National Workplace Wellbeing Day – 31st of March 2017

We are very excited about Workplace Wellbeing Day 2017!  This is the third year of the event. It is a day which encompasses much of what our ethos at Full Health Medical is about, which is keeping all employees healthy in and out of the workplace.

Keep reading below to see how Full Health Medical are turning Workplace Wellness Day into a Workplace Wellness Week!

FDI (Food and Drink Ireland) run a number of campaigns on the day. The Lunchtime Mile, some discounts thanks to a partnership with Ireland Active and an awards ceremony recognising the health accomplishments of businesses of all sizes. Large and small companies across the country are encouraged to participate in the event, which aims to improve employee health through promoting better nutrition and physical activity.

Many employees spend a third of their day 5 days per week at work, making it an excellent opportunity and location to promote healthy behaviours.  Not only is it beneficial for employees who can be facilitated within their work day, it is advantageous for employers who can gain a healthier, more alert workforce.

The European Network for Workplace Health Promotion has defined workplace health promotion as the ''combined efforts of employers, employees and society to improve the health and well-being of people at work''.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are many benefits of workforce health promotion to the employee and the organisation .

Benefits of Workforce Health Promotion

To the organisation	To the employee
A well managed health and safety programme	A safe and healthy work environment
A positive and caring image	Enhanced self-esteem
Improved staff morale	Reduced stress
Reduced staff turnover	Improved morale
Reduced absenteeism	Increased job satisfaction
Increased productivity	Increased skills for health protection
Reduced health care/insurance costs	Improved health
Reduced risk of fines and litigation	Improved sense of well-being

Source:  World Health Organisation

Click here to book a free one on one expert consultation with Full Health Medical

There are many simple ways in which workplaces can become healthier, as long as it is relevant to that particular workforce. Workplace health initiatives can be as simple as banning biscuits or making sure everyone has taken a sufficient break. They can be as sophisticated as establishing wellness champions within the workforce and running events and competitions. The first thing to do when planning a workplace health initiative is to conduct some form of a needs assessment. If your office only contains 10 people, this can be done in a group discussion or sending an email to look for suggestions. A larger organisation could use a survey, asking employees about their current feelings on their health and what suggestions they may have to improve employee health.

Health checks can determine the physical and mental wellbeing of employees in a professional medical setting, with individual reports giving employees the reigns to their own health and aggregated group reports giving the employer a detailed overview of their workforce.  Basing workplace health promotion initiatives on  solid data plus the input of employees is a strategy for success. After that, it’s about finding what works for you!

This week, in the spirit of Workplace Wellbeing Day, we will be pushing out some information on the blog of our website www.fullhealthmedical.com on how you can keep yourself and/or your colleagues healthy. We will be outlining some once off events and some smaller lifestyle changes which we hope you will develop into healthy habits.  Keep an eye on our blog and social media to gain some helpful health information!

If you need some help deciding on what kind of workplace health promoting initiatives are right for you and your organisation, contact Full Health Medical to talk to one of our support team.

We are turning Workplace Wellbeing Day into Workplace Wellbeing Week at Full Health Medical! For all of this week, we are offering FREE CONSULTATIONS to employers and HR managers who want to improve the health status of their workforce. Email us on wellness@fullhealthmedical.com and one of our experts will arrange a virtual meeting a time which is convenient for you!

World Salt Awareness Week : “The Forgotten Killer”

With the consumption of processed foods at an all time high,  most of us surpass the RDA of salt before even adding it to our food.

The theme for this year’s awareness week which is running from March 20th to 26th is “Salt: The Forgotten Killer”, which is a striking but appropriate title. WASH (World Action on Salt and Health) runs World Salt Awareness Week every year, and receives widespread support from countries all around the world. This important week serves to highlight the importance of reducing salt intake in all populations throughout the world, and all countries are invited to participate; be it holding an event, creating media interest or generating awareness within local communities.

The most severe consequence of consuming too much salt is high blood pressure as this can eventually lead to strokes,  heart attacks and heart failures. Considering that these are some of the leading causes of death globally and how our eating habits have developed, salt does not appear to be weighted an appropriate amount of caution. Food manufacturers do not add salt sparingly, and we all know at least one person who adds salt to their food before they even taste it.

Our tastebuds have grown so accustomed to the taste of salt, that we often don’t realise how high the salt content of our food is. Just yesterday, I was drinking a bottle of soda water and just happened to look at the nutritional information. I  had added some lemon and lime wedges to the one litre bottle, and was feeling very smug about my healthy tasty alternative to plain water. The 1 litre bottle in fact contained 8% of my recommended daily allowance of salt. The total RDA for salt is a mere teaspoon at 6g, however most people assume it is much more.

3 simple ways to reduce salt in your diet:

1. Check all food labels: Salt can hide in the most inconspicuous of places, such as bread, breakfast cereals and sweet treats.
2. Don’t add salt to your food: Obvious, however as many are oblivious to the amount of salt their food already contains, they don’t think twice about topping up with a sprinkle of salt.
3. Find other ways to flavour food: Herbs, spices, black pepper and chilli to name a few. Life without salt does not have to be bland!

