by Grace | Jan 18, 2021 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
‘Smart Eating Week’ celebrates healthy eating and the benefits a nutritious diet brings to your body and well-being.
What are the benefits of eating a well-balanced diet both at work and at home?
- Reduced stress levels;
- Increased energy levels;
- An improved immune system, decreasing absentee days at work;
- Improved mood;
- Enhanced memory;
- Enhanced productivity;
- Improved gut health;
- Reduced cancer risk;
- Diabetes management;
- Heart health and stroke prevention;
- Strong bones and teeth;
- A better night’s sleep;
- Weight loss;
Not sure how healthy your diet is? Take this healthy eating quiz – https://daa.asn.au/smart-eating-for-you/smart-eating-fast-facts/healthy-eating/
As working adults, sometimes we find it hard juggling work, study, family time and relaxing. Find out what works for you, should it be packing your lunch the night before to ensure you cover your nutritious needs or writing a shopping list before you hit the supermarket!
What makes up a healthy lunch?
- Breads and cereals (preferably wholegrain);
- Fruits, vegetables, and legumes (lots of different colours and flavours);
- Low fat dairy, including milk, cheese and yoghurt;
Get some healthy lunchbox ideas from Better Health Vic – https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/Lunch-at-work
by Grace | Dec 29, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Are you wanting to offer your employees work benefits? Why not give them the opportunity to screen and make positive changes towards their health?
Our qualified Nurses at Workplace Health and Safety Victoria visit your workplace and conduct Health Assessments to your employees with the aim to improve your overall health of your employees.
We offer diabetes screening, heart health checks and overall health checks using our body composition scales (comparing body/fat percentage, calculating metabolic age, visceral fat rating and more). Our health assessments provide a baseline screening of where your employee sits health-wise, with the results being absolutely confidential to your employee.
From here, your employee can choose to make positive changes towards their lifestyle through the education we provide or disregard our advice altogether.
Studies show that investing in your employee’s health can bring the following benefits to your workplace:
- Reduced absenteeism
- Improved injury incidence and outcomes
- Retained top talent
- Increased workplace productivity
- Improved company morale
- Support for an aging workforce
- Raised awareness of relevant health issues in your workplace and the ability to provide referrals where appropriate
Workplace Health and Safety Victoria also offer pre-employment medicals, which are held at our clinics in Geelong and the Surfcoast, which screen against vision, hearing, range of movement, heart health, diabetes, and more. More extensive Health Assessments can also be held at the clinic and include GP check ups and appointments with our Sports Physiologists.
To enquire, please contact Belinda at [email protected] or call 0456 387 569.
by Grace | Nov 24, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
With kids on school holidays and excitement levels through the roof, Focus on Family Australia suggests the following activities you can enjoy with your family.
- Christmas Light Drive: Stay up late with kids and go on a special tour of your local area.
- Park Picnic: Enjoy dinner in the park by packing a picnic.. you may like to cheat and order fish and chips!
- Get amongst your local festive activities: Your local town or city will have plenty of activities to attend over the Christmas period – this may include carols in the park, street bbq’s or the famous Myer windows in Melbourne.
- Give back: Get your family together and consider how you can give back this Christmas. There are lots of donations to great causes, buying presents that will go to the less fortunate or simply volunteering as a family.
- Christmas carols: Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without attending the local carols event.
- Decorate the tree together: As a family, get involved in decorating your Christmas tree together.
- Start a new tradition: Even the simplest of things can make Christmas memorable – set the table with the cutlery reversed, enjoy dinner together on Christmas eve and watch a Christmas movie together. Whatever it is, make it fun.
by Grace | Nov 23, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
We’re approaching the pointy end of the year… Christmas! This means everybody wants EVERYTHING done by the 25th December.. meaning bigger hours, greater workload, more social commitments and added stress to your day!
With all this pressure, you start to feel it.. your heart rate is racing, you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re tired, your decisions are cloudy and you generally have a lot on your plate!
According to Elite Daily and Inc. (2019), here’s some tips to stress less in 30 seconds:
1. Slow your breathing:
You can do this anywhere, anytime – inhale deep into your belly for a count of four, hold for a count of eight and exhale for a count of four.
2. Make a gratitude list:
When stress runs high, it’s a good idea to get yourself out of your head. Channel your negative feelings into something positive by writing a gratitude list.. it may be as simple as your morning coffee, your pink socks you have on or a visit from your niece last week. This is a distraction technique.
3. Give yourself a moment of self-massage:
Bring your shoulders up to your ears, then drop them down. Give each shoulder a few good kneads and squeezes with the opposite hand.
4. Notice Five Things:
You can do this at your desk, or on your quick 30 minute break walk to the park. Open up your senses and notice five interesting things that you can see, hear, feel or smell.
5. Make yourself a tea:
A soothing way to relax whilst in the office.
6. Name your feelings:
Acknowledge any feelings of frustration, anger afraid, etc.. this is proven to make you feel more calm.
by Grace | Nov 9, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Celebrated on the 14th November, World Diabetes Day helps increase the awareness of diabetes. Workplace Health and Safety Victoria offer workplaces diabetes education and screening – so why not help improve the health of your workplace?
According to Diabetes Australia (2020), diabetes is when the body does not or insufficiently converts glucose (sugar) from food into energy, resulting in high blood glucose levels.
Glucose is the main source of energy for our bodies. In people with diabetes, the hormone insulin, which assists in the conversion process, is not produced or is produced to insufficient amounts by the body. Therefore, when people with diabetes eat glucose (such as breads, cereals, fruits and starchy vegetables), it cannot or is inadequately converted to energy.
What can untreated diabetes lead to?
According to Diabetes Australia..
- Heart attack;
- Stroke;
- Kidney disease;
- Limb amputation;
- Depression;
- Anxiety;
- Blindness;
Prevention:
According to Diabetes Australia, there are different types of diabetes; the three most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Strong international evidence shows diabetes prevention programs can help prevent type 2 diabetes in up to 58 per cent of cases.
Type 1:
Currently type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented.
Type 2:
Evidence shows type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in up to 58 per cent of cases by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and following a healthy eating plan.
People at risk of type 2 diabetes can delay and even prevent the condition by:
- Maintaining a healthy weight;
- Regular physical activity;
- Making healthy food choices;
- Managing blood pressure;
- Managing cholesterol levels;
- Not smoking;
Symptoms:
- Being more thirsty than usual;
- Passing more urine;
- Feeling tired and lethargic;
- Always feeling hungry;
- Having cuts that heal slowly;
- Itching, skin infections;
- Blurred vision;
- Unexplained weight loss (type 1);
- Gradually putting on weight (type 2);
- Mood swings;
- Headaches;
- Feeling dizzy;
- Leg cramps;
by Grace | Nov 9, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
World Kindness Day, celebrated on Friday 13th November 2020, not only focuses on being kind to each other (especially in the workplace) but making kindness the normal.
Here’s some tips of random acts of kindness (www.randomactsofkindness.org, 2020):
- Send an uplifting text to a family member or friend.
- Let somebody merge into traffic with a wave and smile.
- Include intentional moments or laughter, kindness and delight into your daily routine.
- Go slightly out of your comfort zone every day to make someone smile.
- Share a compliment with a co-worker or friend.
- Reach out to a family member you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Treat someone to a coffee (a friend, stranger or yourself)!