Weight Control: Manageable Ideas
1. Give yourself time to adjust to new foods. A preference for familiar foods is a positive survival characteristic; if the red berries didn’t make you sick last week, they probably won’t make you sick this week; but if you’ve never tried the blue berries, you want to be careful. If you try the blue berries a few times without getting sick, you may come to like them.
2. Remember your mother telling you “Don’t eat before dinner. It will spoil your appetite?” If you are very hungry at dinnertime, a light snack in late afternoon may do just that for you and make it easier to eat less at mealtime.
3. One pound is about 3,000 calories. That is, if you take in 3,000 more calories than you burn, you will gain a pound; if you burn 3,000 calories more than you take in, you will lose a pound. Dutch pretzels have about 100 calories. Eat one a day more (workersxzcompxzkit) than calories burned and gain a pound a month; 12 pounds a year; 60 pounds in five years. Try to cut down on the high-calorie foods first, but don’t overlook the little things.
4. Although it is difficult to exercise enough to lose weight without controlling diet, some exercise can add up over time. If you are at a stable weight using diet, increasing exercise by 100 calories per day will yield 10 to 12 pounds per year loss.
5. Keeping a diary of what you eat for about a week is often helpful. Make an entry each time you eat anything — even one peanut. Write down: (1) the date and time, (2) what and about how much you ate. (It doesn’t have to be precise, a rough statement is adequate.) (3) how you felt at the time, (4) what you were doing since the last entry.
a. The time helps us figure out if there are patterns to hunger. Sometimes, for example, a light snack an hour or two before a meal quells hunger so you can eat less at mealtime and still feel comfortable.
b. What and how much helps us (1) to spot foods higher in calories than you realize and alert you to the danger and (2) to assess the overall caloric intake.
c. How you felt at the time gives clues to the reasons for eating. A person who reports waking up frequently at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. with a gnawing hunger relieved by a bowl of ice cream may have an ulcer. Treating the ulcer makes better sense than fussing about the ice cream. A person who reports feeling intense hunger, to the point of shakiness, about 11:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m. may be experiencing reactive hypoglycemia. That can be managed without increasing caloric intake, but you need to know that’s the problem. A person who reports, “I had a standing rib roast. I wasn’t really hungry, but everybody in the group was eating the same thing,” needs better friends.
d. What you were doing since the last entry helps figure out how fast you are burning calories. As said above, it is harder to control weight effectively by increasing exercise than by limiting intake, but exercise is important to health in other ways and can help if you are also working on intake.
If you keep this type of diary, it may be best for the first week to simply record without allowing the recording to change what you do. A patient several years ago agreed to keep such a diary and she came back several weeks later 15 pounds lighter. She said she would start to eat something, then think “If I eat this, I’m going to have to write it down,” and refrained. One can’t quarrel with how it worked for her, but it can also be useful to know what the baseline is.
Author: Sanford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH, FACOEM is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at
ssl@hlmconsultants.com. www.HLMConsultants.com
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
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What is Cross-Reference Testing? Cross-reference testing consists of a family of tools for use in physical therapy, industrial rehabilitation and athletic training facilities and may be useful in evaluating workers out on workers' compensation to assess their readiness to return to a transitional duty assignment or full duty employment. How Does It Work? The repeated measures is one of the most basic tenets of science. During testing, experienced claimants are often able to successfully reproduce various physical measurements (hand strength or lifting, for example) not actually reflecting their "best effort." The result may very well be inflated case management costs. To combat this testing "flaw" using "distraction-based testing" whereby activities are repeated in non-obvious ways proves helpful in objectively classifying a valid effort. In the past 20 years, at least 25 published studies show the most commonly used indices of effort (coefficient of variation, bell curve and rapid exchange grip testing) are inaccurate in classifying effort during hand strength assessment. In fact, these methods fail to detect feigned weakness approximately 30% of the time. A more accurate result is reached using a hand strength assessment using the standard Jamar force gauges in a repeated measures protocol where the distraction in the protocol is the inclusion of trials involving simultaneous testing of both hands. (workersxzcompxzkit) In a large controlled study, classification of effort was 99.5% (199 proper classifications in 200 tests). For the past 25 years, the "state of the art" for assessing effort during a lifting assessment is the "visual estimation of effort," a practice opening the door to unnecessary litigation. To overcome this problem a Lever Arm is used in a repeated measures protocol. The claimant's demonstrated physical maxima using unmarked steel bars are compared to the same lifts performed on a simple lever arm system. Persons attempting guess the actual workloads have a very low probability of controlling the outcome of the test. The result is a report providing comparisons of actual physical measurements rather than firmly-help opinion of the test administrator. Author: Darrell Schapmire, MS of X-RTS Software Products & Testing Devices develops distraction-based tests for use in functional capacity evaluations. He can be reached at dschapmire@yahoo.com. Web: http://www.xrts.com/. Click on these links to try it for yourself. WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs. ©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Implementing an Ergonomics Program in Five Steps
1. Find a qualified ergonomics consultant. The consultant should have an advanced degree in Ergonomics or Human Factors. In addition, if they have the CPE or CHFP designation, this indicates they have passed a difficult exam and have demonstrated a breadth of experience in the field. The Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE) is the certifying body for individuals whose education and experience indicate broad expertise in the practice of human factors/ergonomics.
