CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote
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.
For questions regarding this week’s communication or the CommonHealth program, please reach out to your respective campus coordinator below:
- Alexandria — Kathy Clement or Najeeb Baha
- Annandale — Matthew “Tank” McCarl
- College Staff — Cecil “C.J.” Jackson
- Fairfax — Faith Redd Walker
- Loudoun — Kimberly T. Wright
- Manassas — ThuyTien Ngo–Nguyen
- Medical Education Campus (Springfield) — Beverly Bell
- Woodbridge – Dahlia Henry–Tett
Submitted by:
Faith Redd-Walker, Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing, employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu