Mind over matter in your workforce!

Hi folks,

Despite it making tasks a lot easier, I’m not going to teach you how to turn your workforce in to Jedi’s. However, in the more recently published research papers on the management of musculoskeletal conditions (lower back pain, repetitive strain injury, etc), emphasis has been put on the mind of the worker – their attitudes. It’s easy to see how physical exercises & ergonomic aids can reduce such conditions but how can their psychology impact on them?

Here are a few of what we call ‘yellow flag’ psychosocial characteristics:

Ø     Believing that any physical injury is harmful long-term & leads

            to severe disability.

Ø      Avoiding activities in fear that it may cause injury / staying inactive.

Ø      Refraining from communication / social interaction with colleagues & management.

Ø      Believing that prolonged rest is a better management strategy than being active.

If an employee’s mindset ticks the boxes above then they are putting themselves (& those they influence) at a higher exposure to developing work-relevant physical health conditions.

As you can see, much of this is about creating a positive mindset to health & work in each employee, therefore breeding a new workplace culture – not any easy thing to do. The best way to achieve this is by investing in your employees & engaging with their individual job experiences through my Occupational Fitness Workplace Workshops. This type of training has proved a fantastic rate of return, so in this tough economic climate the question is “Can your company afford NOT to have this training?”

Thanks & have a great weekend

James

Alternative lunches

Hi folks,

Two weeks ago I posted a template for a balanced day’s nutrition. However I realise that staff canteen facilities differ greatly from workplace to workplace. A well rounded meal needs to contain some protein, some complex carbohydrate, some fibre, & some vitamins in the form of vegetables & fruit. So, here’s a little further help if you, like me, live out of your packed lunch box with only a kettle & microwave for company:

Home made batches – make up a large batch of spaghetti bolognaise or chili using 5% fat mince beef, tinned tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, & season with chili powder or mixed herbs to taste. This can be refrigerated & then reheated with pasta or baked potato at work!

While this is slowly cooking, why not make up a big tub of fresh fruit salad, or mixed salad leaves with spring onions, radishes & cherry tomatoes to use throughout the week too?

Other healthy meal ideas that can be stored in a container & reheated or eaten cold are:

•         Cold turkey, brown pasta, sliced red pepper, & spring onion, lightly seasoned & drizzle with olive oil.

•         Flaked salmon into brown rice with sweetcorn & chopped leeks.

•         Mini boiled potatoes mixed with sliced boiled eggs, grated beetroot & carrot, lightly seasoned.

•         Chicken, mushrooms & spring onion, on a mound of egg noodles lightly seasoned or drizzled in sweet chili sauce.

•         Tinned mixed beans, mixed leaf salad, sliced peppers, sweetcorn, crusty brown bread, seasoned & olive oil.

Liven your lunch up a bit for a tasty change! All it needs is a little preparation the night before & you’ll be the envy of all the boring stodgy sandwich munchers.

Thanks

James

Supping energy drinks?

Hi Folks,

In both the fitness and the workplace environment, people are always asking my opinion on the effects of energy drinks. Below is my advice on their use & effects:

If you are exercising continuously for 90 minutes or more, and to a high intensity (breathing heavily) our glycogen stores (preferred energy source from carbs) begin to run out. At this intensity your body cannot effectively convert stored fat to energy so this means our body may then start to break down muscle tissue for an emergency energy source. The sugary carbohydrates in an isotonic energy drink taken halfway through the long session will help prevent this.

If you regularly drink energy drinks at work or when not exercising then you may be damaging your body. When your body experiences a boost in sugars, your pancreas releases insulin to help remove the high sugar concentration in your blood stream to your cells. Initially you feel the positive affects but around one hour later you experience an energy crash which makes us want to drink another one (mood swings). By continuously taking such drinks & not burning off their energy, your pancreas is taking a hammering & your insulin levels become erratic. If this is a regular habit of your lifestyle then you are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes where your cells become insulin resistant.

Here’s my quote…‘If you’re not going to use it – lose it! However, if you do need to use energy drinks then why not try making your own? 50% squeezed orange fruit juice, 50% water, with a sprinkle of salt to compensate for sodium loss.

Thanks,

James

Eating @ work

Hi folks,

One of my blog-followers Steve, has asked me to give some information about what food to eat while at work. So without boring you with too much detail, below is my basic guide:

Breakfast:

This is important to give you slow release energy for the day & stop cravings! Go for complex carbs such as wholegrain cereals or toast, add eggs for protein to wake you up. You could also involve a few sugars in the way of fruit / fruit juice.

Mid-morning snack:

If you really can’t manage breakfast then make sure you have some of the above foods here. If you have had breakfast then go for a healthy cereal bar, yogurt & fruit here. Eating smaller meals every three hours is much better for your digestion than just three big meals.

Lunch:

Aim for a balanced lunch containing complex carbs such as a baked potato, protein such as lean chicken/ fish, with some mixed salad for fibre & vitamins. Use cold olive oil as a healthy drizzle if needed.

Mid afternoon snack:

This is a great time for a couple pieces of fruit which will give you an energy boost up to tea time. If you’re going to be exercising after work then a source of protein such as mixed nuts, eggs, or small meat sandwich would be good here.

Tea time:

Go big on the meat / fish & vegetables here! Just a small amount of complex carbs (potato, rice, pasta, bread) as the body is winding down soon. If you’ve been exercising & just got home then it’s still important to eat – no matter how late.

This is a balanced diet based on a typical working day (not shifts), & remember to drink around 8 glasses of water between meals if possible.

Enjoy the Royal wedding!

James

Burn the brain fog!

Hi folks,

Most of us have little spare time, whether it’s filled with important responsibilities or a compilation of daily tasks that have become part of a routine. We often jam our days full of jobs then flop down on the sofa just before bedtime, next morning it all starts again! These jobs could be something you absolutely love doing, or hate but either way take a step back & analyse them. Often our brains don’t get chance to ‘wake up’ as they’re constantly obsessed with the next task.

