CommonHealth Wellnote 

July 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 August, connect sooner rather than later to ensure you get a date that works for you.

Click here to view this week’s CommonHealth Wellnote, and check out this week’s highlights below.

NOTES:

Spotlight on Summer Safety: Water Safety
Pools, beaches, lakes and other bodies of water are great destinations to help us beat the heat and have some fun this summer. Many people are familiar with basic water safety guidelines, such as swimming with a buddy and only in those areas supervised by a lifeguard. Here are some less commonly offered but still important tips to help us stay safe and healthy when enjoying water activities:

    • Protect your eyes. Getting water in your eyes can cause dryness, irritation and blurred vision and can even lead to eye infections. Wear swim goggles to see underwater safely. Choose a pair that also protects from UV rays, and wear sunglasses when not in the water. It’s best to remove contact lenses before entering the water; use prescription sunglasses or goggles instead.
    • Avoid swallowing water from lakes, pools, water parks and other recreational water areas. Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes watery diarrhea and vomiting, may be present in the water — even if it’s been treated with chlorine. Spit out any water that does get into your mouth and wash your hands with soap and clean, running water. (Unfortunately, alcohol-based sanitizers aren’t effective against cryptosporidium.)
    • Consider side effects from medications. Some medications can impair judgment, balance and coordination — all of which increase the risk of drowning. It’s best to avoid swimming when taking these medications.
    • Should I wait to swim after eating? It may not be comfortable to swim with a full belly, but science says it isn’t dangerous. The health of the “gut” is essential; see this attachment from Anthem to learn more about digestive health.

Try It This Week: Grilled Curried Shrimp Skewers
Keep the grill going with this tasty recipe from WeightWatchers. Try it with scallops, cubed chicken breast or cubed tofu instead of shrimp!

Benefits Buzz: Special Pricing on Select WeightWatchers Plans
Embrace a healthier, happier you this summer! WeightWatchers offers nutrition plans tailored to you, science-backed tools and a community of support to help you reach your health goals. Learn more about special pricing available to benefits-eligible COVA employees, spouses and adult dependents at WW.com/CommonHealth. Already a WeightWatchers member? Call 866-204-2885 for questions or to sync your current account.

Dealing With Disaster
Disasters, including weather-related events such as severe storms and accidents such as fires, can strike at any time. With such tragedies come intense emotions including fear, grief and anger. Your EAP plan is here to help you navigate tumultuous times. See this attachment from Anthem’s EAP for additional information and resources.

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

Stock photo of an orange safety ring hanging on a wooden dock, with turquoise and blue water in the background. Over the photo is the text "CommonHealth Wellnote" in white.

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