Health and Wellness Programs

By: Dr. Susana M. Balingit Chair, Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine De LaSalle Health Sciences Institute, Dasmarinas, Cavite

1.0 Rationale In line with the growing global trend to encourage and promote health and wellness, short courses on health promotion and disease prevention are launched to encourage healthy eating and stress the importance of good food and proper nutrition to maintain a healthy and productive work force. The envisioned health and wellness program will enable individuals, agencies and institutions in both the public and private sectors to realize that the health and well being of everyone will eventually bring about less absenteeism, better work quality and increased productivity which all contribute to continuing financial stability. The short courses and related services designed to help achieve health and wellness shall focus on general lifestyle-related diseases and ailments, dietary and nutritional factors that affect physical/emotional/mental health and other health-related knowledge, traditions and practices that may impinge on the well being of everyone. In sum, the outcomes of the short courses and services will directly benefit not only the health and well being of the work force, but significantly contribute to the financial wellness of the nation as well. 2.0 Short Courses The envisioned short courses are designed to educate individuals about food, nutrition and health-related issues including the following: 2.1 Food, Nutrition and the Human Body Understanding the Human Body A brief but functional overview of anatomy and physiology of the human body Why the Body Fails Effects of different foods on the human body Healthy Weight for a Change Overcoming the causes of obesity Food, Nutrition and Wellness You are what you eat Creating viable support structures for good food

2.2 Cooking demonstrations The cooking demonstrations will enable participants to learn how to cook and prepare a wide variety of simple, delicious and nutritious meals and enjoy the experience of healthy eating.

Healthy eating involves consuming a wide range of natural whole foods, including organic unpolished rice, locally grown and in-season vegetables and fruits, whole grains, fish and other sea food/sea vegetables, meat and eggs from organically raised livestock and poultry, nuts, beans, legumes and root crops. Enjoying a variety of foods from each of the food groups provides nutritional benefits that help you stay healthy, live longer and reduce the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases. Sample dishes or recipes that are both delicious and healthy will be a regular feature of the cooking demonstrations. If necessary, these recipes or dishes can even be tailored to suit the demographic requirements of specific industry workplaces (e.g. emphasis on certain dishes for people who work in heavily air-conditioned workplaces, those who work during graveyard shift, or those who work in warm or humid temperatures). Cooking courses can be focused on topics like the following: Preparing fast, affordable and healthy meals Preparing meals that make use of locally available and in-season ingredients or eating in harmony with the environment Preparing meals that can be shared with the family or in the workplace Preparing healthy meal makeovers or learning how to cook healthier versions of popular traditional or regional dishes or recipes (e.g. kare-kareng gulay, dinuguan using black and red beans, vegetable and tofu afritada, dinakdakan na puso ng saging, etc)