The DOC Nutrition Clinic® is available for wellness programs in the workplace
as well as for groups and organizations in the community. Scroll down to see a list of lectures, programs, and screenings that can be done.
Workplace Wellness Makes Economic Sense
As a clinical nutritionist I believe good nutrition is the key to good health. Simply put, the food we eat is the fuel for our body. However, eating healthy is certainly not without its challenges, especially with all of the food choices that are available. We are constantly bombarded with messages that tell us to eat this, not that and quite frankly, it is very confusing for most people. What we think may be healthy or all natural may actually be loaded with unhealthy fats, chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors and flavorings that wreak havoc in us and make us sick. In addition, convenience foods are often touted as being cheaper than healthy foods as well as being quick and easy. Manufactured foods are intentionally engineered to be addicting. The food industry is a business with profit as the bottom line, not concern for your health.
Unfortunately, eating unhealthy can lead to many diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, cancer, liver disease, digestive disorders, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders and infertility, birth defects, migraines and allergies, as well as behavioral problems and learning disabilities. And this is just the short list! Many of these diseases are at or are reaching epidemic levels and continue to rise. We are a nation that is overfed yet we are more malnourished, sicker and have higher rates of chronic disease than most other countries.
As an example, heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States with 650,000 annual deaths despite all of the advances we have made in medicine. Estimated health care costs in 2009 were over $475 billion but this figure does not take into account the costs in terms of human suffering. In his Lifestyle Heart Study, Dr. Dean Ornish demonstrated the reversal of established heart disease with lifestyle changes and in fact, nearly 80 percent of all heart disease is indeed preventable with lifestyle.
In addition we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic that affects not just adults but our children as well. Two thirds of all adults are either overweight or obese and more than 23 million children and teenagers are overweight. Following the obesity epidemic will be the epidemic of diabetes. Today, nearly 24 million children and adults have the disease and nearly 6 million people are unaware that they may have it. Another 57 million people have elevated blood glucose levels and are considered to have pre-diabetes. In just the
last decade alone, the number of new cases of diabetes has increased by 90 percent and it is now estimated that one in three Americans born in the year 2000 or after will develop the disease in their lifetime. The good news is that type 2 diabetes is nearly 100 percent preventable; however, if this epidemic is not halted, it will surely cripple our economy financially and will impact your business as well.
Just as we are what we eat, likewise, we are what we think. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress is America’s number one health problem. Not only that but it has been implicated as a contributing factor in most chronic diseases. In fact, 75 to 90 percent of all doctor’s visits are for stress related ailments and complaints. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace and in 2010 it cost American industry more than $300 billion.
Since people spend approximately one third of their life at their place of employment, instituting workplace wellness programs makes a lot of sense. Historically, corporate wellness has been characteristically underused but is now a concept whose time has come. Workplace wellness programs not only reduce companies' healthcare spending through better employee health but also improve employee retention and overall morale.
The number of companies getting involved in workplace wellness is growing, driven by the rising costs they face in providing healthcare coverage for their employees. Additionally, healthcare reform expands coverage for preventive services which gives companies incentives to offer some kind of healthcare screenings.
Businesses typically save about three dollars in healthcare costs and absenteeism for every one dollar they put into such programs, noted several speakers at the European Society of Cardiology's EuroPrevent meeting. Furthermore, studies consistently show workplace wellness programs to be cost effective although the magnitude of savings varies. A review of 32 studies suggested that corporate wellness programs reduced healthcare claims by 27.8 percent, physician visits by 16.5 percent, hospital admissions by 62.5 percent, disability costs by 34.4 percent, and incidence of injury by 24.8 percent. In addition, indirect benefits included improved employee retention and morale.
More than 75 percent of employees' healthcare costs are related to lifestyle choices. The lowest cost interventions such as health education and screening, offer the highest return on investment. Cardiovascular disease, and the risk factors that contribute to it including smoking and a sedentary lifestyle, is the number one target of workplace wellness programs as it remains the number one cause of death.
