CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote

May 23, 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 website to see how CommonHealth can help you. If you’re looking to book an event in July/August, connect sooner rather than later to ensure you get a date that works for you.

Check out this week’s updates from CommonHealth.

  • CommonHealth highlights employee health and fitness during the month of May. Bringing wellness to your next meeting could be a great way to observe the month. Below are a few tips to help you lead the way to a healthier workplace:
    • A great way to start a meeting is with a quick, one-word check-in. Quotes and affirmations are another effective way to start meetings on a positive note.
    • If food is involved, think of including fresh fruits and veggies as well as water.
    • The weather is getting nicer. If possible, take a walking meeting with your team. This works particularly well for more informal meetings.
    • For more ideas, check out this informative quick guide.

NOVA’s Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW) would love to hear from you! Share your strategy for initiating wellness in your area, division or team.

  • Stroke prevention and awareness is another focus for the month of May.
    • One of the factors that contribute to strokes is high blood pressure. There are several ways to maintain healthy blood pressure:
      • Minimize sodium and salt intake.
      • Commit to no alcohol or tobacco use.
      • Move your body at least 30 minutes a day.
      • Monitor your blood pressure regularly.
      • For more details, check out these flyers from Sentara.  
    • Recognizing the signs of a stroke could save a life. Act fast if you notice any of the following:
      • Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
      • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech.
      • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
      • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or lack of coordination.
      • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
      • Call 911 right away if you or someone else experiences any of these symptoms.
  • Hobbies are a great way to get healthier, and summer is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby or revisit an old one. Hobbies keep us busy by stimulating our minds and our bodies. Exploring new walking trails, playing pickleball with friends and tending to an outdoor garden are all activities that will get you up and moving. Check out this NPR article for some useful tips on choosing a hobby that’s right for you.

CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote Masthead with rainbow swish on black background. Below header: commonhealth dot virginia dot gov Top panel: Celebrate Global Employee Health and Fitness Month (with stock photo of a man in a dark suit standing in front of a white bookshelf while doing the tree yoga pose) Every year in May, Global Employee Health and Fitness Month aims to improve the health of the global workforce. The campaign encourages employers to engage their employees in healthful activities. Employers with wellness programs have healthier employees who are more productive because such programs reduce overall healthcare costs, illness, and injury. What will you do to initiate wellness? Start a walking group? Host a hydration or fruit and vegetable challenge? Offer a daily stretch break? CommonHealth is here to help you celebrate! Ask your regional wellness consultant for resources you can put into action easily! Three smaller columns below: Plan Ahead for Fall Respiratory Illness Season (with cartoon drawing of two hands washing with soap and water) Did your group miss the chance to talk about avoiding colds, flu, and COVID-19 this winter? Plan ahead for fall with your CommonHealth regional coordinator to bring this important information back into your workplace when people need it most. Consider scheduling a flu shot event and a hand-washing clinic to cut down on germs at work and keep more people well through the end of the year. Be ready to be well! Wellness Wednesdays Mid-Week Renewal (with stock photo of small green plant poking up through cracks in a gray sidewalk) Subscribe to Wellness Wednesdays for healthy uplifting ideas each week. A Little Bit Healthier This Week (with four cartoon drawings of people engaged in wellness activities: archery, martial arts, pickleball, and ballroom dancing) Try a new hobby that gets you moving! The options are endless — ballroom dancing, martial arts, kayaking, pickleball, rock climbing, archery, and so much more. Sign up for a class to help you learn the basics or find an online guide to follow. You’ll have fun and add activity to your day! As a bonus, you’ll also be making strides toward preventing or controlling high blood pressure in honor of Stroke Awareness Month. See the attachment from Sentara for more info on managing blood pressure. In footer: Contact CommonHealth: 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