Wellness Tips

It is one of the main objectives of the United Way Sponsored Group Insurance Plan to promote wellness and preventive care. Read these tips and feel free to share this information in your workplace to help enhance the well-being and health of your employees.

Also be sure to view Important Dates related to the Group Insurance plan.

April is Stress Awareness Month
Too much pressure at work? Are the kids getting on your nerves? Is there enough money to pay all of those the bills? There are thousands of reasons for you to get stressed out. The month of April has been designated as Stress Awareness Month, and this is your opportunity to learn, and to do something about it.

Each year, millions of Americans die of stress-related illnesses. Heart disease, strokes, and even some forms of cancer may be caused by stress in certain individuals. If we include the damage done by smoking, overeating, alcohol, and drugs--all commonly used to cope with stress--we can see that we are in the midst of a major epidemic with serious, often fatal, consequences. So take a deep breath, clear your mind, and spend a few moments learning to deal with stress.

How to reduce, prevent and cope with stress
15 Tips for Reducing Stress
Time management tips to reduce stress
Take a quiz to see how stressed you are

 It's National March into Literacy Month!
We know that children who are learning to read certainly benefit from formal instruction, but parents can help their children's development just as much by ensuring that early reading experiences are active and fun.

Studies have shown that children who are more engaged readers regularly outperform students who are less engaged in what they are reading. Developing skills such as being able to name letters and their sounds, quickly name objects or colors, remember spoken information for a short period of time, and write letters are essential steps to becoming a fluent reader; but learning to love reading might be just as important for long-term reading success.

Parents and caregivers can create learning experiences that inspire and resonate with their children by following some simple tips. More information can be found at www.learntoreadlovetoread.com.

Spend some time reading these classics with your child
Tips for reading with children
Become a volunteer literacy tutor

January is Financial Wellness Month
Welcome to another New Year -- a time when many people focus on new beginnings and healthy lifestyle changes. But the month of January has also been set aside as Financial Wellness Month. And this year especially, you may find it important to address financial challenges you might be experiencing.

Here are some easy ways to promote this awareness campaign throughout your organization:

Host a brown-bag information session: Invite a financial adviser to conduct a free seminar at your workplace. During this lunchtime session, your employees can learn how to get their finances back on track.

Promote year-long financial wellness: Give your employees year-round reminders about the importance of financial well-being.

Tell your employees about Cleveland Saves: This Web site offers tips and tools to help you set goals, develop strategies to reach those goals, and start saving. By enrolling as a Cleveland Saver, your employees will have access to benefits like free financial advice, no-fee savings accounts at local financial institutions, quarterly newsletters and more! Visit their Web site

Take control of the holidays
Don't let the holidays overwhelm you. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can take an emotional toll on you during the holidays. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you may find that you enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could. Learn more about reducing holiday stress:

Tips for Coping with Holiday Stress
A Parent's Guide to Low-Stress Holiday Shopping
79 Stress Busters

November is American Diabetes Month
Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting a growing number and percentage of people every year. Many people do not recognize that they are at risk for diabetes (or diabetes-related complications if they already have diabetes). However, type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed for many of those at high risk for diabetes, and diabetes-related complications can be also be prevented or delayed for those with diabetes.

In the early stages of diabetes, there may be no symptoms or mild symptoms, such as excessive thirst and hunger, frequent urination, and fatigue. It's important to know if you have diabetes so that you can take steps to prevent serious complications and premature death. Use the Diabetes Association's Risk Calculator to help determine your risk level.

The impact of diabetes on your workplace
Frequently asked questions
Meal planning and options
Learn about Camp Ho Mita Koda for kids with diabetes

 Flu Season is Coming!
The flu is a serious contagious disease. Each year in the United States, on average, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from seasonal flu complications.

An annual flu shot is a safe and effective way to help protect you and your family from influenza. Although mild side effects from flu shots are possible, such as fever, aches, and redness, soreness or swelling where the shot was given, a person cannot get the flu from the vaccine.

This year, the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus may cause a more dangerous flu season with a lot more people getting sick, being hospitalized and dying than during a regular flu season. H1N1 is contagious and spreads from person to person. Like seasonal flu, illness in people with H1N1 can vary from mild to severe

More info about the flu
Find a flu clinic near you
View the "Faces of Influenza" portrait gallery
Interactive symptom checker
About the flu vaccine
H1N1 Flu Information
H1N1 Flu - Brochures, flyers to download