Whilst we can expect people over the age of 70 to start slowing down, it is not necessarily the case for people of working age. As a general rule, poor health and body system dysfunction is not so much related to age as it is to

▪ a toxic environment

▪ low levels of physical activity - in particular sitting down all day

▪ diets high in energy and low in essential nutrients

▪ diets loaded with food additives, sugar and aspartame

▪ over-consumption of alcohol

▪ smoking

▪ an inability to handle the normal stresses of life

▪ a job that does not suit their personality, intelligence strengths or interests

▪ an over-reliance on junk medicine - medicine that is pharmaceutically based and which masks

  symptoms without stimulating the body's own recuperative power.

Whilst what's actually going wrong may be hard to determine, it's the symptoms that suggest something is indeed going wrong somewhere inside (and on the surface) of your body.

BODY SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION

We can put the major body system dysfunctions into three broad categories

- metabolic

- musculo-skeletal

- psychological

A well-rounded corporate health, fitness and wellbeing program aims to reduce the risk of these dysfunctions.

MIND AND BODY PROFILE

The Mind and Body profile provides people with a very good idea of how well the various systems of the body are functioning, particularly the

•      the mind

•      autonomic nervous system

•      immune system

•      digestive system

•      circulatory system

•      elimination system

•      musculo-skeletal system.

On this profile, the lower the score the better.

To complete the profile, circle the number appropriate to the degree to which you experience the symptoms on the left hand side of the page. The greater the symptom, the higher the score.

The score of a normal, fit and healthy human being is less than 20     

Higher scores are symptomatic of dysfunction of one or more body systems.

People with high levels of stress usually score well over 100.

For people with a score of more than 80, the ‘background noise’ of their life is becoming louder and louder. It is hard to concentrate on your work when body systems are dysfunctional.

We know a fit and healthy group when we see the majority of scores below 40. This was not the case with this group. By and large higher scores are usually a reflection of

•      low levels of fitness

•      an inability to deal with what life and work are serving up to them.

Remember, it is not what happens, but how we deal with what happens that determines our level of stress. 

This profile is described as poor. The average score was 83. A lot of people are putting up with a lot of background noise. From my assessment this is not a very fit and health group. The risk of absenteeism, presenteeism and workers' compensation claims is considered high.

SCORES ON EACH ITEM, RANKED - the higher the score the worse the problem

112 people completed the profile. We added the scores for each item. The results appear in the table below.

*Aerobic fitness related

We recommend the organisation focus on dealing with the top 12 items, plus the issues of smoking and depression.

The organisation has a fitness problem. The musculo-skeletal risk is due to low levels of strength and flexibility. Many of the metabolic dysfunction symptoms are related to low levels of aerobic fitness. Improve your aerobic fitness level and there is a good chance they will go away. Click on the Complete Fitness Program for more information for a list of benefits of being more aerobically fit and what you can do to improve it.

Purchase a copy of the Aerobic Fitness Diary.

The smoking scores indicate that the Company has a community average for smokers. We believe this average number of smokers could be reduced dramatically with a concerted campaign to assist smokers and their friends and family members to give it up.

There is a higher than average number of people on anti-depressant medication. I believe that anti-depressant medication without a sustained physical activity program, nutrient rich diet and counseling is a tawdry form of treatment. I recommend the book Healing Without Freud of Prozac by French/American Psychiatrist David Servan Schreiber.

You'll feel better if you exercise with vigor for at least 30 minutes, twice a day. That's walking, shuffling, jogging, swimming, cycling or on the stepper or elliptical at the gym ...

When you're getting 800 or more aerabytes a week, preferably from at least 10 aerobic exercise sessions there's a good chance you'll be feeling a lot better. Increase your intake of essential vitamins, take copious doses of omega 3 fat (2 or 3 fat capsules with each meal), lay off wheat (which sucks energy out of a lot of people and gives them headaches) and improve your posture (it's hard to say you feel 'fantastic' when you've got the posture of a miserable person). You are what you eat. If you want to feel dreadful, eat junk! Eat from the top of the Hourglass.

MIND AND BODY PROFILE

How well people score on the Mind and Body profile provides them with a good indication of how fit and healthy they really are.

I read somewhere that we don't see full blown body system dysfunction until the particular system is 70% dysfunctional. What the Mind and Body profile does is pick up the dysfunctions at an early stage - (you know something's wrong and you feel dreadful but you can't put your finger on the particular system that's causing it. It doesn't matter that you don't know the precise system involved. What you are aware of is that one or more of your systems isn't working at full pitch. The good news is that you can restore function to normal by getting fitter, eating wisely, meditating getting the job you'd love to do ...) Very few people became fitter and healthier in a doctor's surgery!

Being vigorously physically active on a regular and systematic basis is the most powerful symbol of your ability to give back to your Self. On top of that it protects the body from a wide range of dysfunctions and contributes to an enhancement of the body's own recuperative powers.

