Majority of working Canadians say personalized wellness programs would improve wellbeing

• 80 percent of working Canadians report their overall wellbeing would improve if offered a personalized wellness program through their employer.
• 70 percent of working Canadians with group or private insurance coverage rank their overall wellbeing as excellent or good vs. 59 percent of those without any type of insurance coverage at all.
• Over half of working Canadians (53 percent) find health care spending accounts to be most important in insurance coverage when looking beyond traditional benefits.

Wellbeing in the workplace is increasingly important, with good employee health and happiness increasingly linked to better performance and productivity.

In fact, according to a recent RBC Insurance poll, the majority of working Canadians (80 percent) report that their overall wellbeing would improve if their employer were to offer a personalized wellness program that is customized to an individual’s specific wellness and health related interests and goals. The poll also revealed that more than nine in ten working Canadians (94 percent) are more likely to work for an employer that cares about their overall health and wellbeing. Other aspects of daily life they say would improve if offered this type of program include their physical health (78 percent), favourable opinions of their employer (77 percent), job satisfaction (73 percent), mental health (71 percent), and job productivity (68 percent).

In particular, the poll revealed that, when it comes to group benefits overall, flexibility and customization are important. Nine in ten working Canadians value choice in their group benefits plan, especially women (92 percent female vs. 87 percent male). Nearly as many (84 percent) agree that they would be more likely to participate in a workplace wellness program that is customized to their specific wellness goals. In return for this type of customization, three quarters (76 percent) of working Canadians would be willing to share their health and wellness related information and goals with an insurer.

How to motivate employees to participate in a wellness program

It can be challenging for businesses to motivate employees to participate in wellness programs. According to the RBC Insurance poll, here are the top three factors that working Canadians say would motivate them:

1. A tailored wellness program targeted to specific health-related goals (44 percent)
2. Progress-based incentives/rewards (40 percent)
3. Time away from their desk during work hours to dedicate to wellness (35 percent)

For this survey, a sample of 1,501 working Canadians aged 18 years and over was interviewed.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Health and wellness center offers genetic test to help lose weight

The test looks at five genes linked to weight gain to see if there are abnormalities

“I was so swollen, every joint hurt in my body,” says Justin Lynch-Picorelli.

Justin Lynch-Picorelli has been on a health kick since February. He’s already dropped 15 pounds but still has some stubborn fat he wants to lose.

Three weeks ago, Justin started the process of testing his genetics for weight loss at Nouveau Health and Wellness.

Nouveau is one of the only centers in South Florida offering this type of genetic weight management testing.

“Weight gain is multifactorial, diet, activity, level, hormone status, there are a lot of factors that play into that. The frustration comes when people are doing all those things and they are not seeing the weight loss that they want to see,” says Brianne Dobson, PA.

The test looks at these five genes linked to weight gain to see if there are abnormalities, for example some people struggle with cravings, others don’t feel full as quickly after a meal, and some have problems digesting carbohydrates.

Doctors say your genetics play a huge role in your ability to lose weight.

"We are going to be able to use that in treating patients and making them healthier or avoid certain diseases and I think that will be a big deal in the future," says Dr. Ariel Rodriguez, Delray Medical Center Bariatric Surgeon.

And the test comes back with so much more than just results.

“You had two genetic variants come up in your testing and those are two associated with appetite regulation, cravings, and how you metabolize fat,” says Dobson.

All it takes is a quick and easy cheek swab. My results were very different from Justin’s.

“You are prone to leptin and insulin resistance these people usually notice that they can easily overeat, they don’t feel full quickly,” says Dobson.

“A big focus for you is going to be portion control and frequency of meals,” says Dobson.

Source: https://nouveauhealthandwellness.com

Five ways smartphones influence wellness

1. Freedom. Some executives make it a practice to take brisk walks during conference calls. The aerobic activity serves another benefit as well — the blood and oxygen flowing to your brain will help you to think more clearly. If you can’t get outside, consider an ergonomic exercise ball for your seat, or a standing desk.
2. Wellness Apps. As of March 2019, Google Play has 37,143 health and wellness apps. A survey last year found 42 percent of U.S. adults stated they used digital technology to measure their fitness or health goals.
3. Keeping Clean. A scientific study found more than 17,000 bacterial germs on the cell phones of high school students. Another study found phones are more than ten times dirtier than toilet seats. A microbiologist suggests some simple tips for keeping your phone clean: keep your phone to yourself, keep it out of the bathroom and clean your phone often.
4. Reputation Protection. An online dating service found 92 percent of people judge others poorly for having a scratched or broken phone—and the unlucky phone owners are 56 percent less likely to get a date during the year. A British study found that 62 percent of people make judgments based on the condition of their phone by assuming they are careless, in debt or unreliable.
5. The 5G Phenomena. The jury is still out on how much danger cell phone radiation poses. The Food and Drug Administration says available evidence does not support adverse health risks. However, several peer-reviewed scientific studies shows varying levels of tissue damage to laboratory animals. Scientists agree 5G introduces new challenges because of the requirement for denser cell tower networks which increases exposure and new frequencies with unknown biological consequences.

Source: Forbes magazine

22 percent of U.S. consumers used a self-diagnosis app in past 12 months

New research from Parks Associates reveals 22 percent of U.S. broadband households have used a self-diagnosis app, such as iTriage, WebMD, Symptomate, and Ada, in the past 12 months

“We are betting that now is the right time for future leaders of healthcare to empower a more engaged and informed consumer,” said Alyssa Jaffee, VP, 7wire Ventures. “As whole populations become more connected and more knowledgeable about their personal health, they will look for frictionless experiences, which in turn will lead to a stronger, more resilient healthcare system that achieves better outcomes at a lower cost.”

Source: Yahoo Finance