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Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald is all smiles
as she has her blood drawn for the 2
Peachtree worksite wellness insulin program.
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Each morning during the last week, Georgia Department of
Public Health (DPH) employees at 2 Peachtree who signed
up to participate in the new worksite wellness pilot
program rolled up their sleeves for a blood draw. The
blood draws were to test the person's level of insulin.
Elevated insulin levels can be an indicator for
increased blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and
other chronic diseases. When Commissioner Brenda
Fitzgerald, M.D., proposed the idea of the new worksite
wellness program, she wanted people to be aware of their
body's insulin level. "By knowing their numbers, and
what those numbers mean, I believe that people can take
control of their health and make important steps toward
better health outcomes," she said.
Called InSTEP (Insulin Support, Tips and Exercise
Program), the program aims to improve the health of
Public Health employees at 2 Peachtree through
nutritional change and exercise. Dr. Fitzgerald has
dubbed the elements of the program the "ABCs of
Health" and they are:
Activity every day. Participants are encouraged to
do something good for their health three times each
day, at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm by taking five
minutes to be active. At noon, participants are
encouraged to take 15 minutes to be active.
Participants are given a list of exercises they can
perform at their desks, a link to the website to
view the correct way to conduct the exercises, and
are encouraged to take their longer breaks to go on
a walk.
Beware of fakes. Participants are encouraged to read
food labels and avoid processed and fake foods like
artificial sweeteners and trans fats.
Choose a change. Participants are encouraged to
eliminate simple carbohydrates such as white rice,
white potatoes, white flour and white sugar from
their diets or choose another healthy change like
taking the stairs or drinking more water.
Along with the blood draw for the insulin test,
participants also allowed recording of their blood
pressure, height, weight and waist circumference.
In three months, participants will return for a
second blood draw to find out if the knowledge of
their starting insulin levels and the implementation
of the "ABCs of Health" led to a reduction in
insulin levels. To track their ABCs, participants
will login to a website each day and record their
activity and healthy changes.
"I'm excited about this program," said Dr.
Fitzgerald, shortly after having her blood drawn. "I
think it is going to be really great. We are Public
Health. We should be examples and shouldn't just
talk about it."
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Sid Barrett, General Counsel, is
participating in the new worksite
wellness insulin program to learn more
about his health and take steps to stay
healthy. |
Sid Barrett, General Counsel, DPH, is
participating in the project to support
Public Health and make a few changes of his
own. "I want to learn more about my blood
chemistry and make a few healthy changes,"
he said.
When asked what change he will choose, Barrett
stated that he had not completely decided, but
he knew he was going to start taking the stairs
to and from his 15th floor office. He also cooks
the PHWEEK healthy recipe each week.
-Story by Kimberly Stringer, DPH
Communications