There is an epidemic of body system dysfunction in our community and it is certainly not caused by a lack of Panadol, Avpro, Diabex, Lipitor, Ventolin, Milantin, Celebrex, Valium, Zoloft, Viagra or Anusol!

The mind/body relationship

The body is an ecosystem of which the mind is an integral part. Major body systems are frequently negatively affected by stress generated in the mind. The body is incapable of dishonesty!

On the other hand, the mind is effected by the healthy working order of other body systems. Certainly it is affected by physical activity, diet, meditation, acupuncture and a low-toxic environment.

People who are physically fit are less likely to become depressed. They are also more likely to have a strong immune system and an autonomic nervous system that is balanced and healthy in its management of key physiological responses. They are healthy and happy. They have normal blood pressure, they sleep like logs, are about their ideal weighty, rarely, if ever get a headache and don't have a crook back.

As your fitness level improves you can be certain that your score on the Mind and Body profile will also. 

MUSCULO-SKELETAL RISK FACTOR

Our musculo-skeletal risk factor profile looked at a range of parameters including mobility, strength and flexibility and whether people are training to keep themselves strong and flexible.

The musculo-skeletal risk factor profile is comprised of a mix of 9 objective and 3 subjective assessments.

•      Current musculo-skeletal condition

•      Age

•      Closeness to ideal weight

•      Abdominal strength test

•      Upper body strength test

•      Flexibility

•      Functional mobility – the ability to sit down and stand up with ease.

•      Shoulder function

•      Dominant hand grip

•      Non-dominant hand grip

A score of 70% is attainable by those who have a regular and systematic training program.

Those scoring less than 70 are not doing sufficient in the way of strength and flexibility exercises. They are therefore exposing themselves to a high risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction. (It would be bizarre for a workplace to offer to pay the rehabilitation costs of people who were not keeping themselves strong enough or flexible enough to do their job without succumbing to musculo-skeletal dysfunction, wouldn't it?)

This risk to The Organisation is high. This is a poor result.

	Not a particularly good result. A lot of people are experiencing pain and discomfort. Those scoring less the 6 need to be required attend a prehab/rehab program, for their own benefit and that of the organisation.		Age is probably wearying them and the years condemning.
	The people who scored 6 were about 10Kg over weight. Those to the left of them are even heavier; a score of 3 is 25kg over weight and 1 is 35Kg overweight.		This is a very poor result. A score of 7/10 requires an achievement of 17 situps in 30 seconds. Those scoring less than 7/10 are at risk of dysfunction because their trunk muscles are not strong enough to hold their body in correct alignment - crook back waiting to happen.
	This result can only be described as fair. It's patchy and those scoring less than 7 are at risk of shoulder and arm dysfunction.		Too many people have difficulty touching their toes. When calves, hamstrings and buttock muscles tighten up you can be certain that backs, necks, shoulders and wrists will soon start to experience pain. Can't blame the pick and shovel or the mouse and monitor for that!
	When you can't get down and up off the floor 7 times in 30 seconds you've got a mobility problem. Fix it! Part of the secret is getting back closer to your ideal weight.		Generally speaking shoulder function was patchy. Good for those who scored 7 or more, but not good for those who scored lower. Can't blame the shovel or the keyboard for that.
Its always the case, few people have a regular strength and flexibility program. The organisation needs to put in train a regular and systematic training program, on site, that includes   1.  specialist prehab and rehab sessions for those at serious risk and those already dysfunctional and on compo   2.  daily 'health huddle' stretch and strengthen sessions in the workplace.
Average score: 53. Not particularly good. This graph show why people are experiencing pain. They are not in particularly good shape. Low levels of strength and flexibility. There is a strong case of the organisation to implement an obligatory strength and flexibility program for those who scored less than 60 in this profile.

Lack of strength and flexibility is something that The Organisation needs to take seriously and monitor carefully and put in place an organisation-wide strategy to improve musculo-skeletal function. By far and away a high proportion of people do not have a strength and flexibility program. As a result they are getting weaker and tighter by the week, thereby exposing themselves and the organisation to risk.

When push comes to shove and people become dysfunctional, it will be The Organisation that ends up paying the high cost of an avoidable musculo-skeletal complaint. Click here to read the article from injury to dysfunction. Click here to read about swifties and fallacies.

In our opinion musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by lack of a regular and systematic strength and flexibility program cannot be classified as an injury. Responsibility for musculo-skeletal dysfunction needs to be sheeted home to individual employees, though it’s unlikely to happen without the establishment of a culture within the organisation that supports, values and understands strength and flexibility.

We recommend a range of strength and flexibility classes that are readily available Australia-wide: -

The Organisation  would place itself in the forefront of OH&S practice if it took the musculo-skeletal risk seriously and moved heaven and earth to educate all staff about this risk and encourage them to take part in a regular strength and flexibility program. Maybe The Organisation and its worker's compensation insurer could invest in a pilot program to increase staff strength and flexibility!

