|
Physical Health - Take One Step
|
Take One Step > Categories
|
9/20/2010
The Peel Board's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free, confidential assessment, short-term and /or referral service available on a voluntary basis to all Peel Board employees and their immediate/dependent family members.
EAP assists with issues that can affect your personal well-being as well as work related concerns. These problems may include a wide variety of situations and concerns such as: marital problems, family conflict, health and emotional difficulties, stress, substance misuse, grief, communication issues and work related issues.
The decision to seek help in resolving an issues is ultimately your decision, EAP is a voluntary program which respects your right to privacy.
Assistance is available by calling the EAP counsellor on a confidential line at: 905 362-0767
The counsellor will speak with you directly or will return your call as soon as possible. Subsequently, a meeting will be arranged at a convenient time to discuss your concerns.
Some of the solutions you and the EAP counsellor may consider include: short-term counselling, referral to a community therapist or other community agencies. The decision to proceed is yours.
It is suggested that, if you decide to seek counselling outside of the EAP, you call the EAP counsellor to make sure the therapist meets the qualifications stipulated in your benefit coverage. 8/30/2010So You Think You Can Breathe
Breathing is one of those things your body does that you don't have to think about. However, it can be to your benefit to pay a little more attention to how you breathe, so that you don't miss out on major health benefits for your lungs. A little deep breathing will rid your body of toxins and help calm you.
Here's a quick test:
Inhale and exhale normally, looking down as you do. If you don't see your belly moving, your breathing is short and shallow.
Now try this:
1. Lie flat on the floor (if possible) or sit upright in comfortable chair. Place one hand on your belly, the other on your chest.
2. Inhale deeply and slowly as you count to five. Your belly button should move away from your spine, and your chest should widen and rise slightly as your lungs fill.
3. Exhale slowly to a count of seven. Your belly button should pull towards your spine.
4. Let your belly button be your guide. When you inhale deeply, feel your belly button go out as your lungs fully expand with air. When you deeply exhale, feel your belly button suck in as you blow out old air and carbon dioxide.
Try to take 10 deep breaths like the one you just practiced as many times during the day as you can, and especially when you are under stress.
Adapted from an article by ‘The You Docs - Dr. Mike Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz
Toronto Daily Star August 3, 2010
6/21/2010Your heart is a muscle – if you want to strengthen it, you need to use it. An inactive lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. The good news is that you can do something about it. Start exercising today !
Exercise can be divided into three basic types:
1. FLEXIBILITY exercise, such as yoga and stretching, help prepare your muscles for activity and help prevent injuries and muscle strains.
2. AEROBIC workouts strengthen your heart and lungs and improve your body's ability to use oxygen. Over time, aerobic exercise can help decrease your heart rate and blood pressure and improve your fitness levels.
3. STRENGTHENING programs build muscle, helping you burn more fat while at rest and helping you complete daily tasks with greater ease.
Combining all three types of exercise is the right way to achieve a balanced fitness program. However, if your focus is on heart health, aerobic activity is your best bet. Popular choices include walking, bicycling, jogging, swimming, dancing, and exercising with fitness videos – anything that makes your heart beat faster. Be creative, because the best exercise is the one that suits your lifestyle.
* Portions of this broadcast printed from Healthy Heart Winter 2010
6/14/2010Summer has started early this year and with it comes the dangers of working in the heat. Here are some tips for keeping yourself and others cool this summer as the temperature rises:
-
Slow down! Your body can't function as well in high temperatures. Limit strenuous activity outdoors.
-
When outdoors, stay in the shade whenever possible (natural or artificial structures). Especially limit time outdoors when temperatures and UV radiation are most intense, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
-
When in the sun, wear a wide brimmed hat, UV protective sunglasses, and clothing appropriate for the activity.
-
Hydrate! Drink fluids, especially water, before feeling thirsty. Ensure children are well hydrated. Plain water is the liquid of choice, diluted fruit juice is okay.
-
Staff should be aware of signs and symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Follow first aid procedures promptly. (See below for more information).
-
Apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher), 20-30 minutes before going outside to ensure absorption. Reapply after swimming or heavy perspiration.
-
Never leave infants, children or pets inside a closed, parked vehicle.
-
Check regularly on young children and those children who are physically challenged or in wheelchairs and who have chronic illnesses such as asthma.
-
If your classroom is not equipped with air conditioning, open operable windows and utilize portable fans to help cool down the space. It is prohibited to bring in portable air conditioner units due to potential for electrical and air quality issues when the units are in operation.
Heat Cramps
Symptoms include sharp pains in the muscles caused by salt imbalance resulting from the failure to replace salt lost with excessive sweat. Treatment: Move person to cool, shaded area to rest, and apply firm pressure to cramping muscles. Give person two glasses of salty water (mix 5 milliliters of salt to 1 liter of water) at 10 to 15 minute intervals between each glass if cramps persist.
Heat Exhaustion
Symptoms include heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, muscle cramps, cold and clammy skin, low blood pressure, disorientation and possible vomiting. These are caused by excessive loss of water and salt.
