Welcome to Ovation Nation, the Ovation Benefits Blog

It seems so simple…We all want a better healthcare system, and we all want the peace of mind and economic security that universal health insurance offers. Who doesn’t?? But we live in a complex world, and the pursuit of noble goals often takes us to the land of unintended consequences.

This site, as I see it, is a travelogue of sorts. Or perhaps a cautionary Mapquest on the road to healthcare Shangri La. In any case-enjoy—and beware of the potholes!!

Bill Carew – President & CEO, Ovation Benefits

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Gaining Buy-In From The Top


Many companies these days are offering Corporate Wellness programs to their employees. In order for these programs to be successful, you need to gain “buy-in” from the top. This means that upper management needs to talk the talk and walk the walk.
Here at Ovation, they do just that! In a survey, human resources firm Bswift found that the number of companies offering incentives for participation in wellness programs rose from 49% in 2010 to 68% in 2011.

It's better if upper management is on board!

At Ovation, we have used health biometrics as a way to measure the outcome of our wellness program and ensure that employers and workers are seeing results. By measuring cholesterol levels, body mass index, flexibility, endurance etc., the employees have a base line from which to work from and improve on.

Along with a proper diet consisting of plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes, you have to incorporate exercise. At Ovation, not only do we offer healthy snacks, recipes, and cook-off contests, but we have running groups and “Boot Camp” exercise classes on a weekly basis. Although all of these are purely voluntary, the number of employees and management that participate is very impressive.

According to Workforce Management Magazine, a University of Georgia study found that wellness programs that were engaging and supported by managing staff were significantly more effective than a program that was purely informational.

In light of our present weak economic state, your company may be hesitant to invest in a Wellness Program. Please reconsider! Employee wellness programs have shown reduced employee absenteeism, reductions in insurance costs, strengthened employee productivity, and lower turnover rates. Many companies might also agree that a significant amount of their healthcare costs stem from the lifestyle habits of their staff, which suggests that interventions to change unhealthy behavior may be successful in reducing insurance expenditures.

Also, before making any drastic changes, a CEO may wonder what the company’s return on investment (ROI) will be if they decide to implement a Wellness Program. According to an article on the Human Resource Network website, wellness initiatives only need to reduce employee health risk factors by less than 1% in order to start seeing savings on health insurance.

Your employees are very instrumental in helping your bottom line. Isn’t it time to initiate the necessary measures to ensure they are as healthy as they can possibly be?

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Where Did The WIWO Room Go?

This guest entry was written by Jay Fiorello, one of Ovation’s very talented Practice Leaders.

Have I really been at Ovation for seven years? Am I really turning forty in a week? Do I really feel the most physically fit that I’ve felt in my entire tenure at Ovation?

You bet it’s true. I’ve seen an amazing culture transformation at Ovation over the years. We have always been young and energetic, which has brought us a lot of success. We have amassed a wealth of experience, but as we look to the future we must rise to the challenge of battling aging and illness. We must stay physically healthy so this knowledge is not wasted or lost.

Jay Fiorello, Practice Leader for Ovation

Jay Fiorello, Practice Leader for Ovation

It all started with the WIWO room, or the “What’s In What’s Out” room. WIWO is an old term aimed at promoting culture change around our natural tendency to stick to the old ways. Rather, it encouraged us to embrace change and break out of our old habits. We created a WIWO room at Ovation that had couches, stress relievers and games…it was a place to unwind and relieve stress. The WIWO room was the start of a culture shift that focused on work/life balance. Ever since then, the Ovation culture has transformed into something very unique. This brings me to a couple of days ago, which was one of my proudest days as an Ovationite. For me, that day signified that we are poised mentally and physically for the challenges that lay ahead.

I know there were many people acting individually by following their own physical training program or finding time in their busy schedule to get in a run. I know there were others unable to meet their training goals, as they had responsibilities to clients and family. The reason I am writing this post is to recognize that at 4pm on Tuesday, two separate sets of employees participated in physically intense workouts that were truly employee- generated. No Wellness Committee, Wellness and Health Incentive Program, or major corporate sponsorship. It was a workplace culture that has transcended over the last seven years to support each other in staying physically fit.

Seven of us participated in “Boot Camp,” an employee-driven fitness program, right here in one of Ovation’s conference rooms. We received some great post-class responses that ranged all the way from “awesome!” to “exhausting!” There was a sweeping sense of enjoyment from bringing our workouts to a whole new level of intensity, and we are looking forward to the next challenge.