Whilst we rate the score as 'poor', the lack of strength and flexibility training and the results of the people who already report being dysfunctional, together with those who scored poorly in abdominal strength, upper body strength and flexibility is a cause for concern and needs the attention of individual staff and managers. 

Recommendation

We strongly recommend that the people who are in current poor musculo-skeletal condition, and who lack abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility, shoulder function and functional mobility, in particular those who scored less than 60 on the profile, be obligated to attend regular, in-house strength and flexibility classes.

The pressure on the organisation's workers' compensation costs is such that to do otherwise would, in our opinion be to abrogate a responsibility for the prudent management of the organisation's finances.

See the generic list of recommendations.

STRESS RISK

Participants completed a simple stress and relaxation profile designed to assist them in making an assessment of how they were affected by stress. It is based on the habits of unstressed people.

If you do what unstressed people do you are less at risk of becoming stressed. I’m yet to see someone who said they were highly stressed or depressed who got a high score on this profile. A good score is over 70.

•      How would you rate your current stress level

•      Do you get a good night’s sleep?

•      Do you take your holidays?

•      Are you keeping yourself fit and healthy?

•      Is there balance in your life?

•      Do you take time off at lunch time?

•      How many hours a week do you work?

•      Are you good at giving back to your Self?

•      Do you meditate?

•      Are you happy with your family (and romantic) life?

The matter of stress always needs to be addressed by organisations as part of a personal development thrust, and aimed at all staff. If stress management type programs are to be conducted, all staff need to be involved, otherwise those at most risk and those who are currently most stressed (and too wrapped up in their own busyness) will not attend.

For those who spend long hours at work, I often wonder whether the behaviour is externally or internally driven. I suspect the latter. No body on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'

A few people are struggling with their family life. This is another fertile  area for personal development and counseling programs. It's hard to concentrate at work when your home life is in turmoil

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6           

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10. 

	As a group this is a good profile. Most people are managing stress well.		This is a fair to muddling result.
	This is a poor score. Too many people not taking good long holidays.		A poor score. This is people's own assessment of how fit and healthy they are keeping themselves. It's not a pretty picture. time for the organisation to step in.
	Reasonable.		A poor result. There shouldn't be too many obstacles in the way of getting out and about during lunch time - going to the gym. Come a bit earlier so you can take a good, guilt free lunch hour.
	A very pleasing result.		Another poor result. People don't have time for themselves. Who do they have time for? Strange!
	Very few people meditate. The benefits are compelling.		Family life satisfaction is fair to good.
Average score: 56. This is a patchy score. Far too many people scores less than 70. Far too many people aren't doing the things unstressed people do to maintain a stress free life. Knowing the country environment I'd expect scores to be better than this. Start giving back to your Self.

CAREER SATISFACTION

The parameters in the profile relate to a mix of factors influences by the participant, management and their colleagues.

•      How close are you to doing the job you’d really like to be doing?

•      Are you in the right job for now?

•      Is work giving you life or sucking life out of you?

•      Are you focused on your career options?

•      Do you get good feedback from your manager?

•      Do you receive an appropriate financial reward?

•      Do you feel you and your work are valued and appreciated?

•      Do you work for an organisation that cares about people?

•      Do you enjoy the company of the people you work with?

•      What’s the level of morale like in your work group?

Normally, when results on the overall career profile are less than 70/100, people agree that they’re not in the right job. Certainly those scoring less than 60 have sufficient issues relating to career management as to seriously consider going somewhere else.

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6           

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10. 

	Patchy - too many people too far away from what they want to do.		This is a good set of numbers, though there's a tail that suggests a number of people are not in the right job. Managers, get cracking and assist people to get the job they'd love to have.
	A reasonable score.		Reasonable. If you're not focused, rest, assured that nobody else is going to be focused on your behalf! If you're not moving forward, sure as eggs your career will start going backwards.
	This is usually the worst answered of all the questions and this graph is no exception. Too many staff are not getting good feedback. If you're not getting good feedback, get on the front foot and manage up. I tell managers to get on the front foot and manage down!		With a few exceptions, these people are highly satisfied with what they sell themselves for. If you're not, there could either be some wrong with the product or it's customers are not prepared to pay any more for it.
	In the main work is valued and appreciated.		This is a very good set of numbers. Compared with other organisations, people think they work for a caring organisation. Management take a bow, a pat on the head and a bag of lollies.
	This is an exceptionally good score. People like working with each other.		This is a good morale score - again, with as couple of exceptions. It's usually the case that our morale is good when my morale is good.
Average score: 67. Compared with other groups, this is a good score. We have only seen one organisation get an average score over 70. People who score less than 60 are probably in the wrong job.

RECOMMENDATIONS

See the generic list of recommendations.