Purely Health + : motivate your workforce through star jumps and bananas!

Sickness absence costs employers at least £11billion each year.

[UKPRwire, Fri Jan 27 2006] Sickness absence costs employers at least £11billion each year. Purely Health+ (part of nationwide organisation, Purely Nutrition www.purelynutrition.com) tackles the problem head on by helping organisations from small bakeries to large multinationals adopt a healthy policy to aid their workforce with the aim of reducing absenteeism.

Nutritional Director, Dr Jennie Cockroft: “Having spent 9years working in the area of food choice behaviour, I have put my knowledge and experience into developing healthy eating and physical activity programmes for every kind of workplace, to give key consistent messages coupled with the skills to make informed choices about food and physical activity. Our team of nutritionists have developed a variety of workshops for the purely health + programme, we know they can help to educate people about healthy diets and lifestyle. To quote from the recently published House of Commons Health Committee report on obesity, ‘Obesity has grown by 400% in the last 25 years’. A principle area in the fight against obesity is ensuring that people are well educated as to what a healthy diet and lifestyle is.”

Purely Health + programmes focus on the development of core skills required to manage a healthy lifestyle in a modern society that both tempts and encourages bad dietary habits, inactivity and poor health. As a society we are bombarded with fad diets and misguided messages, it is imperative that employees look at addressing healthy lifestyles in order to combat severe long term health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Stress-related conditions, coupled with musculoskeletal disorders are now the most common reported cause of work-related sickness absence. Stress, fatigue and low productivity all have one thing in common … they can all be improved through healthy food choices and physical activity.

The Purely Health + programmes are run by specialist consultants, drawn from Purely Nutritions’ nationwide network of nutritionists and dieticians. The consultant is positioned within the clients workplace and provides a comprehensive audit of the workplace and workforce policies and practices with regards to healthy eating and physical activity. The consultant listens to the clients needs and can design a bespoke programme, encompassing tailor-made nutritional guidance and support, to help staff experience good health, energy and vitality. The full audit report can be used as part of the company strategy and delivered to shareholders as part of the overall CSR plan.

Jennie Cockroft: “We recognise the vital importance for members of staff, at all levels, to be in the best health they can be. It makes good business sense to invest in your employees and offer your staff a chance to look, feel and think better, ultimately creating a healthier and more engaged workforce”.

One suggestion the consultant may recommend is Bodyblitz (www.bodyblitzuk.com) a complete online solution for all staff, the site provides healthy eating and physical activity information, written by qualified health professionals it includes a weight management programme, meal planning, personal training programmes and much more.

Jane Burgess, Harrogate Spa Water: “ We would highly recommend the Purely Health+ online solution as it is easy to incorporate into the daily routine and maintain a healthy workforce. The Bodyblitz site offers a wealth of information and gives great advice on lifestyle and diet to time poor staff. The recipes and interactive area were really helpful. This is a great solution to be used to aid CSR. Our staff have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

As well as BodyBlitz, there are a variety of optional programmes which can be provided as ‘one off’ healthy message workshops or, can be a week long or monthly solution which focuses on various areas of gaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Ends

For more information please visit www.purelynutrition.com / contact Sorrell Fearnell: 01423 858123

Notes to Editors:

Bodyblitz 7-day free trial available – visit www.bodyblitzuk.com.

Workshops details can be provided:
Via a variety of interesting and informative workshops (for a full list of all 13 workshops contact sorrel@purelynutrition.com), the nutritionist can engage with the employees and communicate important nutritional messages. Workshops last for 50minutes and can include details on how to eat foods which control your blood glucose levels, ideas on breakfast, lunch time and evening meal balanced options. The workshops can tackle the importance of the importance of maintaining a healthy heart and physical activity.

Alongside the workshops there will be monthly themes relating to healthy eating, physical activity and stress management. Every company will have a dedicated registered nutritionist or dietician to work with. They will set up a colourful, enticing and informative health display on the monthly theme in a visible area of the workplace (this display will be left on show until the next visit when the theme will be changed). They will distribute themed health information via leaflets and other relevant materials to interested employees, they will be available throughout the day (whenever it is deemed to be most appropriate), manning the display stand and offering one-on-one advice to employees on the monthly topic. Where applicable they will work with the catering team to provide at least one theme day a month around food in-line with the relevant health topic.

On a much smaller scale, businesses can opt for a cost-effective DIY solution, subscriptions for one year and receive fun, bright and informative fully-equipped display packs on different topics every month, covering healthy eating, physical activity and stress management. Display packs include a photograph of the finished display, all posters, information sheets, leaflets and signposting to further information.

Extensive options include sourcing healthier vending machines; catering options; fair trade and environmentally-friendly products and even advice on installing a company gym.

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