Checking labels is probably one of the most effective yet underused methods of disease prevention and adapting to a healthy lifestyle. The information is all there, however non communicable diseases which can be heavily influenced by diet are still rampant.

There is no quicker way of determining a food’s nutritional value than reading a label. Should the packaging not display this information,  search engines on the internet are quick to answer any food related questions we may ask. With healthy eating becoming such a hot topic, there is no end to the information available to us. Therefore, there are no excuses.

Also, although it requires more work, it is advisable to read EVERY label.  How many articles have you see on Hidden Salt, Hidden Fats, Hidden Calories or Hidden Sugars? These are not hidden, they are ignored.  Everything you put into your shopping basket you are putting into your body. You deserve better than to be secretly destroying your health! Next time you go shopping,  take the time to read every label. You will be surprised at what you find!

We want to keep your employees healthy, no matter what challenges they may face. 

Click here to access our website and see what we can do for you.

Otherwise, send us an email on info@fullhealthmedical.com or call us on +353 (01) 5549795 to speak to one of our team.

12 Ways to stay Healthy in Hotels

Being away from home is not easy. Trying to stay healthy is a huge challenge, among others, when you are not in the comfort of your own home. For many, living out of hotels and constant travel are essential components of their job. A weekend away is an opportunity to splurge a little, however it’s not really a treat if it’s going on for a whole week! Here are some tips to help you stay healthy during long term stays and business trips :

1. Plan ahead before you leave. Including snacks and all meals! Be specific about your nutritional needs for the week. Gauge your surroundings, look into any restaurants or shops which carry healthy options that you can incorporate into your week. Investigate the leisure facilities, and any opportunities for exercise in the area. If in doubt, short runs or long walks are better than sitting in your hotel room for the evening. The activity will also be good for reducing stress and improving your mood.

2. Bring some healthy, non perishable snacks. Nuts, nut butters, dried fruit, seeds, health bars (Be careful with these! Some are packed with sugar) or even try and make your own at the weekend.
3. Ask for a fridge and / or microwave. You would be surprised at what can do! It may not sound ideal to prepare a meal in your hotel room, however you will have a lot more control over your nutritional intake. You don’t have to do this every day, but if done occasionally this could make a significant impact on your health, particularly if you are struggling to find convenient healthy options where you are staying.
4. Pick 1-2 meals you can make in your hotel room using only fridge, microwave, portable blender, small knife and chopping board. There are many documented successes of cooking with a rice cooker in your room, as people have tested cooking a variety of meals. (Obviously these are dependent on whether or not you have checked in luggage, if you are travelling on a plane)

5. Bring plastic containers with prepared food. If you are staying in a hotel which doesn’t require flying to, you can make some meals or snacks to last a few days. Leftovers from the weekend’s cooking, homemade snacks, overnight oats are only a few ideas.

6. Negotiate a healthy dinner with the hotel. Be specific with your orders, and make healthy swaps. Ask and you shall receive!
7. If necessary, go to the shop on the day you arrive. If you are very busy and arriving back to the hotel late, you may have very few options for food. 
8. Take advantage of the breakfast buffet. Not everything in the breakfast buffet is healthy, but there's almost always some good options (eggs, meat, veggies, fruit, smoked salmon, etc). Take the opportunity to eat a guaranteed healthy meal so that no matter what happened the rest of the day, you have a head start.
9. Eat before the airport. Don’t depend on airport food when you are trying to be healthy. Temptation is everywhere! If you are regularly in an airport which has genuinely healthy options, life can be made a little easier.
10. Investigate your healthy options in the hotel and surrounding areas. A lot of towns and cities have followed the healthy movement and developed healthier menus, some with calorie content displayed.
11. Keep Moving! Leisure centres, walking or cycling trails, hotel room workouts. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Walk instead of getting a taxi. The list is endless. Pick some activities which you will enjoy, and you will be more likely to keep doing them. There are lots of Youtube videos, books and apps containing as short as 20 minute workouts, where all that you need is suitable clothing, some water and maybe a chair.  There are literally no excuses! Plan activity at the beginning of your week to keep you motivated.

12. Be okay with having a more basic meal plan that might get a bit repetitive. You’re traveling so it’s not as easy as when you’re home, obviously. Be okay with that. When you are at home, you can fit in more variety.

*Food you can prepare in your hotel room

v Salads – You can often buy bagged lettuce that is fully prepared. Cherry tomatoes, sprouts, pickled vegetables, baby cucumber, avocado

v Fruit – Fresh and tinned (if tinned, avoid anything in syrup)

v Tinned Fish

v In a microwave – Potatoes, Baby Carrots, Broccoli, Microwavable rice, Soup

v Cooked meats – Chicken or beef (pre-packed or from a deli), Smoked Salmon

v Overnight Oats

v Scrambled eggs (microwaved)

v Rice Cooker Meals

v Spices and flavourings

     We want to keep your employees healthy, no matter what challenges they may face. 

Click here to access our website and see what we can do for you.

Otherwise, send us an email on info@fullhealthmedical.com or call us on +353 (01) 5549795 to speak to one of our team.