Therapeutic lifestyle changes including dietary modification, physical activity, weight loss if needed, and stress reduction are all necessary components to good health. As a clinical nutritionist it is my mission and my passion to teach people about good nutrition and how to weed through the nonsense, and achieve better health through nutrition.
The following is a list of workplace wellness programs and services that can be provided at your business or organization. Programs can be added or tailored to meet your company’s specific needs and goals.
LECTURES
- Metabolic Syndrome: The Stepping Stone to Heart Disease and Diabetes
- Nutrition 101
- Nutrition for Heart Health
- High Blood Pressure – Part I & II
- High Cholesterol – Part I & II
- Nutrition for Diabetes - Part I & II
- Nutrition for Weight Loss
- Mindful Eating
- Smoking Cessation
- Stress Management (includes foods that relieve stress)
- Relaxation and Stress Reduction Techniques
- The Benefits of Meditation
- Laughter, the Best Medicine
- How to Read Food Labels
- The Benefits of Exercise
- 50 Ways to Add Physical Activity into Your Life
- Nutrition and Physical Fitness
- Plant Sterols
- Healthy and Unhealthy Fats
- The Pitfalls of Sugar
- The Salt Dilemma
- Supplements
- Portion Distortion
- Tips for Eating Healthy When Dining Out
- Healthy Tips for the Holidays
- Healthy Breakfasts in Minutes
- Groovy Smoothies (includes demonstration and tasting)
- Healthy Snacks
- It’s a Wrap
- Super Salads
- Meatless Mondays
- Fabulous Fiber
- Glorious Grains
- Super Foods
- Toxic Foods
- Transitioning to a Vegetarian Diet
- Nutrition for Sustaining the Planet
- Nutrition for Boosting Immunity
- Nutrition for GI Disorders
- Acid Reflux
- Celiac Disease
- IBS
- Recipe Tweaking For Better Health
- How to Use Herbs and Spices
- Healthy Foods Under One Dollar Per Pound
- A Healthy Lifestyle is a Family Issue
- How to Stay Motivated With Lifestyle Changes
12 WEEK PROGRAMS
- High Cholesterol Boot Camp
- Mindfulness Based Eating
SCREENINGS
- Blood pressure
- Glucose
- Cholesterol
- How Healthy Are You? Health Assessment Questionnaire
GROUPS
· Meditation Group
· Laughing Yoga
· Walking Group
· Diabetes Education Class
· Weight Loss Support Group
· Grocery Shopping Tours
· Cooking Classes
Lectures are scheduled for one hour but may be done as two classes, thirty minutes each.
12 Week Programs are priced per person and include a weekly one hour class plus an individual consult and four individual follow up visits. Groups and screenings are scheduled for one hour or longer as needed. Lectures, groups and screenings can be done on a weekly or monthly basis.
The Meditation Group is offered free of charge and can be utilized one time per month.
There is a $50.00 set up fee for all lectures, screening and groups which covers transportation and preparation. Refreshments and food expenses are the responsibility of the workplace. Lunch & Learn attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch.
Please call 203.269.2852 for any questions and to discuss pricing.
About Lisa
Lisa has been a Registered Nurse (BSN, RN) since 1990 and became Board Certified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (MSN, APRN-BC) in 2002. She has a second Master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences (MS) which she completed in 2006 and since then has had her own nutrition practice in Wallingford, CT which specializes in the treatment of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. She herself has struggled with weight and had pre diabetes but has been able to lose weight and prevent diabetes using lifestyle changes. Her education, clinical background, world travels including trekking in the Himalayas, and unique experiences have allowed her to approach nutrition from a holistic perspective which she integrates into her practice. She has lectured and given classes in the nutrition clinic as well as at numerous places in the community including:
Mark T. Sheehan High School
Lyman Hall High School
Hamden High School
Wallingford Department of Health
Wallingford Fire Department
Wallingford Utilities Department
Wallingford YMCA
Healthtrax North Haven
Bristol Meyers Squibb