Think about your priorities in life, what’s important to you, and the overall aim of your daily activities. Do your daily routines / tasks make the best headway to achieving this aim? If yes, perfect! If no, what do you need to change?

Give yourself 5 minutes right now to think if you are heading in the right direction, & then what the next productive step needs to be. No, I'm not turning in to a life coach, just a thought that may help improve workplace health & performance.

Use this technique in the workplace & with your workforce in one-to-one appraisals or consultations, emphasising job performance & satisfaction as the aims. Also why not use this approach in group training exercises & meetings to really boost those increasingly vital psychosocial factors of workplace health?

Have a great bank holiday weekend

james

The best exercise!

Hi folks,

As a trainer people always ask me what types of exercises are best? If you’re slaving away down the gym & putting 100% in to that class then you want to make sure it's blood, sweat, & tears well spent right?

If you’re training for a certain goal such as increasing sport specific performance or training a particular part of the body then yes there are strict guidelines to follow. But if you want to stay healthy, fit, & get the whole range of benefits associated with fitness then there is one answer……holistic training! This means training the whole body, not splitting it up & working through the muscle groups, but performing movements that involve all muscle groups.

Your body is made up of fascia, muscles, tendons, nerves, & ligaments that act over your different joints. These have grown to perform best working in sequence with each other, each supporting the next. In fact is when body parts are isolated & worked intensely that you change their movement patterns, likely exposing them to injury!

So which exercise machine will burn lots of calories, increase muscular fitness, increase heart & lung health, flexibility & motor skills? Well non on any gym floor I’ve seen. Use your own body weight or grab a medicine ball and pull off a move that involves as many joints as possible across all three planes (forwards & back, up & down, rotation). Chances are it will look pretty funky so just get a trainer to make sure its safe, but there you have it – your own beautifully efficient exercise!

Of course, examples of these already exist such as a ‘squat-press’ or a ‘lunge-twist’ which are often known as functional exercises. Make exercise interesting & try them for yourself. It is precisely these exercises that I include in Occupational Fitness’s 'Workforce Workouts' to benefit your employee’s tasks. Please contact me for a FREE taster session!

Have a great weekend

James

Whistle while you work

Hi folks,

Does music help you work? Well know that it can alter our mood, upbeat music in the car may spice-up our driving, while chill out music in the sun may relax us. At times we may not even notice the music but still be influenced by its atmosphere.

There is a lack of solid evidence for this topic, most statistical data comes from music magazine surveys & guess what they say! However while digging through the HSE archives there was one paper that mentioned music played in the workplace could help with the psychosocial issues.

There are so many variables, what type of music, what type of work, volume of music, individual preferences, other noise pollution present etc. Therefore, unfortunately I cannot give any conclusive evidence. But keep reading as here are some bits I did find:

1) To boost concentration at work, a steady beat & light melodies are recommended.

2) A person's ability to recognize images, letters & numbers, is quicker when either rock or classical music is playing in the background (from a report in the journal Neuroscience of Behaviour and Physiology).

3) If you are aiming to be more productive through being more relaxed, then upbeat music can reduce stress hormone levels by as much as 41% in a group tested.

My personal recommendations are that background upbeat music can raise productivity of a manual workforce doing a low-risk task if all workers give their consent. Also if you are a solitary worker then listening to a radio station may not only act as physical stimulus but as a social connection to the ‘outside world’.

Why not analyse your workforce’s demographics & tasks to see if music may raise moral & productivity in your company? Let me know your thoughts in the comments box below.

Enjoy the good weather this weekend!

James

Cholesterol - What is it?

Hi folks,

We’ve all heard of it & we all know we should keep it low right, but what exactly is it? Here is my quick guide:

1. Cholesterol is mainly made in your liver from the ‘bad fats’ (saturated) you may have eaten.

2. Our body needs a little cholesterol for our cells to function, but too much & we are at risk from heart & circulatory diseases.

3. Good cholesterol (High Density Lipoproteins) carry any surplus ‘bad fat’ out of the bloodstream & back to the liver. (aim for >1mmol/l)

4. Bad cholesterol (Low Density Lipoproteins) carry ‘bad fats’ through the blood stream to the cells – too much of this & it gets deposited on the artery walls (aim for <2mmol/l).

5. Triglycerides mainly produced in the body from eating unhealthily are also a fatty substance like LDL cholesterol that needs to be kept low (<1.7mmol/l).

6. Cholesterol is checked by taking a very small blood sample from a finger prick. You can have this done at your doctors, most chemists, & maybe your occupational health dept at work.

7. We can improve the balance of our cholesterol by eating foods high in soluble fibre (porridge, beans & pulses, fruit & veg) & taking regular moderate exercise.

Hope this clears things up a little & helps you adjust your lifestyle / that of your workforce accordingly if needed. If you would like to know more please visit www.bhf.org.uk

Thanks,

james

Men Vs Women!

Hi folks,

Yesterday I attended a very entertaining seminar revealing how men & women think differently & it turns out that the old stereotypes are actually not far off. Without explaining all the science, its men’s instinct to crave a certain amount of power, be in a feeling of control, or want to ‘fix’ an issue. Women are naturally concerned with avoiding danger, looking after themselves / others, & preventing harm.

So, why do we need to know this in a workplace health setting? Think about the last time you tried to persuade someone. The way we do this may involve taking advantage of their gender. So, if you wanted to convince your boss to free up some of the budget towards those new work place health measures you’ve got planned, then your pledge may go something like this:

“John, I’d like to implement these new well-being measures. We have the potential to really reap the benefits of a healthy workforce in our company. These measures would increase our employee attendance giving us real control over production, & solve gaps in communication.”

Or like this:

“Sue, I’d like to implement these new well-being measures. I’ve noticed that much of our employee’s health is reaching dangerously low levels & recent absence records are terrible. As a safety conscious industry I feel that we have a certain responsibility to our workers, & these measures would also help protect against future issues.”

 

Both paragraphs give the same message but do you see the difference? Think about how you could use this approach in when talking to reluctant employees, trying to involve them to take part in health measures at work. The degree of success does depend on how 'macho' or 'feminine' that male or female is but be a little cheeky & try this out on the next person you speak to today whatever the topic. Have some fun with it – it really works!

Thanks,

James.

Do we really need Pre & Post-biotics?

Hi Folks,

My inspiration for this blog came from chatting to one of my clients at the gym. Enthusiastically, he came up to me & said "Hey, did you know that those good-bacteria yogurt drinks aren't really that good, eat 1 leek instead & this will give your gut all the good bacteria it needs for a whole  year". 1 leek for an entire year I thought, this has got to be worth looking in to, especially as like most of us, I reach for a gut-friendly yogurt each morning. Here's a brief summary of what I found:

As you know our gut is absolutely packed with bacteria. If we take pro-biotics, this is a culture that actually contains live good bacteria so we can increase their number in the gut. These helps us digest our food, aid our immune system, & fight illness that may be brought on by 'bad bacteria' (usually from eating too much stodgy & junk food). Pre-biotics are foods that nourish & maintain these 'good bacteria'.

Trials have been done & tend to say it is most beneficial for us to eat pre-biotic foods such as bananas, onions, artichokes, garlic & yes leeks, rather than just take the pro-biotic cultures alone. My own view is that we should take a bout of pro-biotic cultures for 1 week in every 6, then try to include as many of the above foods in there remaining 5 weeks to feed them. Also, if you have been ill or on antibiotics it may be worth re-supplying your gut with pro-biotics then too.

Right, I'm off to eat a chicken pasta with leeks, onion & garlic, then bananas & custard for desert!  

Podiatry is powerful stuff!

Hi folks,

I was at the ‘2011 Health & well being @ work conference' yesterday at the Birmingham NEC. One of the most fascinating seminars & the one that had the most potential was by Chris Sharp on gait analysis. If you’ve not heard of this it’s basically how our feet work (or don’t work) when we walk, sit, drive, & stand.

From my own workshops on postural analysis I knew that many of the body’s problems could be traced back to the feet. Think about it for a second…our whole body balances on these two small pieces of apparatus, over time its likely that these will develop minor defects that not only affect their own function but the function of potentially everything else above it (like a chain reaction). But yep you guessed it, it doesn’t stop there – we already know that physical discomfort can affect us psychologically too.

So, could that backache & lack in concentration you’ve been getting all week be actually due to undetected foot issues? Look down & take a look…AAAAAAARRHHH!!

If you’re not wearing ‘sensible shoes then you already know the answer! If your shoes are fine but you think your feet don’t look ‘right’ in the flesh then you may also want to get them checked out.

In an analysis session you can expect non-invasive tests that involve looking at your foot print, your arches, measurements, & filming your feet as you walk. These will reveal how YOUR feet work & what affect they have. Correction techniques may involve supports, stretches, & exercises but will be well worth it. Now think about the potential in your company, do your people really have the right footwear for their tasks?

Check out Google for your local podiatrist & Chris’ webpage for more info

Thanks

James  

'Psycho' assessment

Hi Folks,

Throughout my research in to WRMDs (workplace relevant musculoskeletal disorders) it is more apparent that psychosocial factors hold a huge significance. Enough with the jargon, in English this means that our physical health is influenced hugely by our mindset rather than just the physical aspects of our lifestyle.

Tests show that this new approach in workplace health can be twice as effective as more traditional methods & only equalled by massage, specific exercise, or acupuncture. Here are some examples:

·         Believing that health issues can be managed & fully overcome.

·         Knowing that ERTW (early return to work) is often best cast scenario.

·         Engaging in tasks / activities without fear of injury.

·         Working on good relationships with colleagues & managers.

·         Being satisfied with our jobs & enjoying work.

·         Your job uses your potential & is a positive challenge.

·         Engaging in social aspects of the workplace.

Yes, all these help you stay injury free! I have set out the above as an example of positive cognitive behaviour modelling. If I were to list these with a negative spin (e.g. believing that most health issues lead to long-term disability) then they would be an example of ‘Yellow flag’ employee characteristics & we would have lost even before we had begun.  

Analyse your own attitude & the workplace culture that surrounds you. How could you adjust this – when we speak? – our actions? – posters & literature? – watch out for ‘yellow flag’ attitudes!

Thanks for reading,

James

Take 1min to reduce your waist line!

Hi folks,

If you’re a regular reader of my blogs then you will recall a blog written late last year about staying active in an office environment. Well, I’m feeling rather smug to say that the European Heart Journal seems to back up my advice with some interesting results.

The journal states that 4757 people took part in a US ‘Health & Nutrition Examination Survey’ from 2003 to 2006. Those who took more regular short breaks had slimmer waists by up to 1.6 inches over those who just took occasional breaks.

By minimizing the period of time we sit stationary for, we can not only reduce the circumference of our waists but maintain our levels of ‘good' HDL cholesterol too (which deplete in long periods of sedentary).

So, taking as little as 1 minute regular breaks to stand up & stretch, re-hydrate, chat to a colleague face to face, or get some fresh air, looks to be a win: win situation for your waist line, your posture, your lower back & your overall productivity......sounds like a no-brainer to me!!

Why not start off this good habit right now?

Thanks

James

Zinc - What's all the fuss?

Hi folks,

You might be aware that Zinc has been hitting the headlines this week as an exciting remedy for the common cold. Well I thought I'd be topical and investigate this for you a little further, plus it follows on nicely from my recent blogs. For quick reading, here is the verdict in bullet point form:

•         Zinc works by coating the virus that helps stop it entering the body & therefore protects us against becoming ill.

