We kicked off the year with a newsletter encouraging the importance of wellness and wellness programs. Did you follow suit and establish some lifestyle goals for yourself, and have you continued to embrace the benefits of a healthy lifestyle? If you can honestly say that you are exactly where you want to be, well done! However, if the year has already gotten ahead of you with busy days and you are struggling to keep up with your wellness plan, then we recommend joining a wellness program. Having one will encourage you and remind you of your health goals, and reward you along the way.
Whether you are a die-hard and have kept to your wellness plan for the year, someone who has fallen a little behind, or even that person who hasn’t focused on a healthy lifestyle; then this newsletter is for you as we discuss the benefits of being a part of a wellness program.
WHY IS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SO IMPORTANT?
Research studies related to wellness indicate that South Africans who take good care of themselves and make healthy lifestyle choices are healthier, happier, more productive, miss fewer workdays, and have lower healthcare costs.
People today are busy, which means there may be little time available for really taking good care of themselves. Unfortunately, busy schedules without proper self-care lead to little or no exercise regime, unhealthy eating habits, poor sleep, added stress, and missed medical checkups.
If you don’t have any medical issues, you’re one of the lucky few. However, there could still be room for improvement when it comes to your well-being and establishing a healthier lifestyle, even if you think you make the cut for borderline healthy. In fact, things you brush off daily could be signs that you’re actually not taking such great care of yourself. Some of these signs are below:
You suffer from brain fog and forgetfulness:
You have a low sex drive:
You are extremely stressed out, anxious, or depressed:
You feel tired and fatigued all the time:
You have muscle twitches in your legs
Your hands and feet tingle.
Your skin is very dry.
Your skin may flare up with a rash or acne.
You are always tired in the afternoon.
THE BENEFITS OF A WELLNESS PROGRAM
Wellness is the process of being aware of your actions and making choices that help you lead a healthier lifestyle. If you need a little more encouragement and motivation, then a wellness program is definitely worth considering.
Below are some key benefits of joining a wellness program:
They help improve health behavior and mental wellbeing. People change behaviors with the right education, skills, motivation, skills/tools, and social support. Wellness programs are good at helping people adopt and maintain healthy behaviors.
They help reduce elevated health risks because high blood glucose, high blood cholesterol, and high blood pressure are almost all caused by unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity.
Wellness programs reduce health care costs because a healthier body needs fewer doctor’s visits due to a strengthened immune system.
Your productivity increases, and absenteeism decreases when you follow a wellness program. Unhealthy individual lifestyle choices may result in substantially higher levels of lost productive work time. Poor employee productivity can be defined as physically being at work but not working. This type of poor productivity is called presenteeism. Illness, injury, or other mental distractions are some of the most common causes of presenteeism. Smokers are 28% more likely to have high presenteeism than non-smokers. Employees with an unhealthy diet are 66% more likely to have high presenteeism than those who regularly eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This is why many companies introduce wellness programs within the workplace. Furthermore, studies have revealed that half of the South African workforce is unhealthy. This means that 50% of employees have five or more risk factors outside the healthy range, which has led to skyrocketing incidences of lifestyle diseases.
REPORTED BENEFITS
The below statistics are from the Vitality wellness program:
There is extensive evidence supporting the efficacy of the Vitality wellness program in terms of improved member engagement in health and wellness activities, improved clinical outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, increased productivity at work, and improved mortality rates. p. For example:
Between 2011 and 2013, there was a 26 percent increase in screening activity. For example, the 9 percent reduction in the average cost per cancer case due to early detection.
In addition, between 2013 and 2014, there was a 34 percent increase in the number of healthy food baskets purchased, a 9.3 percent increase in healthy food items purchased, and a 7 percent decrease in unhealthy food items bought from partner stores.
Finally, between 2013 and 2014, gym visits increased from 24.1 million to 25.7 million.
From a clinical outcomes perspective, the results are significant. For those most engaged with Vitality (Diamond Status), there is a 10 percent reduction in the hospital admission rate compared to the most inactive members and a 14 percent lower cost per patient versus non-program participants. Furthermore, at age 65, there is an 8-year difference in life expectancy between those who are highly engaged (Diamond Status), on the program and non-program participants.
Low lapses and a positive mortality and morbidity experience have contributed to the quality of earnings, reflected in the group’s 19% growth in embedded value to R39.8 billion as reported on December 31, 2013.
Over the years, these numbers have improved more and more, proving that wellness programs do really work for the individuals following them.
And while you enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, several wellness programs are eager to reward you for your efforts.For instance, the Momentum Multiply program is a rewards and wellness program that helps you live a better and happier life on your journey to success. The average Gold Multiply member gets R16 872 in discounts and cashbacks every year and 2% to 12% in cashbacks when you shop at Pick n Pay or Dis-Chem.
CONTACT WALLSTREET FINANCIAL SERVICES
Contact Wallstreet Financial Services if you would like guidance with your new lifestyle adjustment and to help you with the best wellness program for your needs. As an Independent Financial Service Provider, we can engage with our clients by looking at your current situation and lifestyle needs, and we can help you assess and choose the right wellness program to suit you.
Below are two wellness programs we encourage and support:
Discovery Vitality program: Vitality integrates and provides you with discounts at various retailers, and you accumulate points to reach different statuses. Another benefit is getting discounts on your insurance products and enhancements on your investments, including retirement-planning products.
Momentum Multiply program: Multiply integrates similarly, providing you with statuses and discounts at various outlets and retailers as well. You will also receive discounts for your interactive participation on your insurance products, as well as enhancements on your retirement products.
April 7, 2022
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