2. Determine who within the company will be the consultant’s main contact and who will communicate internally to schedule the trainings or workplace assessments. This person will most likely be from Human Resources, Facilities, Engineering, or a team combining individuals from multiple departments.
3. Put together injury or complaint history. For small companies this may constitute an informal conversation between the ergonomist and the HR rep to determine (workersxzcompxzkit) the nature and frequency of complaints. A larger company may likely have documentation of complaints and certainly of injuries.
4. Design an ergonomics program combining workplace assessments, training for existing employees, and ongoing training for new employees.
5. Following the workplace assessments, implement the recommended changes whenever feasible, or work with the ergonomist to develop alternate strategies whenever physical changes to the workplace are not feasible.
Author: Hayley Kaye, MS, CPE, is a board Certified Professional Ergonomist specializing in office and industrial ergonomics. She earned her Masters in Ergonomics and Biomechanics from New York University, and an undergraduate degree in psychology from Emory University. She can be reached at hayley@hlkconsulting.com or http://www.hlkconsulting.com/
Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Migraine Headache in The Workplace
Employers need to be aware of several important aspects of migraine headache.
1. It is a very common affliction.
2. It is not the same as the tension-type headaches most people experience at some time.
3. Accurate diagnosis and proper treatment will help many, though not all, employees get through acute attacks without lost time.
4. Medicines designed t o interrupt the onset of a migraine typically take at least 45 minutes to act. In the interim, noise and light may worsen the headache, so a quiet dimly lighted place is helpful in recovery and return to duty.
5. An employer who reasonably accommodate these needs, may find a more loyal, productive employee.
Anatomy of Migraine Headache, not a problem with blood vessels as we used to think. An area usually toward the back of the brain, begins using sugar and oxygen slower than the normal rate. This reduced brain activity gradually spreads over the whole brain, taking about 24 hours to reach its maximum. The headache begins about the time the whole brain is involved. Some changes in the rate of oxygen use persist for as long as seven days after the headache. Some migraine suffers notice a sore feeling in the part of their head affected by the migraine for a day or two after the headache, and many complain of a mental fog or loss of (workersxzcompxzkit) sharpness for a while after the headache. Once the headache starts, there is an interplay with chemicals, transmitting nerve impulses causing inflammation, fifth cranial nerve pain receptors and blood vessels producing some of the symptoms.
Migraine is a brain disorder
Migraine is treated prophylacticly with measures designed to decrease the frequency and/or severity of headaches and using abortive measures designed to relieve the headache once it hits. Prophylactic measures begin with a search for migraine triggers. Some people find becoming too hungry causes a migraine. Others say, certain odors will trigger an attack. Sometimes bright or flickering lights will cause migraine. In many people, though, there is no clear trigger. Keeping a diary of record of what one has been eating, drinking or feeling just before an attack may help identify triggers.
