Warning: Are you Underestimating the Risks at Work?

A recent study has shown that Canadians significantly underestimate the risks to their wellness and wellbeing that a corporate environment can pose. The study showed that employees were severely underestimating personal health risks, and this points towards a need for more targeted wellness programmes in workplaces across the country.

 

This very recent study looked at the huge inaccuracies in self-reported heart risk factors, and it compared the answers of individual respondents on healthcare questionnaires in the workplace to their actual medical results. Researchers looked at three key areas: cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. By comparing the data, researchers found that employees were significantly underestimating the risks to their personal health.

 

Almost half of those who took part in the study had at least one very important cardiovascular risk factor that they did not know about. Some of the employees in this category (about 27 percent) were under the age of 35, making the data all the more shocking.

 

Around 21 percent of respondents were found to have high blood pressure, around 37 percent had high cholesterol levels and around 10 percent had glucose levels that were out with the recommended norms from Health Canada.

 

The survey looked at 893 employees, and revealed that, when compared to their actual medical test results, the self-reported risk of cholesterol was underestimated by a whopping 250 percent, high blood pressure risk was underestimated by 58 percent and the risk of diabetes was underestimated by 76 percent.

 

In order to maximise the return on a company’s investment in a wellness programme, employers should make sure that they bring in medical staff as well, to test employees, rather than relying on self reporting, which is clearly inaccurate.

 

This will help staff to get the most out of their wellness programmes, as they will truly understand the health challenges that they are facing.

Categories: actual medical, blood pressure, employees, health, high blood, nbsp, percent, personal health, risk, Wellness programmes, work

Can Herbal Medicine Really Have an Impact on Your Health?

You may have heard of herbal medicine, but can a few plants really have an impact on your wellness? We spoke to complementary wellness expert O.C. Madu to find out just what herbal medicine is, and which herbs really have a medical effect.

 

1. Where Does Herbal Medicine Come From? According to Madu, ‘Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history, for example ancient Chinese and Egyptian papyrus writings describe medicinal plant uses. Indigenous cultures in Africa and America used herbs in their healing rituals, while others, developed traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine in which herbal therapies were used systematically. Scientists found that people in different parts of the globe tended to use the same or similar plants for the same purpose. In the early 19th century, when methods of chemical analysis first became available, scientists began extracting and modifying the active ingredients from plants. Many modern pharmaceuticals have been modelled on or derived from chemicals found in plants. An example is the heart medication digoxin derived from foxglove.’

 

2. Where Is Herbal Medicine Still Going Strong Today? ‘Recently, the World Health Organisation estimated that 80% of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care,’ Madu details. ‘No wonder [Nigeria’s] current Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, proposed that traditional medicines should be incorporated into the current medical curriculum. The article further stated that medical practitioners ought to equip themselves with expert knowledge of traditional medicines.’

 

3. What Issues Can Herbal Medicines Help to Treat? Madu points out, ‘Recipes for the treatment of common ailments which are reported almost on daily basis include hypertension, dysentery, low sperm count and weak erections, coated tongue, piles, menstrual disorders, leucorrhoea and fevers.’

 

4. Why Are More People Becoming Interested in Herbal Medicine? Madu asserts, ‘Interest in medicinal plant as a re emerging health aid has been fuelled by the rising costs of prescription drugs in the maintenance of personal health and wellbeing and the bio-prospecting of new plant derived drugs. Based on current research and financial investments, medicinal plants will, seemingly, continue to play an important role as a health aid. Modern medicine complements traditional practices as is obtainable in industrialised societies e.g. China and India. In these societies, herbal remedies have become more popular in the treatment of minor ailments and also, account of the increasing costs of personal health maintenance. Indeed, the market and public demand have been so great, that there is a great risk that many medicinal plants today face either extinction or loss of genetic diversity.’

 

5. Which Specific Herbs Can Help with Health Concerns? ‘These natural herbs are very effective in boosting the resistance to infections, healing the allergies, raising and renewing the body vitality,’ Madu comments.

• Garlic: Also known as allium sativum, poor man’s Treacle, Bawang Bauarrg and monocot pernial, garlic is readily available and inexpensive. Moreover, Madu adds, ‘Garlic may be the first line of defence in treating high blood pressure and dealing with common skin and fungal infections.’


