As mentioned in the North Dakota Safety Council newsletter, “every day we make decisions that have a direct impact on our health and well-being. Albeit, we try to avoid injuries – let’s be sure that if an injury does occur, we still protect our health.” When we talk about being healthy, there are so many things to think about and factor in; substance abuse, diabetes, fitness, cardiovascular health, nutrition, smoking, women and men’s health…where could we begin?
Let’s start with nutrition.
Nutrition plays a factor in everything that we do, on the job and off the job, so it is important to be aware of your own nutrient intake. For example: you want to be conscious on the job of your hydration levels, consuming diet sodas and sports drinks sometimes cause more harm than good. There are numerous guidelines available for us to try, use, and follow. What I’ve noticed over the 20 years of giving advice on how we can stay safe when we keep ourselves healthy is the following similarities:
BUILD A HEALTHY BASE:
- Use My Plate from the USDA to help guide your food choices (to the right)
- Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily
- Keep the food safe to eat
CHOOSE SENSIBLY:
- Choose a diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol and moderate in total fat
- Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake or sugars
- Choose and prepare foods with less salt
- If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation
Nutrition is not the only factor that plays a role in our health. For information on general national safety statistics based on age group and career, the National Safety Council has created a form you can complete for your use https://www.nsc.org/forms/safetycheckup.aspx
– Joe Tongson, Health and Safety Director
For more information on our commitment to workplace safety please visit our website. For further information on National Safety Month and what you can do to promote safety in your home and workplace, visit the National Safety Council website.
