News Room | June 2007 Newsletter

June 2007 Newsletter

Important news 

The World Health Organisation has released its most recent World Health Statistics 2007 for its 193 member states.

Among the highlights are:

• The four leading causes of death globally in 2030 are projected to be ischaemic heart disease from high blood pressure and high cholesterol, stroke, HIV/AIDS and chronic obstructive lung disease. Tobacco-related deaths are projected to rise from 5.4 million in 2005 to 6.4 million in 2015 and 8.3 million in 2030. Tobacco is projected to kill 50% more people in 2015 than HIV/AIDS and to be responsible for 10% of all deaths.
  OUR COMMENT: these are all chronic lifestyle diseases, manageable and preventable though workplace wellness interventions, natural medicine, body-mind medicine and stress management. Apart from natural remedies, healthy eating, body-mind connection awareness, we also train our clients/patients with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol and heart disease to control their own blood pressure through biofeedback and relaxation training.
• In SA, life expectancy at birth was 50 for men and 52 for females.
  OUR COMMENT: our allotted life span as human beings is 120 years, more than double that of the current statistics for life expectancy. Again, lifestyle changes can make a world of difference.
• In 2002, depression accounted for 4.5% of the total burden of disease worldwide. It is also responsible for the greatest proportion of burden attributable to non-fatal health outcomes, accounting for almost 12% of total years lived with disability worldwide. According to the WHO, the timely diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders are essential, irrespective of causality. The report added that in many primary care settings, when patients present with multiple disorders that include depression, the depression often remains undiagnosed and even if it is diagnosed, treatment usually focuses on the other chronic diseases.
  OUR COMMENT: looking at deeper issues such as spiritual wellness, deeper meaning and life purpose, as well as lifestyle and natural remedies, will assist in the management of depression. Research links depression to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

The full report is available at the WHO website.

Heart Health

Heart health is important for men, but also for women!

June is Men’s Health Month. The focus of the health column will therefore be on heart health. Up to fairly recently, heart disease was regarded as a male health challenge. This is no longer so. As more and more research also focus on women and their hearts, it has become alarmingly clear that women over 45 years of age, especially in the peri- and post menopausal period, have the same, if not higher, risk for heart disease as men…read the article

Health Stress Management (Pty) Ltd: Service Summary for South Africa & abroad

This service provider company specialises in the management of the chronic lifestyle diseases (or rather health challenges!) through health, wellness and stress management training, as well as practical workplace wellness interventions. We present and facilitate talks, workshops and courses throughout South Africa and abroad, as well as practical training and support of existing company health teams to become independent wellness consultants within the company…more about this

Workplace wellness

Ways to wellness (some of the most popular wellness programs / interventions companies and individuals can use):

• Stress solutions: Practical stress management tools and techniques, as well as stress courses
• Work-life balance
• Management of chronic lifestyle diseases: e.g. ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, depression, HIV/Aids, chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes mellitus
• Positive mental attitude
• Complementary health care advice
• High cholesterol, high stress, what now?
• Heart, immune system (incl. HIV/Aids, TB), nervous system, hormone system health
• Executive health
• Health education and employee assistance: nutrition, HIV/Aids, family planning, hygiene, sexuality, responsibility
• Sleep restoration
• Workplace enhancement: Ergonomics, colour, chill rooms, private space, mini breaks
• Thriving during times of change
• Difficult relationships and illness as guides and teachers
• Anger management

...more on this

June/July workshops

Because of the school holidays, there’ll be only one workshop each month.

• Friday, 8 June (to be repeated Friday 22 June)10h00-12h30: The Upside of Stress by Dr Arien van der Merwe. Positive stress helps us to thrive, perform well, be creative and productive, and adds anticipation and excitement to our lives. It can result in a new lease on life and an enthusiastic creative approach to our work and environment, enabling us to enjoy life intensely. The quick stress response also helps us to survive physical threats to our lives. We all thrive under a certain amount of stress. Deadlines, competition, confrontations, and even our own frustrations, suffering and sorrows add experience, depth and enrichment to our lives and help us to grow and evolve as human beings. The workshop will take you on a short journey through your body, mind, the calm centre point in the see-saw of human emotions and soul support, to develop and maintain inner balance and resilience to stress. Cost: R250 per person. To book your space: arienvdm@gmail.com or 078 698 8535 or 012 460 0191
• Saturday 21 July 14h00-17h00 (13h45 for registration): Take Care of your Skin: Inside and Out. Join us for this exciting workshop on antiageing creams and nutrition, incl. a practical demonstration of the dramatic changes in skin appearance with a new wonder cream. Dr Marianne Duvenage, dermatologist will talk about skin and antiageing. Dr Arien van der Merwe will talk about nourishment from the inside, and Paula Brown will talk about the adornment of the skin, teaching us more about diamonds and tanzanite, girls of all ages’ best friends! Cost: R250 per person. To book your space: arienvdm@gmail.com or 078 698 8535 or 012 460 0191