HCCA's Worksite Wellness Newsletter

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or rectum. It is equally common in men and women. An estimated 146,970 people will be diagnosed in 2009, and an estimated 49,920 people will die from the disease. With recommended screening, this cancer can be prevented (by removing polyps before they become cancerous) or detected early, when it can be more easily and successfully treated.

At Risk

Men and women age 50 and older
People who use tobacco, are obese or are sedentary
People with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or benign (not cancerous) colorectal polyps
People with a personal or family history of inflammatory bowel disease, such as long standing ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease
People with a family history of inherited colorectal cancer

Risk Reduction

Be physically active and exercise regularly.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a high-fiber diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains.
Consume calcium-rich foods like low-fat or skim milk.
Limit red meat consumption and avoid processed meats.
Don't smoke.
Don't drink alcohol excessively.

Early Detection
If you are at average risk for colorectal cancer, start having regular screening at age 50. If you are at greater risk, you may need to begin regular screening at an earlier age. The best time to get screened is before any symptoms appear. Use this guide to help you discuss screening options with your health care professional. Consider one of the following:

Screening intervals for tests that find pre-cancer and cancer:

Colonoscopy: Every 10 years
Virtual colonoscopy: Every 5 years
Flexible sigmoidoscopy: Every 5 years
Double-contrast barium enema: Every 5 years

Screening intervals for tests that mainly find cancer:

Fecal occult blood test (FOBT): Every year
Fecal immunochemical test (FIT): Every year
Stool DNA test (sDNA): Ask your health care professional

Any abnormal result of a virtual colonoscopy or double-contrast barium enema, as well as a positive FOBT, FIT or sDNA test, should be followed up with a colonoscopy.

Symptoms
Early stages of colorectal cancer do not usually have symptoms. Advanced disease may cause:

Rectal bleeding or blood in or on the stool
Change in bowel habits or stools that are narrower than usual
Stomach discomfort (bloating, fullness or cramps)
Diarrhea, constipation or feeling that the bowel does not empty completely
Weight loss for no apparent reason
Constant fatigue
Vomiting

Treatment
Surgery is the most common treatment. When the cancer has spread, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is given before or after surgery.

Dress in Blue Day was March 5th!
The first Friday of March each year is Dress in Blue Day. Help raise awareness about colorectal cancer and the importance of screening by wearing blue on national Dress in Blue Day! Individuals, businesses and community groups are all encouraged to participate. Mark your calendars for next year. Materials are available. To learn more visit www.ccalliance.org/news_events_dress-in-blue.html

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event, "National Nutrition Week" became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. For more information, visit www.eatright.org/nnm.

Worksites Can Celebrate:

* Adopt a healthy foods policy for meetings and celebrations

* Adopt a healthy foods vending machine policy

* Organize a 5 on 5 nutrition challenge www.5on5.com/

* Provide a healthy foods honor system food cart

* Organize a "healthy recipe" contest among employees
* Organize a "healthy recipe" swap among employees

* Create a cookbook from the recipes submitted from either of the previous two contests
* Distribute Hannaford Stars Program educational materials including store coupons
* Create a bulletin board using nutrition brochures, nutrition fact sheets, recipes and

MyPyramid handouts (see links below for free downloads and printable resources)

*   Sponsor a healthy food drive and deliver the food to a homeless shelter or food pantry
*   Sponsor a walk/run event and donate the proceeds to a homeless shelter or food pantry
*   Take the "Eat the Rainbow Challenge"
*   Create a "Nutrition Quiz" bulletin board,
*   Sponsor a pentathlon with the entry fee being five healthy food items. Contestants will

complete five activities and the food proceeds donated to a homeless shelter for food

pantry

Companies that Care - March 18th

Companies That Cares Day is an annual national event that encourages employers to highlight and expand their employee and community initiatives, and recognize the people who make their companies successful. Companies That Care Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of every March, with organizations encouraged to jump-start and expand their activities that reflect the ten characteristics, foster a people-supportive work environment and strengthen the local community.

Companies That Care prize employees and are committed to community service. To sustain these values, Companies That Care consistently demonstrate the following 10 Characteristics in their work environment. These 10 Characteristics define the standard for all organizations desiring to be recognized as caring, responsible organizations.

Sustain a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees
Make employees feel their jobs are important
Cultivate the full potential of all employees
Encourage individual pursuit of work/life balance
Enable the well-being of individuals and their families through compensation, benefits, policies and practices
Develop great leaders, at all levels, who excel at managing people as well as results
Appreciate and recognize the contributions of people who work there
Establish and communicate standards for ethical behavior and integrity
Get involved in community endeavors and/or public policy
Consider the human toll when making business decisions

American Diabetes Alert Day - March 23rd

Sound the alert - Tuesday, March 23, 2010. - Are you or a loved one at risk for diabetes?
American Diabetes Alert Day is a one-day, "wake-up" call to inform the American public about the seriousness of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association encourages people to take the Diabetes Risk Test and find out if they, or their loved ones, are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Alert Day is observed on the fourth Tuesday of every March.

Why is Diabetes Alert Day Important?
*   23.6 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes
* Nearly one-quarter of those do not know they have diabetes
*   One in five Americans is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes

Diabetes Risk Test
Could You Have Diabetes and Not Know It?
Take the Test, Know your Score

Write in the points next to each statement that is true to you, statements that are not true for you receive zero points. Then add your total score.

1.  I am a woman who has had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds at birth Yes 1 ___
2. I have a sister or brother with diabetes                                                    Yes 1 ___
3.  I have a parent with diabetes                                                                  Yes 1 ___
4.  My weight is equal to or above that listed in the chart (see below)             Yes 5 ___
5. I am under 65 years of age and I get little or no exercise                          Yes  5 ___

6. I am between 45 and 64 years of age Yes 5 ___
7. I am 65 years old or older Yes 9 ___

Total _______

Scoring 10 or more points - You are at high risk of having diabetes. Only your health care provider can check to see if you have diabetes. See yours soon and find out for sure.

Scoring 3-9 points - You are probably at low risk of having diabetes now. But don't just forget about it. Keep your risk low by losing weight if you are overweight, being active most days and eating low fat meals that are high in fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

At-Risk Weight Chart

                Height              Weight                    Height              Weight
                 4' 10"               129                          4' 11"               133
                 5' 0"                138                          5' 1"                 143
                 5' 2"                 147                          5' 3"                 152
                 5' 4"                 157                          5' 5"                 162
                 5' 6"                 167                          5' 7"                 172
                 5' 8"                 177                          5' 9"                 182
                 5' 10"               188                          5' 11"                193
                 6' 0"                 199                          6' 1"                 204
                 6' 2"                 210                          6' 3"                216
                 6' 4"                 221