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)!
by Grace | Nov 9, 2020 | Workplace Education
It’s 3pm and your eyes are heavy, your energy has plummeted and all you can think about it taking a nap.
Before you make yourself a coffee or reach for a sugary snack, try these tips to avoid that afternoon slump recommended by The National Sleep Foundation (2020):
- Have an energising snack: Food is energy so it makes sense to eat something to make you feel more alert. Go for something healthy that will give you instant energy but also give you a boost until dinner time such as carrots and celery sticks dipped in hommus, cheese cubes, an apple or peanut butter.
- Avoid coffee: You might be tempted, but caffeine this late in the day can impact your night’s sleep. Go for green tea instead – it has less caffeine and is packed with antioxidants.
- Refill the water bottle: Being dehydrated can make you feel more sluggish than normal, so keep a water bottle close by and try to reach at least 2L per day.
- Go for a quick walk outside: This increases your heart rates (boosting your energy) as well as exposes you to sunlight which helps you feel more alert.
- Try a quick fix: When all else fails, do something that you typically do in the morning like washing your face, brushing your teeth or changing your shirt. You can even try smelling something energising, like citrus, peppermint, rosemary or eucalyptus.
by Grace | Nov 9, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Psychology week aims to increase public awareness of how psychology can help Australians lead healthier, happier and more meaningful lives (www.psychweek.org.au, 2019).
Workplace Health and Safety Victoria not only offer psychology sessions to workplaces within group settings, but we also offer lunch time zoom sessions for your workplace and after discussion with the organiser, we determine a session which is tailored and suited to your workplace and colleagues.
According to the Australian Government (2020), the impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, physical distancing and isolation can make us feel anxious, stressed and worried.
Tips on how to de-stress:
According to www.virtua.org (2020):
- Change the environment: Do something pleasurable or relaxing for a little while such as read a book, take a walk or watch TV. If you are at work, step outside for some fresh air for a few minutes.
- Practice breathing exercises: Focus on your breath, pushing all other thoughts aside.
- Meditate: Meditation is about quieting the mind, not sitting cross-legged on the floor. Be in the moment noticing everything around you and observe without reacting – even a minute can make a difference.
- Go for a walk or run: Exercise can be an excellent stress reliver.
- Immense yourself in a creative outlet: Doing something creative that you enjoy like cooking, art or photography can take away from the stress at hand.
- Express your feelings: Write down your stress away in a journal, or use your coloured pencils to focus your concentration on drawing.
- Be in the moment with one of your senses: Sight, smell, sound and taste – you will be amazed when you focus on just one thing how quickly the stress can melt away.
by Grace | Nov 1, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Join the challenge this month to raise awareness and funds for men’s health!
‘Globally, men die on average six years earlier than women, and for reasons that are largely preventable’ – Movember, 2020.
What are the three most common health issues men experience?
According to Movember (2020):
- Prostate cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Mental health and suicide
Tips that Movember (2020) suggest to assist men to live their fullest life include:
- Spend time with people who make you feel good.
- Talk more – being there for someone and listening can be life saving.
- Know the numbers – at 50, talk to your doctor about screening for prostate cancer. If you have a family history, this conversation should start at 45.
- ‘Know thy nuts – it’s simple’ – regularly check and see your doctor if something doesn’t feel right.
- Move more – walk to meetings, ride to work, run in the mornings. It’s good for the body and mind.
How can you participate in Movember this month?
- Grow a moustache to start the conversation. ‘Patchy, lopsided, itchy or epic – whatever you grow will still save a bro’ – Movember (2020).
- Run or walk 60km over the month. That’s 60km for 60 men we lose to suicide each hour (globally) – sign up at https://au.movember.com/get-involved/move
- Host a ‘Mo-ment’ – rally a crew and do something fun to raise funds.
- Donate – https://au.movember.com/donate
- Support the men at your workplace and book in health assessments with WHS Vic.
by Grace | Oct 27, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
October or ‘Shocktober’ brings on a friendly reminder to check your defibrillator within your workplace.
‘Did you know that only 1 in 10 Australians survive a cardiac arrest? Together we can improve cardiac arrest survival rates by knowing how to perform CPR and use an AED (defibrillator).’ – Ambulance Victoria (2020).
According to St John Ambulance (2020), AEDs automatically self-check themselves and will let you know if there is something wrong either through an indicator and/or a series of audible chirps. Here are some quick tips on checking your workplace defibrillator to ensure its overall readiness:
- Monthly inspections of defibrillators are recommended.
- Check for any obvious exterior damage to the device.
- Simply keep a log indicating that the AED is operational, the batteries are still working and all components of your kit are present and in working order (ie. pads, razer, etc).
- On average, batteries should ne replaced every four years and pads every 2 years. However, be sure to check your manual as battery replacement may vary by model – always follow the manufacturer’s replacement guidelines.
According to St John Ambulance (2020), in the event you have to use your AED, follow this checklist before putting it back in service:
- Check the status indicator to ensure the AED is ready for use.
- Check the machine over to ensure there is no damage or missing parts.
- Double check your fast response kit and replenish any supplies, including pads. Note that pads are for single use only.
- If necessary, download the data from internal memory to a computer or memory storage unit.
- Check the battery and replace it if needed.