Treatment: Move patient to cool area to rest, provide salty water, and cover person if shivering. The person should rest in bed until recovered. Seek medical attention immediately.
Heat Stroke
Symptoms include a core body temperature greater than 40ºC, complete or partial loss of consciousness, reduced cognitive function and cessation of sweating (hot and dry skin), dilated pupils, and elevated blood pressure. Skin may be flushed at first, later ashen or purplish.
Treatment: Heat stroke is very serious. Call 911 immediately and while waiting for the ambulance, move the person to a cool place and sponge body with cool water while letting the water evaporate to reduce body temperature.
5/31/2010After a long winter of reduced activity or inactivity, why not kick start your spring with an exercise program? Take advantage of the warm weather by doing exercises outdoors. You may be tempted to exercise at the same level you did at the end of the last season, but such enthusiasm often leads to early season injuries. Remember you need to get back into shape slowly and you should gradually increase training (i.e. mileage, time or amount of weight lifted) over a few weeks. You should exercise 3-4 times per week on alternate days to minimize injury and muscle soreness.
In addition to walking or jogging exercises, incorporate some of the following strength training exercises.
Playground workout (source: Women’s Health magazine and Parents magazine)
1. Monkey-ups
Target: biceps, core, and back. Jump up and grab a monkey bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing you. Hang from the bar with your arms straight, your knees slightly bent, and your ankles crossed (A). Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar (B). Take three seconds to lower yourself. Do up to 10 reps.
2. Bench jumps
Target: core, buttocks, hamstrings, quadriceps, and heart. Begin by standing on a one to two-foot-high backless park bench with your knees slightly bent and your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height (A). Jump down so you're straddling the bench (B). Jump back onto the bench, landing with your feet together. Continue jumping down and up as quickly as possible for 20 seconds.
3. Swing criss-cross
Target: abdominals. Sit on a swing and hold the chains, then lean back about 45 degrees. Extend your legs straight in front of you with your feet together and toes pointed. Open your legs slightly to form a V, then cross your left calf over your right, contracting your core muscles to keep the swing as still as possible. Return to V position for one count, then cross your right calf over your left to complete the set. Do 12 to 15 sets.
4. Jungle gym standing push-up
Target: chest, shoulders, and triceps. Stand arm-length away from the jungle gym, with feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on a bar that's no higher than your chest. Keeping your body straight and your weight on your toes, bend your elbows until your chest nearly touches the bar. Do 12 to 15 push-ups.
5. Bench dip
Target: shoulders and triceps. Sit on a bench and grip the edge with your hands shoulder-width apart. Scoot off the bench and extend your legs in front of you, bending your knees slightly. Bend your elbows and lower your butt a few inches toward the ground, keeping your back close to the bench; slowly press back up. Do 12 to 15 reps.
6. Lateral leg lift
Target: hips, outer thighs and waist. Stand alongside a step so it's on your right side and place your right foot on it; rest hands on hips. Press through your right foot to raise yourself up until your right leg straightens as you simultaneously extend your left leg to the side with foot flexed. Do 12 to 15 lifts, then repeat on the other side.
7. Slide lunge
Target: buttocks and thighs. Stand facing away from the slide and rest your left foot on the bottom of it; place your hands on your hips. Bend your right knee until your right thigh is almost parallel to the ground, but don't let your knee move farther forward than above your toes. Return to starting position by pressing through your right heel. Do 12 to 15 reps, then repeat with the other leg.
5/24/20101. Size up the load. Test it to see if you can lift it safely. Can you grasp it securely? Make sure the load is balanced in your hands. 2. Get as close to the load as possible before lifting it. 3. Make sure your footing is secure. Do not lift objects that obscure vision and footing. 4. Do not twist while lifting! Move your feet so that they point in the direction of the lift as you turn. 5. Lift smoothly, but not slowly. Do not jerk the load. 6. Organize the work so as to avoid lifting from the floor or above shoulder level. Items to be handled should be between knee and shoulder height. 7. Keep the load as close to your body as possible. If the load is large and cannot be placed between your knees as they are bent, bend at the hips and waist with your knees relaxed. It is more important to keep the load close than it is to bend your knees. One solution to lifting a larger load is to get another person to help you. A better solution is to use mechanical assistance (hand trucks, carts) to avoid lifting altogether. GET HELP WITH LARGE LOADS. 8. Alternate lifting tasks with lighter work to give your body a chance to recover. 9. Use the same principles when lowering or placing the load after lifting. Place carefully Sited: http://www.ergodoc.com5/17/2010
One of the easiest ways to strengthen your abdominal muscles -- and support your back -- is through good posture.
You may feel like you're already standing straight, but in reality, most of us stand like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Practise good posture by bringing your head and neck back. The key element is breathing in to tighten your gut. That's the component that lifts your chest and will give you Marine-like posture.
