The term chronic disease applies to a group of diseases that tend to be long-lasting and have persistent effects. Chronic diseases have a range of potential impacts on a person's individual circumstances, including quality of life, social, professional and financial.

Chronic Diseases such as type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers are becoming more prevalent in Australia’s culture. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare stated that “more than 11 million (50%) of Australians reported having at least 1 of 8 chronic diseases in 2014-2015.” This number is growing.

So what puts you at RISK and how is this impacting the workforce?

There are several RISK factors that contribute to chronic disease. Some are considered to be non-modifiable. We can’t change or do anything about them.

·         Age

·         Sex

·         Family History

·         Cultural background

Then there are the risk factors that are modifiable that we have control over and can change. These include:

·         Weight

·         Waist circumference

·         Blood pressure

·         Cholesterol levels

·         Diet

·         Exercise

·         Stress

·         Smoking

·         Alcohol

There are more RISK factors that we can modify and change than RISK factors we can’t!

If over ½ the population is suffering from chronic disease then this will be effecting our workforce. We have a duty of care as employers to manage our staff through education, support and motivation to help reduce their risk of chronic disease and help employees lead a disease free and healthy life.

The benefits of having healthy staff are commonsensical. Think about it if just 1 staff member has developed a chronic disease let’s say Type 2 Diabetes. How will this be impacting their work performance? Days taken off due to sickness? Their ability to make important decisions because they feel tired or stressed due to the disease? Their productivity and efficiency on the job carrying the weight of this disease?

So now imagine if ½ of your staff were affected by a chronic disease? How will this impact upon the rest of the staff? How will this affect your business? How will this be reflected in the profit margins? It’s going to have a significant impact, right? This issue needs to be addressed and managed before it has a significantly negative and detrimental impact upon the health of your business.

What can you do?

My recommendation is to have a healthcare professional come into your workplace. Diagnose who is at RISK through assessment and data collection of your team. Determining blood pressure, cholesterol levels, glucose levels and an AUSDRISK score of chronic disease. Then medicate the team through a systemized approach that is tailored to the needs of your business, your employees and the health of your business. Through health coaching, leadership health and well-being training and education and training the team around:

·         How to reduce your RISK of chronic disease

·         Nutrition education and addiction

·         Exercise education and weight reduction

·         Stress management and building inner resilience against stress

·         Motivation and making healthy change stick

Natural Health Balance customize health programs for business and help to reduce the RISK of chronic disease in your workforce. Improving the health and well-being of individuals as well as the business. Contact our cardiac nurse Christine for a chat.

Author Bio: Christine Boucher is compassionate and dedicated to helping people and is committed to empowering them to become the best version of themselves so that they can enjoy their own natural vitality. Working as a Mindset & Motivation Health Coach, through preventative health care and motivating individuals to take back control of their own health and well-being. Christine set up Natural Health Balance to work with and advises corporations in best practice health and wellness standards. Educating employees around health ensures the business achieves the highest levels of productivity, efficiency and profitability.

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Yours in health,

Brian