July—Wellness/Health Promotion

Wellness in the Workplace
By Byron Scheuneman

It used to be simple, or at least it seemed simple. People were advised to get an annual or biannual complete physical examination. But in the 1980s, at the request of the government, an independent committee of physicians known as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (A similar group, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, does the same work in Canada.) evaluated the benefits and drawbacks of these common screening tests and determined that the cost far outweighed the benefits. As a result, the head-to-toe physical exam for seemingly healthy people was discarded.
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New Wellness Program Promotes Health and Saves Money
By Jina Kim
What do absenteeism, low productivity, and high health care costs have in common? Is it the headache that stems from these issues? Perhaps. But more significantly, the thread that unites them is the solution, which is to be healthy. Health is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially: freedom from physical disease or pain.” But what does it take to be healthy? The answers may be right at your fingertips.
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Wellness Program Rollout
By Ellen Eldridge
Have you heard the warning: “Beware of the crinkly bag” (foods such as potato chips and other similar snacks)? We all know the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. This includes routine exercise and a well-balanced diet, full of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Yet how many of us have a regular exercise program of any kind? How many of us pay attention to fat grams and calorie intake? There are lots of excuses, and most of them are related to time. The truth is, it’s not so much a lack of time as it is a lack of priority. Unfortunately, we often place a low priority on our health until it’s gone.Full article

Risky Business Cartoon
By John J. Dougan

“According to my body mass index, I either need to lose 40 pounds or grown another eight inches taller.”