CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote

April 8, 2024 / Get Well

How can your Virginia State Employee Wellness Program help? The CommonHealth programs and campaigns cover a variety of health topics and are available in a range of formats to meet the needs of different workplaces. Highly skilled wellness consultants provide the latest on stress, sleep, nutrition, exercise and more for faculty/staff meetings, special events, conferences, benefit fairs, safety meetings, lunch and learns, etc. They provide traditional, in-person presentations and displays, as well as virtual presentations, on-demand videos and seasonal health-related challenges that are fun and engaging. Visit the CommonHealth website to see how it can help you. If you’re looking to book an event in April or May, connect sooner rather than later to ensure you get a date that works for you.

Check out this week’s updates from CommonHealth.

  • Take steps to protect yourself and prevent the spread of viruses.
    Sometimes it can be challenging to distinguish between a cold and the flu. Cold symptoms come on gradually, whereas flu symptoms typically arrive all at once. And while cold symptoms might include sneezing, a runny nose or a sore throat, flu symptoms include those plus body aches, fatigue and nausea. CommonHealth’s Stay Well Campaign is full of useful information to help you keep germs at bay. Also consider these recently updated recommendations from one of our local health departments:

  • Screenings and health literacy:
    • Making time for regular colorectal cancer screenings is an important part of protecting your health and peace of mind. That’s because, although colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer among adults, it often doesn’t show any symptoms, especially in its early stages. Regular screenings are the best way to find colorectal cancer early to allow access to the most effective treatment options.
    • Our kidneys and bladder are like the cleaning crew that keep our bodies healthy. The kidneys filter all the blood in our bodies every 30 minutes, removing waste and extra fluid that is then stored in and passed by the bladder as urine. These organs generally work without us even noticing, but when problems develop, they can cause discomfort and potentially lead to more serious health issues. If you have symptoms or concerns, call your primary care doctor or connect with a doctor virtually. If your symptoms are accompanied by fever, chills or vomiting, visit an urgent care center. For true medical emergencies, call 911 or go to the ER right away.
    • Become familiar with your benefits plan. Use their tools, incentives and offerings to help yourself stay well.  Employees participating in one of the state health plans are strongly encouraged to visit the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management’s (DHRM) website and check out the benefits included in your health insurance plan. For more information, please contact benefits@nvcc.edu.
  • CommonHealth YouTube channel: CommonHealth has revamped and added new videos to its YouTube channel. Check out the video on 5 heart-healthy eating tips. Implementing small changes is a great way to create and maintain habits that are beneficial to your overall health and wellbeing.

 

Commonhealth Weekly Wellnote flyer: Black banner with rainbow swoosh. Top panel: Cold versus Flu. While a cold can be a mild illness, the flu can cause more severe symptoms. In each condition’s earliest stages, it can be hard to tell the difference. Here’s a quick guide that may help you. When it’s a cold: 3 bullets: 1. You usually don't have a fever and symptoms seem to come on gradually. 2. You’ll have a runny or stuffy nose, plus sneezing and a sore throat. 3. You won’t usually have body aches. Left panel: When it’s the flu: 3 bullets. 1. You’ll usually have a fever and symptoms come on quickly. 2. You’ll have body aches, fatigue, and nausea/vomiting. 3. You can sometimes experience a stuffy nose, sneezing or a sore throat. Left panel below: Fuel Movement with Back on Track. As National Nutrition Month winds down, let’s celebrate the ways food helps to fuel our physical activity. From doing activities of daily living to dancing for fun to battling it out on the baseball field–the food we eat gives our muscles the nutrients they need to move us. Illustration of people walking wearing bright spring colors. CommonHealth is excited to launch Back on Track this spring, a new campaign with a focus on activity and pain prevention. Stay tuned for more details! Center panel with illustration of a clapperboard. New YouTube Videos Available. CommonHealth has been busy posting new videos to our YouTube channel. Some of our recent adds include: 1. Mental Health Minutes: SAD. Learn more about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD); 2. Heart Opening Stretches. Increase flexibility in the chest, sides and upper back; 3. Five Heart Healthy Eating Tips. Explore quick tips for more heart healthy eating. Visit our YouTube Channel to check out these videos and more! CommonHealth's You Tube Channel at commonhealth va 9169. Right Panel: A Little Bit Healthier This Week. While alcohol consumption can be a touchy subject, it’s an important one to consider. It’s recommended that we drink alcohol in moderation or not at all to help reduce a variety of health risks, including colorectal cancer and kidney disease. See the attachments from Anthem to learn more about colorectal cancer and kidney health as we raise awareness about both via health observances in March. Scan the QR code or visit the CDC’s Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol website. QR code to cdc dot gov. Black band with white type: Contact Common Health: wellness at dhrm dot virginia dot gov.  

For questions regarding this week’s communication or the CommonHealth program, please reach out to your respective campus coordinator below:

Submitted by:
Faith Redd-Walker, Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing, employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu