Spring/Summer 2011 Newsletter

Vacation breaks benefit employers and employees

What's in your bank? Money in the bank is great for your financial fitness, but a growing vacation bank at work can be detrimental to your health and wellness. Vacations help us to recharge physically and mentally.

People plan vacations for a variety of reasons:

• Escaping everyday routine
• Relaxing and reducing stress
• Enriching family and friendship ties
• Learning – seeing and doing something new and different ¹

Even though many Canadians are feeling stressed and vacation hungry, a 2009 Harris/Decima poll for Expedia.ca, noted almost a quarter of Canadians aren't using all of their vacation days. Over 40% of poll respondents indicated they are more productive when they've returned from a holiday. ²

Many workers struggle with balancing the need to recharge along with pressing deadlines. They worry about the backlog of work when they return to the office. Employers can encourage the use of vacation leave, set a positive example through their leadership team, and help employees to plan for time off. The reported benefits for employers include enhanced workplace productivity, improved employee retention and morale.

Is a longer vacation not feasible? Consider a mini vacation or 'stay-cation'. You don't need to leave town to enjoy the benefits noted above. Spend a day exploring a York Region sight, activity or attraction. Visit www.yorktourism.com for ideas.

Is Cancer Preventable?

One third of all cancers may be related to what we eat and drink, but prevention and screening can play a key role in decreasing your risk of cancer. This April is Cancer Awareness Month; make this the month you make some changes.

When it comes to your diet:

• Eat seven to ten servings of vegetables and fruit per day
• Eat a diet low in saturated fat
• Choose a variety of high fibre foods to help keep your digestive system healthy and regular

For more information on cancer prevention and screening, visit the York Region's Early Detection of Cancer page.

Healthy Barbecuing in the Workplace

Summer is a great time to take out the barbecue and enjoy a healthy meal with your colleagues. Here are some tips to help you plan a great barbecue for your workplace.
 

• Include at least three of the four food groups from Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide.
• Think beyond hot dogs and hamburgers. Barbecues can involve a vast array of foods, including leaner cuts of beef and pork such as strip loin, sirloin, T-bone, flank, eye of round, tenderloin and pork chops. Poultry, fish, tofu or veggie burgers are also good choices.
• Trim your meats. When possible, trim away any visible fat from the meats before cooking and remove the skin from poultry.
• A barbecue does not have to be a meaty meal. An easy way to achieve your seven to ten servings of vegetables and fruits daily is to include them in your barbecue. Vegetables such as eggplant, sweet potato, zucchini, bell peppers, corn-on-the-cob, mushrooms and ripe plantains are great on the grill.
• Try something innovative – fruits can also be grilled. Use fresh, ripe fruits such as mangoes, pears, peaches and nectarines.
• To keep foods from sticking, lightly brush or spray a small amount of oil before placing the food on the grill.
• Spice up your food. Instead of using salt as a flavour enhancer, try seasonings such as chopped garlic, ginger or rosemary.

When enjoying foods from the grill:

• Be mindful of portion sizes. Keep your portion sizes small so you can try a variety of foods. When eating meats, poultry and fish, one serving according to Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide is equivalent to the size of one deck of playing cards.
• Eat with your stomach, not with your eyes and eat slowly. The brain may take up to twenty minutes to acknowledge the feeling of fullness.
• Drink water instead of beverages that provide empty calories, such as iced teas, juices or pop.

For more information:
EatRight Ontario: Over the Grill
Eat More Vegetables and Fruit
Put an End to Portion Distortion

Hosting a party? Know your risks

Summer holidays are a time for get-togethers, parties and hosting events. Many people do not realize there are legal responsibilities as a social host at home and at work.

Read up on some great tips to lower your risks as a host.

Take the home hosting and responsible drinking quiz.

Emergency preparedness

Are you prepared for an emergency as an employer/employee? Different types of emergencies have different planning requirements. If you need to evacuate your workplace, it's important to have workplace policies that are communicated to staff. Every organization is at risk – a disaster can happen anytime, anywhere.

Make sure your employees are prepared. The York Region Emergency Preparedness Guide can help your employees plan for the unexpected.

Be Prepared — it's a joint responsibility.

Visit www.publicsafety.gc.ca for more business continuity planning resources.

Going somewhere? Go cycling!

Grab a copy and bike to work instead of taking the car. To get a copy of this map, visit www.york.ca/cycling  and travel York Region the active way!

Did you know? New Dental Program

York Region Public Health has launched Healthy Smiles Ontario (HSO). This is a new Dental Program funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

The program provides regular dental care such as check ups, x-rays, cleanings and fillings to eligible children. Eligible children include children and youth under 17 who do not have any dental coverage (including Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program), and who live in a household with an adjusted family net income of $20,000 or less.

For more information about this program, eligibility and enrolment, visit www.ontario.ca/healthysmiles or call the Service Ontario INFOline at 1-866-532-3161 or TTY 1-800-387-5559.

For more information about York Region dental programs and services, visit www.york.ca/teeth

Are you ready to have a baby?

If you feel that you are ready to become a parent, speak to your health care provider and start health planning three months in advance. Take this self-assessment quiz before you or your partner become pregnant.

Free Parenting Workshops

Do you have a baby under one year of age? If you are a parent or caregiver living or working in York Region, come to a no-cost parenting workshop near you!

Workshop topics include:

Parenting Myths: Fact or Fiction: An interactive and supportive class where parents can share their challenges, as well as solutions, to deal with the pressure to be the perfect parent.

Attachment parenting: Early experiences help to shape the way your child learns, thinks, and behaves now and in the future. Learn more about what you can do to make a difference!

Growth and development: Learn more about what to expect in your baby's first year, and what you can do to help your baby grow and develop.

Infant sleep: Learn more about your baby's developing sleep patterns and what you can do to help your baby sleep.

Positive discipline: Learn more about positive parenting strategies that match your child's stage of development, individual personality, and needs.

Parenting workshops are facilitated by Public Health Nurses at various locations in York Region. Workshops are offered in English and Chinese. For more information and for the current workshop schedule, call York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 or visit www.york.ca/parenting.

Is your child in a booster seat?

Booster seats are required by law for children under the age of eight who weigh between 18 and 56 kg (40 to 80 lbs) and who are under 145 cm (4'9") tall.

Adult seat belts are not designed to fit a child. The lap belt can ride up on a child's stomach and this can cause serious injuries in a crash. A booster seat raises the child so the seat belt fits properly across the shoulder, chest and hip bones.

Your child is ready for an adult seat belt if you answer "yes" to the questions below.
 
With your child sitting up straight, measure him/her from the tailbone to the top of the head:

• Is your child's sitting height at least 74 cm (29 inches)?
• Do your child's knees bend comfortably over the edge of the car seat?
• Does the shoulder belt go over the shoulder and across the middle of the chest?
• Does the lap belt fit low over the hip bones and under the abdomen?

Always read the manuals for your booster seat and your vehicle to make sure you use your booster seat correctly. Boost your child up and keep them safe!

For more information, visit www.york.ca/injuryprevention

We welcome your comments and suggestions at workplace.wellness@york.ca. This newsletter may be reproduced in whole or in part with acknowledgement of the source: York Region Community and Health Services.  

Disclaimer: No liability can be accepted for any advice rendered in this publication or on the websites. The information presented is not intended as a substitution for consultation with a health professional or expert. Please note that information in the newsletter should be considered current only at the date of issue.
 

For more information on the Workplace Wellness Newsletter,
contact York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933