Health and Wellness Management

What Is Wellness ? Wellness is an approach to life where you aim at recognizing the risk factors that could lead to life-threatening diseases in the future and thereafter work towards reducing them. What Are the Health Risk Factors? High Blood Pressure Smoking Improper Nutrition Obesity Self-Medication Normal Values Physical Blood Pressure Pulse Biochemical Blood Sugar(f) Blood Sugar(pp) Lipid Profile Serum Cholesterol HDL Cholesterol LDL Cholesterol Serum Triglyceride Exercising Regularly 5 times a week for at least 30 45 mins Ideal Weight Height (cms) 100 = Ideal Weight : : : : : : 70 - 110 mg / dl 110 140 mg / dl 150 - 220 mg/ dl 35 - 50 mg/ dl 60 140 mg/ dl 50 - 150 mg/ dl : : 120 140 / 70 90 mm Hg 60 - 80 per min Diabetes Alcoholism Stress Lack of Activity Drugs

Why Is Wellness Important? The way in which we live has a lot to do with our health. Chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes are caused because of our unhealthy lifestyles. The good thing about these so called lifestyle diseases is that they are reversible.

Statistics of 750 Employees Risk Factor Present % of Employees High Blood Pressure 45 % Diabetes 30 % Smoking 28 % Alcoholism 39 % Improper Nutrition 20 % Obesity 60 % Lack of Activity 80 % Stress 60 %
Wellness therefore becomes essential for:1. The health of the individual 2. The health of the company You can make Wellness a part of your life by: Recognizing the Health Risk Factors Annual Medical Check Up Self-Analysis Reducing the Health Risk Factors Lifestyle Modification

Self Analysis 1. Are you a non-smoker ? 2. Do you check your BP regularly ? 3. Do you drink within limits ? 4. Do you avoid self medication? 5. Do you take time off each day to relax ? 6. Do you take minor hassles in your stride ? 7. Are you at your ideal body weight ? 8. Do you eat a balanced diet ? 9. Do you exercise regularly ? Answer in a Yes or No and count the number of Yes in your answers. What do your scores indicate ?

The Lifestyle Modification Plan

1st Step Early to bed and early to rise make you healthy, wealthy and wise. Get up early and after you brush your teeth, have a glass of Luke warm water. 2nd Step Exercise Regularly Go for a walk at least 5 times a week Walk for about 20-30 mins at a brisk pace. Benefits of walking :Strengthens your heart by pumping more oxygen rich air Burns fat by providing more oxygen and fat burning enzymes enhances your well-being by relieving stress Remember, you can walk - Anytime Anywhere (Morning / Evening /During Working hours/ Garden / Road / In the Workplace) The 15 min Executive Exercise Plan 1. Cardiovascular Endurance. 2. Muscular Strength 3. Flexibility 4. Body Composition Cardiovascular Endurance Running on the spot Side Jumping Skipping Upper Body Strength Push Up Lower Body Strength Sit Up Flexion Extension Check your Body Fat % at least once in 15 days.

Muscular Strength Flexibility Body Composition

3rd Step Facilitate your natural body cycles Elimination Appropriation Assimilation 4 am to 12 noon 12 noon to 8 pm 8 pm to 4 am

Emptying Time of Various Foods Substances Fruit / Fruit Juice Salads / Raw Vegetables Properly combined veg meal Properly combined non-veg meal Any improperly combined meal 30 mins 2 hours 3 hours 4 hours 8 hours

Results of not facilitating your natural cycles Stomach disorders like acidity, gas and constipation Obesity Facilitate the natural body cycles Elimination Have light foods which will not interfere with the elimination process and foods with an emptying time of 30 to 120 mins Appropriation Have your regular meals according to the 5 W Plan during this period Assimilation Do not have any food during this period as your stomach needs this rest period to assimilate the food you have eaten during the appropriation period Have a good breakfast Breakfast = Break your Fast Ideal Foods in the morning are:Cereals Preparations, Cornflakes, Biscuits, Breads and Fruits Beverages like Tea, coffee, milk or fruit juice