Some migraine suffers have fewer attacks if they receive chiropractic treatment. In others, unconsciously clenching the teeth will lead to headaches and may be relieved by special devices fitted by a dentist. Two classes of prescription drugs used mostly for high blood pressure also decrease attacks in some people, even though migraine has nothing to do with high blood pressure. One group of drugs originally used for treatment of depression helps some, even though there is no causal relationship between depression and migraine. A vitamin, co-enzyme Q10, and an over-the-counter preparation, Petadolex7, have proven more effective in trials than prescription medicines.
A group of medicines called the triptans often abort headaches much more effectively than over-the-counter (OTC) remedies. The OTC remedies often block enough of the pain to permit the sufferer to continue work, but do not completely alleviate all of the migraine symptoms. By contrast, when the triptans do work, they stop almost all of the migraine effects. Not all migraine suffers can safely use triptans. For example, people with high blood pressure ideally need monitoring when they take their first dose, to make sure their blood pressure will not rise inappropriately. Certain migraines, notably basilar or hemiplegic migraine, should not be treated with triptans.
Author: Sanford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH, FACOEM is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at
ssl@hlmconsultants.com. www.HLMConsultants.com
Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator http://www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Why Reduce? According to Sandy Leffingwell, MD, MPH, most people find controlling weight difficult, especially if they eat out often. Extra weight increases pain in the backs, hips and knees. Extra weight contributes to higher workers comp costs due to prolonged healing times and additional complications for individuals who are overweight. We often find that high dollar claims might have been reduced if the claimant had not been overweight.
In the back, extra pressure on discs in the low back causes degeneration of the discs, narrowing the space between vertebrae, leading to pinching nerves emerging between the bony arches behind the blocks of the vertebrae.
In the hips and knees, the pressure leads to erosion of the cartilage between bones. When the cartilage is gone, bone rubs on bone, wearing it away. Bone can repair itself, but if the wear is faster than replacement, the bone get thinner and thinner, eventually developing small fractures. Decreasing the pressure slows the rate of destruction and allows healing to catch up.
These are some simple hints that have helped some people with weight control.
1. When you eat, the small intestine tells the brain when you have had enough by secreting two chemicals. From starting to eat until the signal says “enough!” is usually about 45 minutes. Most people can put away a lot of food in 45 minutes. Try quitting while still hungry, but promise yourself if you are still hungry in 30 minutes, you will go back for (workersxzcompxzkit) more. And, if you are hungry, keep that promise otherwise you won’t believe you the next time you promise yourself. You will find that not only are you not hungry, you have more energy than usual.
2. Choose low fat foods, preferably with whole grains. Fat has about twice the calories per pound of carbohydrates or protein. Whole grains are converted to sugar more slowly than refined sugars or grains, and give your body time to better manage the intake.
3. Keep low-calorie, high-fiber foods (like fruits) available for snacking. It is hard to have a healthy diet if the foods needed to do that are not readily available.
Author: Sanford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at
ssl@hlmconsultants.com. www.HLMConsultants.com
Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact
Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Nasal Allergies Strategy Plan
Prevent build-up of an injurious amount of allergens: Remove allergens from your environment. Concentrate first on the bedroom, as you spend more time there than any other single place. Keep windows closed, do not permit pets in the room and eradicate plants growing near your home causing trouble.
Keep harm at a distance: Wear a respirator (mask) when doing tasks likely to cause a problem. Examples might include cleaning a dusty or moldy storeroom, mowing the lawn or vacuuming carpets.
Keep harm from getting closer: Use cromolyn sodium, an over-the-counter (OTC) nasal spray designed to prevent certain white cells from releasing histamine in response to an allergen. This medication prevents the attack you will have in a few hours, but will not help the attack you are already having –that histamine has already been released. It must be used three or four times a day to be effective, but works well.
Put up a strong barrier: An antihistamine, such as OTC or one of the more popular prescription medications will prevent the released histamine (workersxzcompxzkit) from binding to cells in spite of using cromolyn sodium.
Repel the attack in progress: Use a cortisone-like drug to relieve inflammation caused by antihistamine released in spite of masks and cromolyn sodium and causing inflammation in spite of the antihistamine.
Reach for weapons which, though less effective than the first-line defenses, might still turn the tide. Use decongestants***, like pseudoephedrine. These act like adrenalin to decrease blood flow and hence congestion and edema (swelling) in the nose and decreases secretions.
