Your heart works hard for you nonstop for your whole life. So, show it some TLC. Making small changes in your habits can make a real difference to your ticker.
As an employer, you have the power to lead by example and incorporate heart-healthy initiatives and education at your company to help reduce absenteeism, boost productivity levels, inspire employees to want to live a healthier active lifestyle plus more! Let’s look at the four main areas we can all tackle to improve the heart health of our staff:
- Clean up
One of the fastest ways to clean up your diet is to cut out sugary drinks like fizzy and fruit juice. All fruit, fruit juices and smoothies contain a naturally occurring sugar called fructose. Fructose from whole fruit doesn’t add to your intake of free (or added) sugar, but in fruit juice or a smoothie, it does. A heart-healthy diet includes a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Try to also cut back on the salt and sugar. This can be achieved by making sure there are enough fridges so employees can bring fresh food or packed lunches to work and by restricting the number of vending machines if at all possible. The right food can boost concentration, fuel productivity, and improve heart health.
- Move more
Regular physical activity is another powerful way to reduce your risk of heart-related problems and enjoy a host of other health benefits. We understand that maintaining an active lifestyle can be difficult when you work at a computer all day. Luckily, there are steps employers can take to increase activity levels even in offices e.g. walking meetings and replacing static desks with sit-stand desks. Doing so can help boost greater concentration and lower stress levels at work. Long sit-stand desks will also bring a positive dynamic to the office by encouraging staff interaction.
- Regular health checks
Health screenings can help an employee find out and overcome a niggling health problem or the tests may capture potentially more serious health issues early when they are easier to treat. The faster these risks are caught, the sooner your employees can receive treatment and get back on track with a heart-healthy lifestyle. An organisation’s workforce is its most important asset, so it makes sense for employers to do what can be done to detect illness and promote health and wellbeing within the workplace.
- Stay Zen
Feeling overwhelmed or stressed at work has been linked to high blood pressure. Develop a feel-good factor by making a list and prioritising it; it’s a good feeling crossing off completed tasks. Allow 15 minutes in between meetings so that you’re not racing from meeting to meeting and feel comfortable saying ‘“yes we will do it”’ to tasks as opposed to no to allow for time and option to delegate the task if it’s out of your remit. To help combat stress and support colleagues, employers can check whether or not enough training on time management has been provided and a break out space within the workplace can be created to allow employees to unwind. Doing so, you will be able to manage anxiety levels better and improve the quality of your life by taking the stress off your heart.
The fact of the matter is that most underlying heart problems and disease cases can be identified and prevented through healthy behaviours at work. It’s important to keep a focus on heart health education and inspire employees to want to live a health cautious lifestyle. By providing your employees with the education and resources they need to get health conscious, you are helping them live longer and more enjoyable lives.
If you looking to improve your current wellness programme or start a new one, why not Join our Primal Wellness programme community today and see the positive effects gained from our corporate wellness services. Feel free to message me at hello@ludosprimalwellness.com or view the following section on the website for more info: https://ludosprimalwellness.com/wellness/