• Ginger: This spice also goes by many names, including zingber officinale luyang Dilaw and perennial monocot reed. Madu explains, ‘Ginger combines well with many herbs improving taste and potency. Ginger speeds up the delivery of healthy plant chemicals into the bloodstream while adding a spicy, hot zest to your favourite dishes.’


• Basil: Madu notes, ‘Indian Basil has been used for thousands of years in the traditional medicine of India, Ayurveda, known to Hindus as Tulsi.’


• Myrrh: The wise men must have given myrrh to the baby Jesus for a reason – to look after his health and wellbeing! ‘Myrrh was used in religious rituals in ancient Egypt,’ says Madu. ‘Myrrh’s antifungal, antiseptic and astringent [properties] helps the treatment of infections.’

Categories: ginger, health aid, herbal, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, history, madu, medicinal plant, medicinal plants, personal health, traditional medicines

Men & Women Have Different Strengths When It"s About Caregiving

Receiving a diagnosis of a serious disease is devastating not only to the patient, but to loved ones as well. Not only is it challenging to deal with the emotional aspects of watching someone you care about deal with the challenges that come with the diagnosis, there are also the challenges associated with providing care for that person. From dispensing medication and providing physical help with daily activities to managing day-to-day household chores as well as the logistical and financial challenges that come with the illness and outside obligations, such as work or children, being a caregiver is more than a full-time job.

 

Because the value of family caregivers cannot be underestimated, many support organizations and even major medical associations, such as the American Cancer Society, have launched research projects in an attempt to improve support and guidance for those who care for ill or disabled loved ones. Among the many studies over the past decade, one theme has emerged: Men and women approach caregiving differently, and each gender has its own strengths. By understanding these strengths, everyone can become more effective in their roles and better meet their loved ones’ needs.

 

Communication

It’s no surprise to anyone who has ever interacted with the opposite sex that men and women communicate differently. Decades of research has found that in general, women tend to be more emotional communicators, focusing on the feelings associated with any situation, while men tend to be more action-oriented communicators. Men generally aren’t interested in hashing out a given situation from every angle to determine why something is happening or how they feel about it — they would rather “fix” the problem and move on.

 

In a caregiving situation, these communication differences often play out in how the caregiver relates to the patient, and how they handle their own emotions. A female caregiver might be more concerned with her loved  one’s emotional state and be more in tune to his or her moods and willing to talk about the feelings that the disease or treatment is creating. A male caregiver, on the other hand, may be more focused on getting the best treatment possible and spend hours researching radiation treatment for pancreatic cancer instead of talking about feelings. While each style has its advantages, it’s important for caregivers to understand that patients need both emotional support and an advocate, and sometimes they just want to cry or vent without  actually taking action — or vice versa.

 

Assistance

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, women not only talk about emotions more than men do, they are also more willing to talk about caregiving in general. The FCA notes that women are twice as likely as men to talk with someone else about the burdens of caregiving, whereas men rarely talk to others about their caregiving role in any forum.

 

However, somewhat counterintuitively, men are more likely to ask for help with caregiving than women are. The tasks associated with caregiving, including actual hands-on care of the patient as well as other responsibilities, take up a lot of time. Men are less likely than women to leave their jobs to become full-time caregivers and therefore rely more heavily on outside assistance such as housekeepers or visiting nurses to manage all of the responsibilities.

 

Some experts note that this willingness to ask for help is often a good thing, as women can take on the additional responsibilities of caregiving at a detriment to themselves. In fact, between both sexes, caregiving can have a negative impact on relationships, finances, personal activities and careers, but men’s willingness to ask for help lessens the severity of the impact in some cases.

 

Personal Health

Another common problem among caregivers of both sexes is neglect of personal health. The demands of caregiving often mean neglecting one’s own doctor’s appointments, not exercising or eating right or working through illness. Women tend to do slightly better in this regard, as they tend to be more concerned with health in general, but both sexes do tend to see a decline in personal health when they take on a caregiving role.

 

Because caregiving places such significant physical, emotional and financial demands on any caregiver, it’s important to provide them with support. There is a growing awareness of the need to provide specialized support to male caregivers, who are still among the minority despite their growing numbers. In short, whether you are male or female, if you are caring for someone else, the best thing you can do is ask for help, get the support you need and avoid doing everything yourself. Do that, and everyone’s needs will be met.

Categories: Caregiver, caregiving, caregiving role, men, nbsp, personal health, strengths, Support, Women, women tend