a healthy diet – “Eating a poor diet is the largest contributor to the burden of cardiovascular disease.”;
- Quit smoking and e-cigarettes – “Smokers have more heart attacks, strokes and angina (chest pain or discomfort caused when your heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood) than non-smokers. They also experience these impacts at a much younger age.”;
- Get plenty of exercise:
– Be active on most, preferably all, days of the week
– Get between150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week
– Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week
The Heart Foundation (2021) suggests incorporating into your diet to look after your heart:
- plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit and wholegrains;
- minimal processed foods;
- a variety of protein-rich foods, including fish and seafood, legumes (such as beans, lentils and chickpeas), nuts and seeds, eggs and chicken, unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese;
- healthy fats and oils, including olive, canola, sunflower, peanut and soybean oil. You can also choose foods that contain heart-healthy fats, such as avocados, olives, unsalted nuts and seeds;
- herbs and spices for bursts of flavour;
To donate to The Heart Foundation, click here – https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/
by Grace | Aug 17, 2021 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Tuesday 21st September is World Alzheimer’s Day.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia. Dementia is a broader term for conditions caused by brain injuries or diseases that negatively affect memory, thinking, and behavior.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting up to 70% of all people with dementia. – dementia.org.au (2021).
World Alzheimer’s Day highlights the importance of talking about alzheimers, raising awareness of how it impacts the daily lives of people affected by the condition and challenge the stigma that surrounds it.
Symptoms:
In the early stages the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease can be very subtle. However, it often begins with lapses in memory and difficulty in finding the right words for everyday objects.
Other symptoms may include:
- Memory loss affecting daily activities, such as an ability to keep appointments
- Apparent loss of enthusiasm for previously enjoyed activities
- Taking longer to do routine tasks
- Forgetting well-known people or places
- Inability to process questions and instructions
- Deterioration of social skills
- Emotional unpredictability
- Trouble with familiar tasks, such as using a microwave
- Difficulties with problem-solving
- Trouble with speech or writing
- Becoming disoriented about times or places
- Decreased personal hygiene
- Mood and personality changes
- Withdrawal from friends, family, and community
Diagnosis, cure and causes:
Diagnosis is made by a doctor and currently there is no cure, however there are treatments that can slow progression and help manage symptoms.
Alzheimer’s may be brought on due to a family history/genetics and age.
How to support somebody with dementia in the workplace:
Some effects on work somebody with dementia may experience include:
- difficulty communicating their thoughts to colleagues or clients
- trouble concentrating
- forgetting important meetings or appointments
- difficulty managing several tasks at one time
- having problems with larger groups and possibly preferring to work alone
- losing confidence in their work abilities
- feeling uncertain about making important decisions
You can support somebody in the workplace with dementia by having these simple conversation starters:
- What checkpoints can we put in place to help you stay on track?
- What should we be looking for that would indicate you are struggling?
- How do you want us to respond when there are performance problems so that you know we are being supportive?
- What would you think would be the signs that working is no longer an option for you?
- What kind of errors might you be concerned about making and how can we help manage these?
- What are the things that most stress or overwhelm you right now?
- Let’s check in every ___ days. What time works for you?
Sources: Healthline (2018). Alzheimers Society (2021). Dementia Australia (2021). Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (2021).
by Grace | Aug 17, 2021 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Monday 20th – Friday 24th September is Headache Awareness Week.
It’s estimated that 7 in 10 people have at least one headache each year. – Healthline (2017).
What is a headache?
A headache is a very common condition that causes pain and discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Headaches can sometimes be mild, but in many cases, they can cause severe pain that makes it difficult to concentrate at work and perform other daily activities.
There are many types of headaches, including:
- Tension Headaches: Which occur most frequently in women over age 20. These headaches are often described as feeling like a tight band around the head. They are caused by a tightening of the muscles in the neck and scalp. Poor posture and stress are contributing factors.
- Cluster headaches: are non-throbbing headaches that cause excruciating, burning pain on one side of the head or behind the eye.
- Migraine headaches: Migraine headaches are severe headaches that can cause throbbing, pounding pain, usually on one side of the head.
- Rebound headaches: Rebound headaches are those that occur after a person stops taking medications they used regularly to treat headaches.
- Thunderclap headaches: Thunderclap headaches are abrupt, severe headaches that often come on very quickly. They will usually appear without warning and last up to five minutes.
Headache Triggers:
- Diet: insufficient food, missing meals, delayed meals, eating too little and dehydration;
- Specific foods: including chocolate, citrus fruits, dairy products and pork products;
- Environmental triggers: bright lights, computer overuse, loud sounds, pollution, strong smells (eg. perfume, smoke-filled rooms);
- Hormonal (women): menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, menopause;
- Some medications;
- Physical and emotional: lack of sleep, stiff and painful muscles, eye or dental problems, blows to the head, arguments, excitement stress or muscle tension;
How to deal with a headache in the workplace:
Usually a headache does not require time off work. Headache sufferers can help themselves by practicing the following:
- Regular breaks especially if work repetitive or using computers
- Relaxation techniques to rid the body of tension and stress
- Making their work environment as comfortable as possible
- Varying position to avoid stiffness and tension
- Communicating and keeping work informed so a colleague could stand in the event of a headache
- Explaining their headaches to colleagues so they understand the necessity of time off from work
If you are experiencing persistent headaches or finding it hard to relieve your headaches, visit your GP to discuss.
Sources: Headache Australia (2021) and Healthline (2017).