•         Taken within 24hrs this same affect stops the virus from replicating meaning that we can recover quicker if we do become infected.

•         Zinc is available in syrup form, tablets & lozenges. However the specific doses are still being determined so at the moment these are more likely to leave a nasty taste, stomach upsets, nausea or diarrhoea due to their toxicity.

•         So for the time-being I advise just involving foods naturally high in zinc such as cocoa / dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, oysters, roast beef, lamb & liver.

As the scientific community has still not completely finished with Zinc, try staying healthy using the magic properties of garlic (lookout for more about garlic in future blogs).

Thanks for reading

James

 

Top 10 healthy food rules

Hi folks,

Here's a quick one for those of you dashing to the supermarket this weekend, and for you guys who are fed up of munching on celery as part of your healthy eating resolutions...my top 10 foodie rules:

1.      Prepare meals & snacks from scratch (you control whats in them)

2.      Start the day with a good breakfast, based around complex carbs & protein (slow release energy & alertness).

3.      A mix of 9 fruit & veg per day varying in colour (different vitamins)

4.      Eat smaller portions more often - 5 small varied meals per day (we can digest it properly & never feel hungry!)

5.      Stay hydrated – don’t wait until you feel thirsty (or hungry).

6.      Buy ‘own brand / saver’ veg & invest in good quality meat (all veg is the same but quality meat = quality nutrients).

7.      Make your own sauces, using tinned tomatoes / cold oils – no cheese (sauces contain hidden dangers)

8.      Look for wholegrain / brown varieties (you're gut will love you for this).

9.      Steam or grill if possible (keeps the nutrients in without adding any bad fats)

10.  When time, make extra portions for quick meals later in the week (one of my favourites).

 Why not try these simple techniques out this week folks & add a comment below to say how you're getting on?

James

The best...invest!

Hi folks,

This morning I attended a meeting organised by an engineering training company that I work with. Their message was simple; it pays dividends to invest in good quality training.

In this period of reduced budgets and uncertain futures it is naturally our first response to cut out luxuries and only spend money on the basics to stay operational. However, working at this level will only ever produce average results. So as a business what we need to ask yourselves is, do you want to emerge from this ‘recession’ limping along with the others or visibly ahead of your competitors on track to great profits?

Everyone agrees that pro-actively increasing your workforce health gives a range of substantial financial benefits, as does the research evidence but many companies are like scared sheep. Why not be innovative, make a calculated investment, and stand out as an industry leader?

For example, if you’re buying a new car, you could save money and get an old second hand little ‘run-around’, or you could invest a little more in a newer model that you really want, that will be more reliable and will deliver the desired results. Both options will get you from A to B but the second option will improve your performance and pay-off as both a short and long term investment.

You have the workforce, we at Occupational Fitness have valuable training at a great price, so let’s take your company forward together! For more information or if you know anyone who may be interested, please contact me through our website www.occupational-fitness.com or email james.bednarski@occupational-fitness.com.

See how many comparisons you make between products over this weekend and the reasons behind them.

Thanks.

  

Freshen up!

Hi folks,

If you're lucky enough to have had a little sunshine the last few days like me then you've probably noticed that its made you feel more optimistic, have a little get-up-and-go, and generally happier. This is a great example of how effective our surroundings are on our daily lives. If it was sunny everyday then this feeling would become the 'norm' and gradually wear off. 

So, lets think about what else we can alter in our surroundings to get a similar effect. By changing our working environment we can increase our workplace mental health and productivity. If you work in an office setting then there's lots of scope: try switching your office furniture around (perhaps so you look out of a different window), add a plant pot or picture, alter your desk layout & even colour schemes.

If you're in manual work then you are more limited but try walking to different departments for a catch-up or heading somewhere else for you're breaks - outside if possible. At dinner time why not head off-site to buy a healthy lunch and get some fresh air too?

A change of environment however short and simple, freshens us up & helps break up fatigue and boredom. Try it today and you may find you strengthen working relationships as well as performing better.

Have a great weekend!

Top fighting tips

Hi folks,

Following my recent blog on how to cope with coughs & sniffles, in true 'prevention is better than cure' style here are my tips on how to best prevent becoming ill:

1. Balanced Nutrition: 
Aim for a hearty but healthy breakfast, 5-9 portions of fruit & veg per day, a wide variety of fresh & raw foods, & drink plenty of water. This strengthens all our defences.

2. Moderate Exercise: 
Intense or excessive exercise can stress the body & weaken the immune system. We can reap all the benefits of being active at a moderately challenging intensity.

3. Picking up infections:
The two main methods of picking up harmful germs are airborne and from surfaces. Without wearing masks we cannot really protect ourselves against others openly coughing & sneezing. We can however significantly reduce the chance of picking up infections by regularly using anti bacterial spray / wipes & soaps after using public services / areas.
 
 4. Time out:
Hectic lifestyles also stress the body which can lower our defences. So make sure you get a good nights sleep and schedule-in relaxation time when you've earned it. This may appear lazy but is in fact very productive, allowing the body to replenish itself.

If we try as much as possible to cover these for bases in our daily lives, we are not only able to fight illness better but are generally healthier all round. Keep an eye out for future blogs focusing on each of these topics in turn.

Thanks.
James.

Top cold / flu remedies - no perscription needed!

Hi Folks,

A lot of people seem to be off work feeling ill so far this year, so I thought that the most useful thing right now to you would be my top remedy tips. Some you may know but some will be new to you!

1. Plenty of sleep – your body can fight infection with all its resources as its not concentrating on other activities.

2. Keep well hydrated – we produce a lot of mucus & lose moisture in coughs & sneezes.

3. Stay warm but not sweaty – we lose most of our heat through our head so a nice cosy hat can make u feel better.

4. Aching body? Then a warm bath or shower can help sooth this & generally makes you feel more human again.

5. If staying at home then try not to rest all day in stale air. The fresh air from a short walk or drive will help you feel more alert.

