Shoo the Flu with an Onsite Clinic for
2010-2011
When influenza strikes, make sure your employees are not among those who lose 17 million workdays annually and contribute to $10 billion in lost wages.
Influenza is a vaccine-preventable illness. Let VNA show you how easy
it can be to improve your bottom line by keeping employees flu free with an onsite flu clinic.
Call (248) 967-8755, or visit
Schedule a flu clinic today! |
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Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Roasted Pepper Dressing
Recipe Summary:
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Number of Servings: 8
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 1.5
Ingredients: Salad
8 medium artichokes, prepared and cooked as directed for whole artichokes
3 red bell peppers
lettuce leaves
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives
Dressing
1 bell pepper (roasted), reserved from salad preparation
1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white wine or cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or
1 tsp crushed dried basil
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp crushed dried rosemary
Directions:
Salad
Cut artichokes in half lengthwise; scoop out center petals and fuzzy centers. Remove outer leaves and reserve to garnish salad. Trim out hearts and slice thinly. Cover and set aside.
Place whole bell peppers under preheated broiler. Broil under high heat until charred on all sides, turning frequently with tongs. Remove from oven. Place in a paper bag for 15 minutes to steam skins. Trim off stems of peppers; remove seeds and ribs. Strip off skins. Slice peppers into julienne strips.
Reserve 1/4 of the bell pepper strips to prepare dressing. To assemble salads, arrange lettuce leaves on 8 salad plates. Arrange sliced artichoke hearts, remaining bell pepper strips, red onion and olive slices on lettuce. Garnish with a couple of cooked artichoke leaves, if desired.
Dressing
For dressing, in blender or food processor place reserved bell pepper strips, vinegars, garlic, basil, rosemary and sugar. Cover and process until well blended and nearly smooth. Spoon dressing over salads.
Source: Produce for Better Health |
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Traveling for Work or Fun This Summer?
VNA's Travel Wise Travel Clinic is your one-stop shop for all of your travel immunization needs.
Offering more than 12 immunizations from yellow fever to hepatitis A and B, and a travel-specific consultation, VNA's Travel Wise Travel Clinic provides cost-effective value and convenience for individuals and groups traveling locally or overseas.
Call (248) 882-5720,
ext. 8755 for more information. |
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National Employee Health and Fitness Day:
May 19, 2010
Physical inactivity can lead to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Just how much does physical inactivity cost employers? This calculator will provide you some eye-opening estimates for medical claims, workers comp and lost productivity for your workplace: http://www.ecu.edu/picostcalc/.
National Employee Health and Fitness Day is a national health observance that promotes the benefits of physical activity for individuals through their worksite. Mark your calendar for May 19, 2010, and plan at least one health and wellness event this year.
Activities do not have to be expensive. In fact, many organizations are looking to local community resources such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association to provide educational speakers and tools with which to build and continue your company's wellness program.
A wellness program or event can be fun, interactive and a great way to start building a wellness culture. Consider these activities:
Designate and map out a walking route of the work premises.
Schedule a guest speaker for a lunch 'n learn session.
Distribute healthy recipes via e-mail or print.
Plan a healthy employee potluck.
Additionally, onsite health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose can help control and reduce health care costs. These convenient screenings allow individuals, employers and insurers the opportunity to obtain low-cost services while addressing preventive healthcare needs.
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Sleep and Chronic Illness
Are you getting enough sleep each night? A University of Pennsylvania study suggests that 7 to 8 hours of sleep is ideal, but individuals who work 93 hours or more than the typical work week get 4.5 hours of sleep or less each night. A lack of sleep has been linked to chronic illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression. Untreated, sleep problems will eventually disrupt your work, family and personal relationships.
Symptoms of sleep problems and disorders
How do you tell if your sleepless night is an isolated occurrence or if it is related to a chronic sleep disorder? Start by identifying your symptoms. Particular behaviors during the day are telltale signs of sleep deprivation. If you regularly experience any of the following, your sleeplessness might be part of an ongoing problem.
Do you . . .
Feel irritable or sleepy during the day?
Have difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching TV or reading?
Fall asleep or feel very tired while driving?
Have difficulty concentrating?
Have difficulty falling asleep at night?
Wake up several times during the night?
Have emotional outbursts?
Feel like taking a nap almost every day?
Require caffeinated beverages to keep you going?
Seek help for a restful night's sleep
You can address many common sleep problems through lifestyle changes, but see your health care provider or a sleep specialist if your sleep does not improve as it may be a sign of an existing medical condition such as sleep apnea, a disorder where you actually stop breathing during the night.
Your doctor will probably suggest behavioral and environmental changes as first steps of your treatment. Regardless of your sleep problem, a consistent sleep routine and improved sleep habits will translate into better sleep over the long term.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Food for Thought:
Save Money on Grocery Shopping
According to the Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one person spends $285 for grocery shopping monthly, and a family of three can spend more than $600 monthly. Make every dollar count when you are at the grocery store by following these tips: Create a grocery budget.
Eat before you shop.
Plan meals in advance and plan them around what is on sale at the grocery store.
Use a shopping list and stick to it. Check your kitchen cabinets and refrigerator as you make your list.
Pay attention to the unit price. A larger quantity may cost more upfront, but generally costs less per ounce or pound.
Compare costs and ingredients for store brands versus national brands.
Clip coupons both from the newspaper and or load them electronically onto your grocery store loyalty shopping card from such sites as shortcuts.com, cellfire.com and P&G esaver.com. Make sure the coupons are only for items you would usually buy and are for nonperishable items and not highly processed foods.
Check your grocery receipt and make sure prices scanned correctly.
Go shopping only twice per month. |
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Jumpstart Your Company's Wellness Program with VNA's On-Site Services
Services are available on-site and offer a convenient, cost effective way to detect potential health risks in your employee population.
Health Risk Assessments
Cholesterol Screenings
Glucose Screenings
Blood Pressure Screenings
Travel Vaccinations and Counseling
Flu Vaccinations
Lunch 'n Learn Sessions Contact us for more information: |
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