Blog #20: Prevention and taboo topics

Von Natascha de Raad
Lesedauer: 3 Minuten
 

Our BLOG had taken a little summer break, and I was also on vacation. For the first time in a while, I was drawn to the south of Europe - Italy - Monaco - France. Pictures that had escaped have surfaced, memories have returned and best of all: new unforgettable impressions. Incidentally, I also wish the same for our Federal Minister of Health, who is in Italy and who, via Twitter, is saying that these southern vacation regions have no future as climate change progresses. 

Just switch off 

I enjoyed it and, above all, the time away from my desk did me good. I was on the move a lot and I realized how important it is to balance body and mind. How important it is to switch off completely from time to time alongside physical fitness and clear your head - even for the often overlooked little things in life. "Letting your mind wander" is a nice term for this - or as my daughter would put it, "just chilling out". 

Sporting activities at Med-X-Press 

But, you know how it is, you're never quite away, and Med-X-Press pops up every now and then. In our company, we do a lot to promote the health of our employees. The internal offers are very well received, which for us is also proof that we are using the right tools. I've often mentioned the free physiotherapy, which is tailored to individual circumstances. The main aim is not only to alleviate occupational or work-related complaints, but also to treat them preventively. Our bikers have also been on the road again for some time now. A group with one of our managing directors regularly gets on their bikes to explore the area on short tours. Everyone is welcome and no one needs to have completed endurance training or have any racing experience. It's relaxed and fun.

After the summer vacations, it's time to "grab your poles and go". In cooperation with our regional family and business network, we offer courses for beginners and advanced Nordic walkers. An experienced trainer, health educator and teacher for preventive sports will ensure that the poles are used correctly and that the movement sequences are coordinated. 

Prevention ensures health 

However, as already mentioned, physical fitness is inextricably linked to mental health and the fact that lifestyle triggers well-being and life expectancy is also undisputed. Some expert statements on the subject of prevention recently made me sit up and take notice. At the Capital Congress on Medicine and Health, studies from the USA were cited - with some surprising results for me. For example, it was shown that if both the mother and father gain a disproportionate amount of weight during pregnancy, the child has an increased risk of obesity.

Another result on the importance of early preventive measures: Researchers have found that juvenile delinquency, drug abuse or domestic violence, for example, could be reduced through early prevention. 

Taboo subject: mental illness 

As already mentioned, we at Med-X-Press promote the health of the team with specific offers and we need to raise awareness of certain topics in the future. The pandemic in particular and its consequences for people's lifestyles and living conditions have shown us how badly the exceptional situation has affected mental health. Just yesterday, I read about how young people are struggling with the after-effects. Specifically, the number of young people suffering from depression, anxiety or eating disorders has increased massively, in some cases by over 50 percent. 

What can we do? 

How can we as a company react to this, deal with it and make offers? The most important thing is that we must not shy away from addressing taboo subjects. When you consider how much of our lives we spend at work or with professional work, the topic takes on a whole new dimension. I would like to briefly address two of these "critical topics": Burnout and domestic violence

Burnout syndrome is no longer confined to certain professional groups, but has unfortunately reached the general public, with a wide range of effects in the working and private lives of those affected. Initial symptoms in stressful situations often go unnoticed or are pushed aside. This makes it all the more essential to react at an early stage. As a company, we can provide information on the topic in our corporate communications and suggest and offer specific preventative measures. We are currently in talks with various institutions to develop information events or courses, for example. This also applies to the "perceived" even more sensitive and emotional topic of domestic violence. As an initial measure, we are planning to work with our network to provide employees with information on local and regional contacts, which will enable them to make low-threshold contact.

Above all considerations, however, is the willingness to communicate, on both sides. Not only those affected must open up, management personnel must also be willing to enter into conversation and create a trusting framework for this.

I have only touched on a few aspects of prevention promotion; the comprehensive package of workplace health promotion will become a central topic in the future. 

Have you had any personal experience of physical and mental health in the company? How do you feel about these issues? We would be happy to discuss this, I look forward to your feedback:blog@med-x-press.de