6. Everyone knows oranges are high in immune boosting vitamin C but did you know kiwi fruits are too? – give them a try.

7. Onions are great for strengthening your immune system. Best raw in salads or sandwiches but still effective in cooked meals & soup.

8. Sugary cold & flu drinks can dry your throat out so try hot water with lemon juice instead. Have this with the packets recommended dose of Paracetamol if you wish (seek a doctors consent).   

Remember, give you body chance to fight it & if concerned seek professional medical advice. I hope these help and if you have any favourite remedies that aren’t above then please post them in the comments section!

Stay well.

Lower back pain?

Hi folks,

Now were all back at work with our nose’s to the grindstone, some of us maybe spending a long period of time in one particular position. This lack of movement may increase our risk of experiencing the dreaded lower back pain. In fact is nothing to be too concerned about & can be easily managed:

1. Try to stay as mobile as you can throughout the day. E.g. if you’re desk based then spread printer runs, coffee breaks and visits to colleagues out throughout the day.      
2. If you are working in a fixed position then try to alter your posture regularly. Adjusting your leg position and shifting your bodyweight left to right or back to forth etc is more beneficial that trying to maintain one optimum postural position.
3. Obviously avoid tasks that place excessive strain on the lower back, however try to keep doing the majority of your daily & household jobs. This may cause a little discomfort but this can be managed with the safe use of mild painkillers if your doctor permits.
4. Try sleeping on your side. If you normally sleep on your font or back this may aggravate lower back pain so turn on to your side & stack pillows to support your head.

Hopefully these techniques help, massage is also a popular treatment for re-occurring lower back pain management. If you think these techniques may be useful in your workplace please contact me as my ‘Lower back pain management’ workshop is packed full of more hints & tips.

Have a great weekend and eat lots of kiwi fruit to avoid the flu bug that’s out there!

Making it stick

Hi folks,

I don't think you'd appreciate me giving you another list of health tips right now, we're still enjoying all the Christmas left-overs & cranking up for new year! So here's a little help on how to make those new years resolutions stick (most resolutions fail in the first two weeks);

1. Think about all the positive accomplishments you made in 2010
2. Pick a resolution that really matters to you, then think about where it stems from.
3. Make this 'origin' of your resolution your Actual new years resolution.
4. Make sure its realistic & attainable
5. Break it down in to short term goals 
6. Aim but don't expect to blitz every goal, have a strong back-up plan
7. Reward yourself in different ways when you're doing well
8. Tell people at home & work your goals so they can encourage & help keep you on track.

So that's my recommended checklist, hopefully your resolution ticks all the boxes. Enjoy the festive period & ave a fantastic new year!!

James

Give yourself permission

Hi folks,

You know those mornings were your brain is already going a million miles an hour, planning every hour with jobs before you've even got out of bed? It is Christmas eve so i wont give you anything extra to think about this week, just to say do all the things you want to do this Christmas.

Most of us are health conscious & will feel guilty eating & drinking this next week. Yes it may add a few calories, but if it helps you unwind & enjoy the time off then that's important too. So my message this week is to make the most of time with friends & family, & enjoy all the festive treats - you've earned it.

Merry Christmas

James

Don't forget to empty your bins!

Hi folks,

Over this last week I have learnt about the importance of our lymphatic system. I am aware that most people have heard of this bodily function, but do not know any details & I feel it really is worth knowing about.

To keep it brief, plasma which is present in our blood is squeezed out of our circulatory system & passes between our cells. These cells take up nutrients & expel waste back in to the plasma. Our bodies now need to get rid of this waste & is ultimately transported upwards to the lymph nodes where lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) consume it.

The lymphatic system doesn't have its own 'pump' & so we can help the process manually through massage. This is just one of the big benefits of massage, here are some others:

• Increases blood flow (containing oxygen & nutrients)
• Increases recovery rate from exercise & injury
• Decreases tension & micro-spasms (occur in muscle tissue that can result in pain / trauma)
• Decreases blood pressure
• Stimulates organ function & relaxation

What it would be like if the dustbin men go on strike next week? This accumulation of rubbish can be what's happening inside us right now. Much of the waste that needs to be got rid of are toxins created through everyday elements such as general metabolism, poor nutrition, stress, & even exercise! So if you want healthier organs, skin complexion, emotions, & energy levels etc then massage may be able to help your body work more efficiently.

Contact me for more information or to arrange an appointment (as I am now sports massage trained) - you may need it if you're frantically hitting the shops this weekend, stressed out at work, festively over indulging, or just stuck for that last present idea!

James

'Ask the audience'

Hi folks,

This week I took the opportunity to chat with a chiropractor (Jackie), I've not had the chance to meet a chiropractor before so we got chatting. With us both being passionate about health and well-being our conversation inevitably got more complex.

Through my previous research of muscular-skeletal disorders I had formed the belief that many of the body's issues could be traced back to problems with our foundations - foot function (seeing as everything is stacked vertically on top of our feet, and we don't really look after our feet properly in our culture). After chatting with Jackie I learnt that my theory was often true but more importantly that I was overlooking strong movement pattern imbalances in the upper body that could also 'pull' the spine & pelvis out of alignment to cause pain. 

Two things you may take away with you:

1. I may have introduced those of you who are already body-aware and know a little anatomy to a deeper understanding of our bio mechanics and can apply this thinking to yourselves / your workforce.

2. Everyone can learn valuable lessons from not only swapping ideas with associates within your industry but from those in seemingly unrelated industries. This week I have discovered that developing my own lines-of-thinking leads to progress, but sometimes taking the 'blinkers' off and liaising with other professional opinions light up other paths offering a potential for greater progress.