Another eight of us went running all throughout the Batterson Park area and even into parts of New Britain (yes, we admit to getting a little off course). Our post-run commentary was very positive as well; we enjoyed the great weather, had fun as a group, and some of us were even able to exceed our own expectations.

Anyone staying physically fit knows how personally rewarding it can be, but participating as a group brings the motivation and rewards to a whole new level.

Kudos to Loranna for her persistence in getting the participation necessary keep “Boot Camp” running, to John for putting together a group run, and to Steve, our newest member, for just getting out there and making it happen.

As for the WIWO room, well it no longer exists. Its purpose was to inspire us to break out of the habit of sticking to old ways and embracing change. Our current Ovation culture reflects that change, which is why we no longer need the WIWO room. It too has transcended its original purpose.

Get out there,

Jay

Posted in Discussion, Health & Wellness, Personal Change, Workforce Health | 2 Comments

Foods to Help Ward Off the Common Cold

There are a whopping one billion colds in the U.S. each year – this much is a fact. However, what causes colds and what helps you get over a bad case of the sniffles is surrounded by myths and misinformation.

  • Myth or Truth – Washing your hands is your best defense against getting sick. Truth
  • Myth or Truth – You can catch a cold by walking outside with wet hair. Myth
  • Myth or Truth – Drastically changing weather brings on a cold. Myth
  • Myth or Truth – Loading up on “super foods” gives your immune system a fighting chance. Truth

The trick is not waiting until you are feeling under the weather. Studies show that infection-fighting nutrients like zinc and selenium work better before symptoms start. Load up on healthy foods now to keep your body’s defense system strong throughout the season.

The following are five “super foods” that experts recommend:

  1. Raw Kale: Raw kale is one of the best sources of vitamin C and has the added benefit of being low in sugar and high in fiber.
  2. Garlic: Garlic has had a reputation for being an infection-fighting food for a long time. This is due to over100 sulfur-containing compounds in each clove.
  3. Wheat Germ: Wheat germ is one of the richest sources of zinc. Zinc is an important mineral involved in nearly every aspect of immune system regulation. It also helps maintain healthy skin and mucus membranes – the body’s first barriers to infection.
  4. Brazil Nuts: Brazil nuts are the richest source of selenium – a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent cellular damage. Selenium may help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and certain cancers. One word of caution – Brazil nuts are so high in selenium that a single nut has nearly twice the recommended daily dose.
  5. Mushroom Barley Soup: Mushrooms and barley are both high in what’s called beta-glucan. This is a type of carbohydrate that’s found on the cell walls of fungi, yeast, bacteria etc. Researchers say that beta-glucan can stimulate the immune system by mimicking an invading pathogen, which in turn improves the function of immune defense cells.

Although most people usually get one nasty cold during the winter, try incorporating the foods mentioned above – you may be surprised at how healthy you stay!

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Breakfast Alternatives

Skipping breakfast should never be an option. As we have been hearing for years, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! In our house, it’s cereal, cereal, cereal – with a change of pace (pancakes) on the weekend. As I walk down the cereal aisle at the supermarket, it amazes me how many sugared cereals there are. If you look closely though, you can find cereals that are more nutritious, have higher fiber content, and contain less sugar.

Another breakfast alternative is my personal favorite – oatmeal. It can be eaten plain or jazzed up with fruit and nuts depending on what you have in the refrigerator. It is loaded with fiber, low in fat, and has high levels of protein.

If neither of these options float your boat, how about a homemade breakfast bar? These “Easy Peasey Breakfast Bars” aren’t particularly sweet or rich, but they are a satisfying way to start the day. The nuts and eggs in this recipe provide a good amount of protein – far better than buying Power Bars! And for anyone with a gluten intolerance, using nuts/seeds in place of oats is the way to go. Note: there are gluten-free oats out there if you can find them.

Here are the ingredients:
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 cup nuts (I used almonds)
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened, dried coconut
2 eggs
Cinnamon
(optional: raisins or other dried fruit)

Your ingredients!

 

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, spin nuts and seeds down to a powder.
Add oats and coconut, blend. Finally, add bananas (and dried
fruit if you are using it).
3. Mix in eggs. Blend well.
4. Pour mixture into greased pie plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Bake for about 25- 30 minutes. Let cool, then slice into bars.

Mix it up!

Enjoy these bars with a bowl of fresh fruit. What a nice alternative!

The final product - you made it!


Posted in Health & Wellness, Nutrition | Tagged , , | 1 Comment