The 5 W Plan 1. What you eat ? 2. When you eat ? 3. Where you eat ? 4. Why you eat ? 5. Way you eat ? What you eat ? You must have a balanced diet containing all the nutrients and the micronutrients required for good health and well-being. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats provide the nutrients. Vitamins and minerals provide the micro-nutrients. Include fibre in your diet. Be careful about your fat intake. Fat can be saturated and unsaturated. Avoid all saturated fat. Restrict your salt and sugar intake. It is better to restrict it now rather than having to stop it totally once you develop High BP or Diabetes. When you eat ? Like we have a time for everything, set aside a time for your breakfast, lunch and dinner too. Eat so as to facilitate your natural body cycles. Instead of eating big meals, have smaller meals at regular intervals. Never sleep immediately after your meals. Sleep after about 2 hours. Never eat immediately before any exercises. Exercise only 2 hours after your meals. Where do you eat? Do we ever sleep in the kitchen? Likewise, decide on one place in your house or office where you will eat your food. It makes a lot of difference to your digestive system. While eating your meals, concentrate only on eating and nothing else. We need to be role models for our children. Why do you eat? Do you eat to live OR Do you live to eat ??? Ask yourselves these questions to know why do you eat . Do you eat when you are hungry ? Do you eat to please others ? Do you eat so that food does not go waste ? Do you eat because you have nothing else to do ? Do you eat because you cannot say NO to anyone ?

Way you eat? Eat slowly. Chew properly. Spend at least 15- 20 mins to complete your meals. Never drink water during your meals. Drink water 20 mins after your meals. Always stroll for about 15 mins after your meals. Never sit down immediately.

4 th Step Maintain your Body Weight

Obesity can be defined as an excess accumulation of fat in the body , which could be localized or generalized and which increases the body weight to more than 20 % of the ideal body weight. Types of Obesity Distribution of fat On Waist Hip ratio Normal Men 0.87 Women 0.85 Apple shaped > 0.9 Pear Shaped < 0.8 Grade of Fat On Body Mass Index Normal 19 25 Grade 1 26 30 Grade 2 31 40 Grade 3 More than 40 Effects of Obesity Obesity can be called as the house of all diseases as it is a predisposing factor to many chronic diseases . It is known to affect all the systems of the body as seen below . Lungs Breathlessness Sleep Apnea Heart High BP Myocardial Infarction Kidney Degenerative Changes Gall Bladder Stone Formation GI Tract Gas/ Acidity/ Belching Skin Increased susceptibility to developing infections Skeletal Osteoarthritis Increased risk of accidents Psychological Shyness Inferiority Complex

Depression Treatment of Obesity 1. Diet Treatment 2. Exercise 3. Neuro-Muscular Stimulation 4. Medication 5. Surgery Diet Treatment Follow a reduced calorie balanced diet plan Never deprive yourself totally. It leads to failure. Add a variety of low calorie foods to avoid failure due to monotony. Exercise Aerobic exercise helps in weight loss. Remember : Obesity is like a chronic disease. It can only be controlled, it can never be cured 5 th Step Organize your life well To have time to enjoy life. Organize your time realistically so that you can appreciate life rather than only survive it. To simplify your life. Organized cupboard, cabinets, rooms ,car and a clean working table make life less complicated. Less time will be spent on unimportant things. To make wise decisions. When your environment at home and workplace are under control, it becomes easier to take wise decisions. To improve your physical and mental health. To say No without feeling guilty. Make integrity a part of your life and it will enable you to say No without feeling guilty. To be more thoughtful. It will be easy for you to remember important events and birthdays more easily. To be prepared. You can plan any and every thing and rest assured that all will be well. To save money. Keep a record system and a disciplined budget and you will surely be able to manage your money well. To love others . When other areas of your life are well organized, you will have the time and energy to be with the people you love. To reach your goals. As you will manage your time well, you will also be able to improve your goal setting skills. Prioritizing and planning will take you one step closer to accompanying the goals that you have for your life. 6 th Step Be Humble to all Forget your ego