Those of you completing a project or developing an idea, ask yourself "do I work in tunnel vision all the time?" if so then why not try getting a second opinion?

Have a great weekend!

James

Do things right - intead of 'not wrong'

Hi folks,

I know its late in the day & you just want to start your long trip home through Narnia so I'll keep this one reletively short. Us Brits, with our sarcastic sense of humour always seem to expect the worst or worry about 'not doing things wrong'. How about we focus on how to not just do things right - but brilliantly!

When faced with a new or challenging task we often steer it by trying to avoid the pit-falls, or things going typically wrong or failing altogether. This can be amplified by pressure from your boss & yourself, causing emotional stress to manifest in to our nemesis - muscle tension! Well if we're too busy stressing out about the obstacles, who's concentrating on the way forward?

Think of me on my snowboard. If I'm tackling a piste & I focus on a rock up ahead, what's going to happen? - yep....sore bum! Where as if I'm aware of it but focus on the direction I want to go, then I sail by it in style.

So what I'm saying is visualise your goal being a success then take the next step to achieving it. By all means plan ahead & acknowledge the dangers but stay focused on absolute success.

More workplace health tips next week!

James

A breath of fresh air!

Hi folks,

Everyone does it, it occurs 24/7, & its essential for staying alive - breathing! Our lungs can hold up to 6 litres of air, up to 500ml of this air is pushed in & out with every breath. However due to postural constraints, low levels of health & fitness or complacency, we fall in to a shallow breathing pattern. This is fine when we're asleep as our brain & muscles don't need much oxygen then, but in our waking hours this can affect alertness, energy levels, & concentration etc. So in other words, if we practice the breathing exercises below as couple of times a day we are not only keeping our lungs healthy but improving our workplace health & performance - right?

 Simple deep breathing:

1. From a relaxed position (standing, seated or lying) breathe out slowly through your nose counting to 5 seconds. While doing so tense your stomach muscles to draw in your diaphragm which helps your lungs deflate.
2. As the lungs feel like they have emptied, pause for 2 seconds, then inhale slowly for 5 seconds. Push your stomach out to help this.
3. Repeat 5 - 10 times, closing your eyes if this helps.

Result: you feel relaxed, you have optimum blood oxygen saturation, & you're ready to carry on working but more productively.


How many times a day do you yawn? A yawn is our body's response to low oxygen saturation levels in the blood (hence the body feeling tired / shallow breathing). By showing the world our tonsils & making a caveman sound, we are taking in a greater amount of oxygen & exchanging it with the existing air in our lungs.

Today it is a cold crisp day so its perfect for giving deep breathing a go. Especially if you're sat in a traffic jam, a stuffy office or walking for your lunch.

Take care today & enjoy the festive weather!

Why not try something new?

Complimentary therapies are hands-on sessions that stimulate & work with the body’s natural healing processes. There are many different disciplines & can be used either as an alternative to conventional medicine, or to assist it. Many such practices originate in the depths of history but have been revised and modified over time for use today.

So why are more & more people choosing complimentary therapies over medication these days & how could they impact your workforce? This is because they can have less severe side effects, are holistic (treat the body as a whole), & you learn more about your body - becoming more ‘body aware.’ 

Types that we are most likely to come across are massage, reflexology, acupuncture, reiki, Indian head massage, Bowen therapy, kinesiology, & osteopathy. Rather than describe each therapy, I'm going to mention the two main ways in which they work.

1) By stimulating the nervous system we can get muscles to 'let go' of undetected tension. This then allows nutrient rich blood in to repair any damaged tissues & we can re-educate the body in its natural movement patterns / reflexes.

2) Many therapies work with the body's own energy balance, or meridian channels. If we become stressed or injured, this blocks or distorts our energy channels. Practitioners work to re-balance these which then help the body to recover to full health again. 

 If any theories of complimentary treatments sound a little 'out-there', then the only way to see if they really work is to try them for yourself! You don't have to be in poor health to be treated, many people go every so often for the relaxation benefits. Lets think about it - if they didn't work, would they still be around after all this time? Ask the local chemist or GP surgery for your closest registered practitioners & treat someone to a Christmas present with a difference this year!

Be fit & healthy - no gym required!

We are all continuously advised to do exercise to stay healthy by the media, our GP, our friends, our partners, & by our own conscience. Gyms are great if you can use them effectively but in my experience only a certain proportion of people get results from gym work. Others don't stick at it, usually because they do not enjoy it or cannot commit the time.

It would be advantageous to us all if we include as much non-gym exercise as possible, living an active lifestyle. I'm not just talking about 'taking the stairs' here but a whole range of other options:

1. Walking the dog for 20min over varied terrain in the mornings & evenings.
2. Walking or cycling to work.
3. Being as active in your tasks at work as possible.
4. Walking out to buy / eat lunch rather than staying at work.
5. Involve your children & partner in physical activities on evenings / weekends such as walking around local tourist attractions, parks & riversides.
6. Grab someone to walk to the local shops with so you can carry your bags home.
7. Invite friends for social activities like bowling, ice skating, a kick-around, a day out shopping, & of course nights out usually involve a good few hours of dancing!

These are all easy to fit in but how many of these do you currently do? Challenge yourself & plan now to fit them all in next week. They're much more enjoyable than a sedentary lifestyle, can cost very little compared to pricey gym memberships, & often 'kill two birds with one stone'.

So while we still have a few days of nice weather left, lets make the most of them starting this weekend!

5 Great sleeping tips

Hi folks,

Every day we put pressure on ourselves / others to work harder, be more efficient, perform better or be more productive. The one thing that usually ends up suffering is our sleep which in my opinion, a good 7-8hrs of per 24hrs, is the most productive thing we can possibly do! During sleep our bodies go through stages to recover & rebuild both physically & mentally. If they are not getting chance to do this properly then we cannot expect to then be at our best. 