Things are desperate! Do anything you can: If you have actual sinus pain in the cheeks or around the eyes, or if you have a severe earache, use oxymetazolone nasal spray. This is a last resort, because it is an adrenalin-like medicine that may raise blood pressure and cause nervousness. (Consult your primary caregiver before taking these types of medications, especially if you are elderly, have high blood pressure or other heath problems.) If you use it for more than five days, it may become the problem rather than fixing the problem. It will, however, often provide rapid relief when nothing else does.
You’ve lost. Hope for rescue: If sinus infection has begun, you may need antibiotics. Note, however, infection usually does not occur until late in the illness. The pain results from a pressure difference.
Author: Sanford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at
ssl@hlmconsultants.com. www.HLMConsultants.com
Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact
Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
We intend the outline to provide a rationale explaining what combinations of medicines may be used to control allergies. Use only those steps that are needed to solve the problem for you. In general, try to use remedies toward the top of the list. Reducing the allergic load and using protective masks for special tasks are prudent for everyone with allergic problems. Beyond that, most people prefer to use antihistamines as their sole treatment. Antihistamines usually will work with one or two doses of medicine per day, which is more convenient than the four times a day required for Nasalcrom®. Some people find that antihistamines make them nervous or jittery. Usually, it is not an antihistamine that causes this but rather a decongestant mixed with antihistamines in over-the-counter sinus or cold remedies. Watch for the word "decongestant;" it usually means there is an adrenaline-like drug in the preparation. If antihistamines alone are not adequate, or if they cannot be taken for some reason, the next line of defense usually is a corticosteroid nasal spray to reduce the inflammation caused by the allergic reaction. Again, the reason is mostly the convenience of once- or twice-daily dosing. Nasalcrom® would also be an excellent choice for a second level treatment. For patients using both an antihistamine and a corticoid spray, Nasalcrom® really is the next best addition, despite the need to use four times a day for best effect. Using a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®) would follow as a fourth level of defense. Treatments lower in the outline than the decongestants are usually needed only if the problem developed without warning, so that the other remedies could not be applied in time. If you should reach the point of requiring antibiotics, it is important to use methods to open the sinuses at the same time and afterwards. If you do not, the bacteria causing sinusitis may be destroyed as planned, but may be replaced with a fungal or yeast infection, which is even more difficult to treat. Using a saline solution to rinse mucous out of the nose often helps symptoms greatly. The recipe is 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 quart (~900 mL) water. You can buy a salt solution in a spray bottle and then refill the bottle.
Author: Sanford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at
ssl@hlmconsultants.com. www.HLMConsultants.com
Click on these links to try it for yourself. WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice. ©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Cognitive Distortions and Testing for Truth — It easy to find
Depression: Cognitive Therapy evidence to support a false assumption. Want to believe the earth is flat? Go to Florida and look around; it looks flat. More evidence? Go to west Texas and look around; it looks flat. More evidence yet? Gee, you’re a hard sell. Go to Manitoba and look around; it sure looks flat there. It is only when you look for evidence that the world is not flat that the truth emerges — it’s not flat!
Sometimes someone says, “Nothing I do is right. Everything I do goes wrong.” And this person easily cites lots of things they messed up to support their view. If you look at them and say, “Wait a minute. Your clothes are on right-side-out. Your shoes are on the right feet. You drove here without killing anyone. What do you mean everything you do is wrong?” this may lead to a second cognitive distortion, “Oh, those are little things. It’s the important things I mess up.” One may respond to this statement by saying, ”So it’s only important if you mess up? Does that really make sense? Have you ever tried wearing your shoes on the wrong feet; perhaps it’s more important than you think. And wouldn’t you suppose the person you didn’t kill while you were driving here thinks that’s important?”
It’s been found people’s strengths and weaknesses are often the opposite sides of the same coin. They do what they are good at, when it might be better to try something else. This idea seems to work in depression. People are encouraged to “be responsible” or “take responsibility.” But if people take responsibility for things beyond their capacity to control, it sets them up for failure and depression. Depressed people often seem laudable in their willingness to try to solve problems around them, but when it begins to hurt, it’s time to quit. It may be worthwhile reminding oneself that one does not have to be perfect to be good, and good enough is often just that — good enough. (workersxzcompxzkit) Many problems in life can be approached usefully by first asking “Who owns this problem?” If it really isn’t yours, don’t volunteer!
