========================== JeffNEWS, January 10, 1995 =========================== You & Your Health A New Year, A New You --------------------- Would you like to stop smoking, control your weight or get into better shape? Then don't let anything keep you from signing up for these Health Awareness Program classes: o Smoke Stoppers (SM) smoking cessation program - free introductory classes on Tuesday, January 10, and Wednesday, January 11, from noon to 1 p.m. or 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The fee for employees is $60, with a full refund for those who complete the course and remain smoke-free for six months. For the location of the introductory class and to reserve your seat, call the Health Awareness Program at 6319. o Weigh to Go (SM) group weight management program - free introductory classes will take place on Wednesdays, January 18 and 25, from noon to 1 p.m. The classes themselves will take place Wednesdays, from February 1 through April 19, from noon to 1 p.m. The $70 fee for employees includes two personal sessions with a registered dietitian. Those who attend nine of the 10 sessions and at least one personal meeting will receive a rebate of $35. For the location of the introductory class and to reserve your seat, call the Health Awareness Program at 6319. o Fitness classes - high and low impact aerobic dance, step aerobics, slide aerobics, conditioning, martial arts and yoga are available. Registration will take place through Friday, January 13, in the Health Awareness Program offices, Suite 100, 1015 Chestnut Street, or the Activities Office, B-100, Jefferson Alumni Hall, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Look for the schedule announcing our new winter lineup in interoffice mail, or, for more information, call 6319. Improve the Management Of Your Diabetes --------------------------------------- The Joslin Center for Diabetes at Wills and Jefferson offers an advanced three-day course in diabetes self-management for people with Type-I or Type-II diabetes who take insulin. The upcoming classes take place from Tuesday through Thursday, January 31 through February 2; Tuesday through Thursday, March 7 through 9; Tuesday through Thursday, April 18 to 20, and Tuesday through Thursday, June 6 through 8. You will receive group and individual instruction on insulin adjustment, monitoring of blood-sugar levels, exercise, nutrition, family and social issues, prevention of complications and much more. The fee for the January 31 through February 2 class is $257, plus $20 for educational materials. A nondiabetic partner is welcome to attend, free of charge. Medicare Part B and some private insurance policies may cover this cost. Class size is limited; advance registration is required. For more information, call Gary Scheiner at the Joslin Center, 215- 928-3147. Making Your Work Area Ergonomically Correct ------------------------------------------- We all know that overdoing it at the gym can take its toll on your body, but working at a computer can also cause a variety of physical complaints. Postural woes, including neck and back pain, and sore muscles, headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, tension and fatigue can result from a poor fit between you and your work station. However, good ergonomics - arranging and adjusting your work station to make it more user friendly - can help make work less painful on your body. Jolene Shaw, environmental health and safety, offers these suggestions. o Practice good posture at your desk. Sit in a relaxed position, with spine and head upright. Avoid bending forward at the waist or you'll lose the support of your chair. o Adjust your chair. The backrest should fit snugly against your lower back. If you can't adjust the backrest, support your back by placing a small thin, firm pillow or rolled-up towel behind your waist. In addition, the proper chair height helps prevent stress and tension in your neck and shoulders. To check, place your fingers on the middle row of your keyboard, with your upper arms hanging comfortably at your sides. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor. There should be three to six inches of legroom between your lap and the desk. o Reorganize your work area. Reach for the stars, not the phone, notepad or rolodex. Instead, keep the things you use most frequently within easy reach. The top of your computer screen should be no higher than eye level, and the screen should be about an arm's length away from your eyes. Place your document holder at the same height as the screen so you don't crane your neck. Your wrists should be straight and relaxed while on the keyboard. o Check the lighting. Minimizing glare from lamps or sunlight and adjusting the screen's contrast and brightness can reduce eyestrain. So can investing in a glare-reducing computer screen. Look up frequently from the screen to ease eye, neck and back strain, and remember to blink your eyes periodically to prevent dryness. The computer program "Ergosmart," which allows you to assess how user friendly your work station is, is available free of charge at Computer Prescriptions. Simply bring in a blank disc, and they'll copy the program for you. You can also contact environmental health and safety at 5852 for an ergonomic survey of your work area. Hand Hygiene Can Keep You Healthy --------------------------------- Mom was right: washing your hands before you eat is a good idea. In fact, it's the number one way to prevent infection. Up to one million disease-causing microbes can fit on the point of a needle, says Jefferson's Donald Jungkind, PhD, director of microbiology, and in some instances, it takes as few as 10 bacteria to make you ill. While good patient care includes good hand washing and while surgeons go through a lengthy hand-and-arm-scrubbing process before beginning an operation, for the average person it takes just 15 seconds of vigorous scrubbing, using soap and running water, to adequately cleanse hands of germs and bacteria. Dr. Jungkind and other infectious disease experts say always wash your hands before and after handling food, after using the bathroom, and after handling infected material from another person such as cleaning a child's runny nose or changing a baby's diaper. When Is Your Headache The Sign of Something Serious? ---------------------------------------------------- Almost everyone has an occasional tension headache. Pain relievers work well and soon your headache is gone. But if you experience any of the following symptoms, something other than a tension or migraine headache may be causing your pain, or they could be a warning sign of a more serious disorder. Kenneth R. Epstein, MD, internal medicine, recommends you consult your physician if your headache: o Is sudden and severe, or is "the worst headache of your life" o Affects one side of the head o Is associated with pain in the eye or ear o Is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, hallucinations or sensitivity to light and sound o Is accompanied by weakness or numbness of an arm or leg o Is accompanied by fever or a stiff neck o Results in confusion or loss of consciousness o Is persistent, when previously you've been headache free o Interferes with your ability to function normally at work or in social situations ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Information provided by: Editor, JeffNEWS (215) 955-6204 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------