 Say sorry and thank you whenever possible without any hesitation whatsoever. These two magical words will help you tide through any crisis , related to your profession or your family. Behave in the same manner with your family as you would with your boss and other colleagues. Be nice to the people you meet on your way to the top. Who knows, you might meet them again during your fall. Kindness and humility never did any one any harm. 7 th Step Spend True Quality Time at Home Make a commitment to invest your time and yourself in the lives of your loved ones. Examine your schedule and adjust it accordingly, giving the necessary priority to family time. Recover from Workaholism Do you stay late in the office? Do you bring work home ? Are you approachable to your family members if they need you? Set boundaries on your work time. Establish dinnertime as a family event. This should be a regular predictable ritual in your house that everyone can count on. Open your ears and listen. While in conversation with your wife or kids, give them undivided attention. Ask questions and be available to listen to them. Help out in small activities. Practice consistent, loving discipline. Love does not mean having to say yes to all your childrens demands. Dont be afraid to say no. Read together. Read out something interesting to your children at bed time or at any other time. Express affection . Practice the principle of A hug a day keeps loneliness and tensions away The days once gone are never going to come back. If you do not give the love and affection, the attention and care they need now, you might never be able to give it to them tomorrow 8 th Step Rediscover the hidden and the lost You 9 th Step Stay away from smoking and alcoholism How to stop smoking 1. Decide positively that you want to stop smoking and then prepare a list of reasons why you smoke and why do you want to stop smoking . 2. Decide your approach gradual or instant 3. Set a target date for quitting. Let that date be an important date for you your birthday or your wedding anniversary etc

4. You may substitute smoking for a lesser dangerous habit like chewing gum or amla supari etc 5. After you have quit - do not keep cigarattes in handy - stay away from smokers - stay away from events that trigger your desire to smoke How to stop alcohol Remember that alcoholism is an addiction and the best way to avoid it is to prevent it from happening. 1. Control Alcohol before it controls you 2. It is entirely your own will power which will help you from consuming alcohol. 3. Social drinking is acceptable , though not desirable , form of alcohol consumption. 1 2 pegs once a week is acceptable 4. The cardio-protective effect of alcohol consumption is much less in comparison to its other dangerous effects on the various systems of the body. 10th Step Learn how to handle stress effectively Remember : It is not the stressor ( event leading to stress ) that is a health hazard, but it is the response of an individual to the stressor that is harmful to good health Causes of Stress Trying to please everybody every time Going against your own value system Too much/ Too little work Not feeling in control Worry becomes a habit Guilt and resentment Faulty methods of coping with stress Smoking Alcohol Frequent absenteeism from work Anti-Social Activities Irritability / Unjustified Anger Overeating Stress Management Deep Breathing Exercises / Walking Yoga / Meditation Music Therapy / Take up a hobby Religious Activities / Social Service Laughter Therapy

Steps to handle Stress Say, God, give me the good sense to accept the things that I cannot change, change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference . Write down the problem Accept the worst that can happen Find out the cause of the problem Find out possible solutions. What is the best solution? Ask yourself, Is it a problem or is it an inconvenience? Practice the attitude of gratitude. Forgive and forget. Tap all your resources. Take help from family, friends and colleagues. Get a purpose in life. The 10 Steps to Wellness 1. Early to bed and early to rise 2. Exercise regularly 3. Facilitate the natural body cycles 4. Watch your body weight 5. Organize your life well 6. Be humble to all 7. Spend true quality time with your family 8. Rediscover the hidden and lost You 9. Stay away from smoking and alcoholism 10.Learn how to handle stress effectively In conclusion Make Wellness a way of life It is the quality of life that is important and not the quantity Improve the quality of your life by following the 10 commandments of Wellness It makes you young by slowing down the aging process It promotes health, well-being, endurance and productivity- for self and for the company. It increases your resistance to disease. It helps you develop positive Addictions that will carry on throughout your life.