Note: Knowing this information, may help a WC Manager communicate more effectively with an employee with this type of problem.
Author: Sandford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at ssl@hlmconsultants.com.
Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Understanding Depression – A Definition
Depression is a condition that is often seen in workers who have been out of work for long periods of time.
There are two major schools of thought on the cause of depression. The first holds that depression is the result of chemical imbalances in the brain and advises treatment with anti-depressant drugs. The tricyclic antidepressants, (Elavil®), have fallen from favor, but are still used. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), ( Zoloft®, Prozac®, Paxil®, Lexapro®), are thought to work better with fewer side effects. For many patients, drugs combining the inhibition of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake (SSNRI) seem to be a better choice. If you simply prescribe drugs, more than half of patients will improve dramatically.
A second school holds that depression is the result of ideas people have about themselves. The psychiatrist who advanced this theory noticed most of these ideas held by his patients were wrong, or only partly true. He developed a system, called cognitive therapy, to teach patients to recognize the ideas leading to depression, then to test them to see to what extent they were true or partly true. Treatment using cognitive therapy is usually short-term, less than three months, and demand a bit more work than traditional therapy (workersxzcompxzkit). The therapist may ask the patient to note certain things during the week and be prepared to discuss them at the next session. If you simply use this therapy on patients, about the same percent get well as got well with drugs alone.
Combining drugs and cognitive therapy, results in about half again as many people getting well.
If symptoms are mild and intermittent, try reading Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, by David Burns, M.D. It is a self-help book based on cognitive therapy which psychologists say “got it right” –unusual praise for a self-help book. If there is evidence of bipolar disorder defined as swings in mood from higher-than-normal energy and optimism to spells of depression, then mood stabilizers may work better than anti-depressants alone.
Author: Sandford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at ssl@hlmconsultants.com. www.hlmconsultants.com
Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
Discussion Points for a Smoking Wellness Program
1. For most smokers, only five or six cigarettes a day are fully smoked. The rest of the time, they light up and take a few puffs out of habit. Cutting back to the few cigarettes actually smoked at a time most enjoyed is a good starting point.
2. Keep cigarettes in an inconvenient place; one the smoker can get to, but forces the question: “Do I really want/need this cigarette? Can I wait an hour?. At home, keep them in the freezer and go outside to smoke. In the car, keep them in the back seat. Ask this question: “Can you picture yourself pulling over, stopping, getting out of the car to get a cigarette?” (Anyway, smoking while driving is dangerous.)
3. Temporarily consider switching to a pipe or cigars because the smoker does not have to inhale. However, switch back to cigarettes if inhaling starts. A pipe, (workersxzcompxzkit) in particular, gives smokers something to do with their hands – light it, take a few puffs, tamp the tobacco, relight it, clean the bowl. Caution: if you smoke while watching TV, you can wind up chain-smoking.
4. Try this: Light up, take three puffs, put it out. Relight the same cigarette the next time there is an urge to smoke. (Is it possible the same cigarette could last all day?)
5. Once smoking is reduced as far as a person can go, encourage them to pick a date to quit and go for it. It is easier to quit if everyone quits at the same time. However, each smoker picks the date to quit when ready.
6. Using nicotine gum or patches can help. Zyban7 (bupropion) helps cut the craving for nicotine. Zyban7 is the same as Wellbutrin7 SR, but Wellbutrin7 SR is often less expensive. A new prescription drug, Chantix7, seems to work significantly better than bupropion.
Keep a sense of humor
Author: Sandford S. Leffingwell, M.D., MPH is a board certified specialist in occupational medicine, with degrees from Harvard University, University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He can be reached at hlm@hlmconsultants.com. His website is: www.HLMConsultants.com
WC Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101 www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different so do not implement any cost containment procedures until you have discussed them with your corporate counsel. Your individual doctor must treat medical issues. We are not giving medical advice; this is an overview of wellness topics, not medical advice.�
©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
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