Top sleeping tips:

1. Make sure your sleep covers 2am - 5am.
2. Go to bed & get up at the same time each 24hr period if possible (including weekends).
3. Develop a 'winding down' routine & stick to it. e.g. reading, chill out music, warm bath, chatting etc.
4. Only use your bedroom for sleep, not working, exercise or watching TV etc. 
5. Complex carbohydrate rich food can help increase sleep quality, where as protein rich food make us more alert. Use them strategically to help your routine.

Quality sleep has a huge influence on our hours spent awake. Watch this space in the future for tips on effective napping & find out why we were born to do it.

Enjoy your weekend!

Simple Mobility is the Secret!

Hi all,

In this blog entry I am going to give you a basic snippet of what forms the core of some of my Occupational Fitness workshops. After much research & liaising with other health professionals, it is clear that most muscular-skeletal disorders may be prevented by regularly moving our body through its full range of movement.

Some examples of mobility exercises are:

1. Neck rotations
2. Reverse shoulder rolls
3. Spinal rotations

There are many more of these covering the whole body. The measures we take depends upon our daily activities:

Sedentary jobs / lifestyles require mobility exercises to maintain full joint range of motion & stretches to lengthen muscles that shortened as a result of our static position.

Active jobs / lifestyles require mobility as this also stimulates a fluid release in the joint that helps maintain our cartilage. Stretches are important here too as they will ease tension in the muscles that are constantly being used.

Try analysing your own lifestyle in light of the sedentary & active elements then decide what measures you can take. You can significantly increase your functional health & decrease your risk of muscular-skeletal disorders.

To learn more & see how this type of work can benefit your company by increasing the health & performance of your workforce please visit www.occupational-fitness.com, viewing our products and topics. Plus discover how we can help you overcome the huge problem of lower back pain.

Efficiency Vs an active lifestyle - can we have both?

Hi all,

 Let me give you two scenarios of active lifestyles, see if any aspects sound familiar:

1) Sarah - Works in an office environment, pressured by targets and deadlines and so organises her daily tasks to be as time efficient as possible, e.g. combining meetings, visits to other departments / offices, errands and 'printer runs' in the morning, then blocking all desk based work together for that afternoon. Most nights after work Sarah stops off at the local gym before driving on home.

2) Lauren - Also works in an office environment with a similar job to Sarah. However she deliberately organises her day to be as active as possible, e.g. cycling to work, taking the stairs, mixing desk-work periods up with meetings, visits, 'printer runs', breaks, all over the course of the day. She also goes out for a walk to her favourite deli every lunch time. Lauren also stops at the gym on they way home but not as often as Sarah, and so has this time to relax at home.

So.. which lifestlye is best?  Both women get their jobs and get exercise done but in different ways. For people who don't like the gyms and are beginners looking to increase and maintain general health, fitness and good posture, then perhaps Lauren's lifestyle is the most effective. If you are training in a specific way or of an advanced fitness level aswell as being more methodical in your work, then your day may be similar to Sarah's.


Can both styles co-exist, well try to think of three ways that you can realisitcally increase your general health (inc posture & nutrition) tomorrow at work that won't take too much time. The implementation of these obviously depends on your job role and the amount of freedom you have with it, however you may just find these techniques increase your work perfomance as well as your health!

Be more efficient........ stop!

Hi all,

I'd like to introduce you to the ‘Inhibition concept’, it is part of the Alexander Technique & can apply to anything, anywhere. It’s all about pausing just before we would have done something that we wouldn’t have otherwise had to think about. This could be bending over to put the washing in, adjusting your car / office seat or even signing off that paperwork - something that would have come as ‘second nature’.

Our bodies consist of a series of inbuilt reflexes that co-ordinate our muscles & joints to move in the most energy efficient & healthiest way; lets call this ‘first nature’. Through various activities & postures these reflexes can become suppressed and ‘bad habits’ become our norm or...wait for it....'second nature’. By developing the presence of mind to sometimes stop before we move (like the way a cat pauses or a toddler crawls intermittently), we can perhaps then proceed with a better option that doesn’t put as much stress on the body. It is likely that this action will match one of our suppressed reflexes, so in fact we are not developing a new behaviour but re-learning an old one.

The Inhibition concept isn’t just limited to physical movements; many senior mangers involve its principles when making important decisions. In roles that involve a lot of responsibility or pressure it can be very useful to stop and look at your work patterns & behaviour. Think of it like a personal risk assessment, ask yourself ‘do I always follow the same methods?’ ‘How could I address this differently?’ or ‘do I always get the same outcomes?’  Hopefully you will conclude that you are already operating in the best way in light of everything concerned, but others may find they are able to make a small change that improves their health & productivity.

Hopefully you found this blog entry slightly thought provoking, & if you did – nice work, that was your first recognised instance of inhibition! Remember to ‘inhibit’ all different parts of your lifestyle on a periodic or rolling basis.

Have a great weekend!

Improve your sight with these quick techniques!

Hi folks,

Its Friday afternoon (I can hear your cheers now!) & this text looks a little fuzzy because you've been staring at a computer screen or the road all week long then try these simple eye exercises. They relax, condition, & are thought to even strengthen your eyes.

1) Changing focus
Hold a book as close to your eyes as possible without the print becoming blurred. Focus on the words for 15 seconds. Then, look at an object at least 10 feet away and focus on that. Repeat this five times. This exercise helps build stamina so you don’t experience eye fatigue as often when working on close tasks.

 

 

2) Eye “push-ups”
Hold a pencil at arm’s length in front of your face. Slowly move it toward your nose, holding your focus at the same spot on the pencil. The objective is to bring the pencil to the tip of your nose before you see a double image of the pencil. This exercise strengthens your the “convergence ability” of your eyes (that is, the ability of both eyes to aim at the same task), which helps prevent eye-strain and may eliminate the “floating print” that can occur when your eyes are tired.