Here are the five steps to perfect posture:
1. Pull your shoulder blades back slightly toward each other and down away from your ears.
2. Lift your chest up and out.
3. Pull your head back just enough to keep it in line with your spine.
4. Position your pelvis or hips to create or maintain a natural arch in your lower back.
5. Pull your belly button in toward your spine without changing or tilting your hips or losing the arch in your lower back.
Sometimes the smallest changes in your life can lead to the biggest results. Sucking in your stomach while you do crunches, or even when you take the elevator, is a good example. It helps your body not only look younger -- by skimming a couple of inches off your middle and adding them to your lungs/chest -- but it also helps your body get stronger, because you're engaging your abdominal muscles.
* printed from RealAge.com 5/10/2010
Many individuals carry their stress in the area known as the stress triangle, which includes a triangle formed by the shoulders, neck and head. When we are under stress, we tend to tighten the muscles in this area, and keep them in this tightened state for quite some time causing pain. This pain can be released when the muscle regains its natural length.
The following stretches and rolls can help relieve tightness in your stress triangle. Remember to only stretch yourself as far as comfortable.
Neck Roll
• Stretch your right ear to your right shoulder, keeping your left shoulder pulled down
• Roll your head down so that your chin is on your chest.
• Continue on to your left side
• Begin with eight, build up to 16.
Shoulder Rolls
• Draw a big circle with your shoulders, one at a time
• Start with four, build up to eight times, going forward then backward.
Shoulder Shrugs
• Bring your shoulders up towards your ears, hold it for a count of five, and then drop your shoulder back down.
• Do this slowly for 6 times.
Standing Body Roll
• Let your head roll forward until your chin is on your chest
• Keep rolling down as your knees begin to bend
• When your hands are hanging near your knees, rest there for a moment and slowly roll back up
• Work up to ten times.
Massage Yourself
• Use your right hand to work on your left shoulder
• Work your fingers gently but firmly, beginning with your shoulder blade, moving up toward the neck and in behind your ear
• Then place your left hand on your right shoulder, repeat the motion, moving across your shoulder blade, up the neck to behind your ear
• Repeat as many times as is comfortable for you.
5/3/2010
With all the busyness of the day, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. You can’t avoid all stress, but you can counteract its negative effects by learning how to create a relaxation response, a state of deep rest that is the opposite of the stress response. The relaxation response does not mean laying on the couch, sleeping or being lazy.
Meditation will quiet your mind and recharge your batteries. Meditation is a focusing of the mind on a single object, creating the cessation of all thought. As thoughts dissipate, the mind becomes quiet, and we are able to be fully present in the moment.
Deep breathing is one form of meditation which is easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check.
The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. So the next time you feel stressed, take a minute to slow down and breathe deeply:
• Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
• Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
• Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles.
• Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor.
If you would like to deepen your meditation experience, try these guided meditations:
4/12/2010The facts
• Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease, disability and death in Ontario.
• Cigarette smoking causes about 30% of cancer deaths in Canada and about 85% of lung cancer incidences.
• Smoking is responsible for 28% of potential life years lost (PYLL) due to cancer.
Health benefits of discontinuing tobacco use
• 2 weeks to 3 months - Your circulation improves. Walking becomes easier. Lung functioning may increase by up to 20 percent.
• 1 to 9 months - Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath may decrease.
• 1 year - Risk of heart disease is cut in half.
How To Quit
Quitting doesn’t happen in one step. It is more of a process that happens in stages. The Canadian Cancer Society has a number of resources to assist, you simply choose the "quit guide" that best matches how you feel.
One Step at a Time: For smokers who don't want to quit
• Supports you with information on quitting.
• Helps you understand your smoking habit and how smoking affects the people around you.
One Step at a Time: For smokers who want to quit
• Provides information to help motivate and build up your confidence to quit.
• Helps you prepare to quit and set a date to improve your chances of success.
• Helps you develop a plan for the days immediately before and after you quit smoking.
• Provides guidance if you’re tempted to smoke after quitting and how to stay smoke-free for good.
One Step at a Time: If you want to help a smoker quit
The One Step at a Time material is based on the best available science about quitting smoking. The content reflects current research findings and the material is developed, revised and reviewed by independent experts. The editorial content of the material is controlled by the Canadian Cancer Society.
Call the Canadian Cancer Society Smokers’ Helpline, at 1 877 513-5333, a free, confidential service that offers personalized support, advice and information about quitting smoking and tobacco use.
* Statistics from Canadian Cancer Society | View in Web Browser | /_layouts/images/ichtmxls.gif | /_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&DefaultItemOpen=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsx | 255 | | View in Web Browser | /_layouts/images/ichtmxls.gif | /_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&DefaultItemOpen=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsb | 255 | | Snapshot in Excel | /_layouts/images/ewr134.gif | /_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&Snapshot=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsx | 256 | | Snapshot in Excel | /_layouts/images/ewr134.gif | /_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?listguid={ListId}&itemid={ItemId}&Snapshot=1 | 0x0 | 0x1 | FileType | xlsb | 256 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|