School Board of Martin County

WELLNESS TIP OF THE MONTH

July - More Sun Safety

Tanning and excessive sun exposure can cause severe damage to eyes

Americans spending an average of 3.5 hours per day outdoors – this amounts to more than 1,000 hours of UV damage to their eyes each year. Whether playing on the beach or pulling weeds in the backyard, everyone should wear eyewear that blocks 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays in conjunction with a brimmed hat. Wraparound sunglasses are the most effective in protecting the delicate skin around the eyes as well.

Children are also susceptible to UV damage and should be encouraged to wear UV-blocking eyewear for all daytime outdoor adventures, specifically between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when UV rays are the most intense. Eye protection should even be worn during overcast days.

People who have had cataract surgery or other retinal disorders, and people who take certain medicines, such as tetracycline, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics and tranquilizers, are also at special risk for eye damage.

For more information on the dangers of UV exposure and how to choose the best options for adults and children, please visit www.preventblindness.org/uv or call 1-800-331-2020.

The Risk Management and Employee Benefits Department held its second annual “Building Healthy Lifestyles” wellness fair on Saturday, February 2nd. We hosted 25 different companies and gave out nearly 50 vendor door prizes.

There was a definite increase in attendance this year and we would like to thank all those who came out to join us. A few notables: Payroll was the only department that the entire staff attended; almost every school site was represented with Crystal Lake Elementary having the most employees there and Superintendent Wilcox stopped by as well.

We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and we are looking forward to the third annual event in 2009!

We are going to be promoting wellness to our employees and their families even more. Watch for upcoming resources for you to use in your everday life. Our goal is to help you feel better, get healthy and stay that way.

In the meantime, here are some tips to things you can do to start "BUILDING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES"...

Prevention - Regular visits to your primary care physician and regular health screenings can protect you and your family from preventable illnesses. There are no fees for mammograms and diagnostic exams with our Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance.
Nutrition - Healthy eating is a great place to start. Why not try fruits and veggies for snacks instead of sweets?
Quit Smoking! - There are various smoking cessation programs, different products and even new medications to help. A medical FSA will reimburse the cost of most smoking cessation products or programs. It's never too late to benefit from quitting!
Exercise/Lose Weight - Did you know that by walking just 30 minutes a day can delay the onset of disability by 12 years? Or that consuming just 100 calories less a day = a loss of 10 pounds in a year?
Stress Management - Relax and take time for yourself. Learn of different ways to help reduce stress in your life.