 

 

Just like the muscles in our body, our eye focusing muscles become fatigued with constant use. The above exercises help re-train the muscles that may otherwise easily 'glaze over'. Obviously you won't notice an instant difference but if performed regularly (perhaps twice a day) you may see an improvement after a week. Think of the difference it could make to your health & work performance, just don't burn a hole in that paper or pencil in the process!

Save time and money with your nutrition!

Everyone would like to eat healthier but most of us don't have the time, resources or knowledge to do so for every meal. Do you struggle to eat properly at work and just end up grabbing the usual butty from the local shop or settle for second best at the canteen? If we're in a rush this will probably be the case and then we'll get cravings for 'bad foods' later on. Well here's the answer - Bulk cook! Simple I know, and I'm sure many of you are aware of its benefits, if so treat this blog as a reminder or inspiration.

It's pouring down outside as I'm writing this so I know we will soon be in the mood for some tasty winter warming food. There are plenty of healthy cook books out there along with balanced recipes on the Internet, so there's no excuse for not getting a big pot of casserole on the go this Sunday afternoon. Use raw and fresh ingredients, slow cooking them to let the flavours infuse. Separate into portion bags and allow to cool for freezing before you enjoy a hot serving for your trouble.

As long as food is fresh, freezing it maintains most of its nutritious value. The time and effort you put in goes towards your 5-10 a-day, each day. All you have to do is defrost it overnight / in your bag and / or chuck it in the microwave it's ready to eat!

other tasty and very quick meal ideas are:

• Chili con'carne
• Spaghetti bolognese
• Beef / vegetable stew
• Tuna pasta bake
• Fish / Shepard's pie
• Vegetable hash

Such foods may be available from your canteens and  ready meals but you know exactly what goes in to the ones you've made!

Use your breaks to boost performance!

Whether you've recently returned from your holidays & are frantically trying to beat that heap of awaiting paperwork or maybe you work in education & are grafting overtime to be ready for the next academic year, here's how you can use breaks as your secret weapon!

1) When? - identify when to take breaks. If your 'in the zone' then there is no sense in stopping here, take a break if your finding a piece of work stressful, physically demanding or you struggle to concentrate.

2) Where? - even if you feel comfortable at your work station, you will work so much better on return if you temporarily change your environment. Go to the staff room, catch up with colleagues in another dept or best yet go for a wonder & get some fresh air. Often the most effective breaks are those spent in environments opposite to our working environment: E.g. If you're sat down indoors - get up & walk outdoors, if you do active work out side - sit down in the warmth with a cuppa & chat.

3) How long? obviously don't 'milk it' otherwise you're boss will probably give you a longer break than you wanted. Just a 5 minute break can be extremely effective. If you don't have the freedom to take your own breaks or really feel you don't have time then try changing tasks for a short while instead as this can have a similar effect.

4) Why? our mind & body work best when sufficiently stimulated. If we have a sedentary or repetitive job then we easily start to switch off & not produce our best work. The more restricted we are in our job, the more important it is to stimulate our senses by changing our environment, even just changing the layout / lighting / colour of your office can have a beneficial affect.

How many of you have your lunch at your desk? - yeah me too. Lets just try it out today & see if it makes a difference, we have nothing to lose & perhaps a lot to gain!


P.S. struggling to concentrate can often be caused by dehydration so grab a glass of water on your walk about too.

Letting your workforce off the leash!

Put down your bagels folks because this week while further researching performance enhancing techniques, I came across some very intriguing methods you may find useful.

This alternative line of thinking is that by sticking to 'best practice' and adhering to a truck load of processes and procedures, we are not giving ourselves / our employees the opportunity to excel, but only ever achieving average results. Yes, various protocols and SOPs are needed for guidance and to ensure a good job, but these days doesn't there seem to be too much control, always having to do things the long way round? By keeping your employees challenged, acknowledged and in 'the loop' instead of suppressing them, you may just unveil the employees with those great ideas or that extra level of service capable of giving your company the edge.

The reason I have become a geeky fan of this type of management is not just because it helps companies progress, it also is much more psychologically and therefore physically healthy for the individual. It engages them raising their job satisfaction, increasing productivity and decreasing sickness absence.

Think about your job role and the effect such an approach would have on you. You may just be able to see over your in-tray!

Addressing your basic priorities!

If I asked you to list your life's top 5 possessions would you put your car, designer sunglasses or laptop before your mattress & footwear? In a high-street survey I would expect so.


Lets think about this for a second, surely the things that we do most often are therefore the things that have greatest potential to affect our daily health & performance. We spend about 2/3rds of our life in a pair of shoes and the other 1/3rd lying on a mattress, so it makes perfect sense that they are good quality and fit for purpose in order to promote our well-being.


Shoes: Now, if as your reading this your conscience is screaming then don't worry, I'm going to help you. Lots of money can be spent on desirable footwear but lets save those for special occasions. At work they may be out of sight anyway under your desk, driving your car, or 1/2 hidden by your trouser leg so why not make them comfy and functional instead. Choose shoes that fit the natural shape of your foot (they don't restrict the foots movement when walking), go for flat or low-heel options with support & cushioning where you need it while allowing the foot to move naturally. This is especially important if you are stood for long periods of time!


Mattresses: It's not always necessary to splash out on a slab of 'space-age foam' mattress, good quality conventional ones can be just as good. My main message here is 'try before you buy'. Rather than just jumping on it in the showroom, ask for a 5-7 night trial (most retailers offer this). This way you can truly test it as you will fully relax when semi-conscious in sleep. Ultimately go with what feels most comfortable to you, for most of us this will be medium-firm. If your current mattress sags - change it! A good nights sleep = a healthy and productive days work.

Further workforce advice on these and related topics is available in our courses and workshops.