Health & Wellbeing Autumn 2022

Autumn Edition, 2022 HEALTHThe HUB newsletter IMMUNITY MONTH In this quarters issue... Quarterly initiatives iJntoo gJune! How to boost your immune system TPG funded flu vaccinations Mindfulness and sleep Biggest morning tea Quarterly Highlights

Welcome to the Autumn edition of The Health Hub. We hope you have settled into the year and have been able to rest and recharge. With the start of a new season we start to see a change in our routines as the change in temperature alters our day to day habits. In this edition of Health Hub, we will focus on a holistic health approach, maintaining and boosting our immunity through utilising simple tools and participating in TPG funded health focused incentives. There are some fantastic health incentives on offer over the coming months and some great opportunities for your team to collaborate ideas with regards to upcoming Health and Wellbeing initiatives. We encourage everyone think about their own self-care as we continue towards a cooler change, whether this be better sleeping routines, new physical or mental health exercises or simply a change in eating habits, we all need to think of ways to maintain and improve our overall health.



ICmommumniutynity 11 ways to boost your immune system naturally. 1. Eat your greens Focus on incorporating more plants and plant-based foods in your diet. Choose leafy greens (kale, collards, spinach) or cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower). You can also add vegetables to soups and stews, smoothies and salads. Consume 5+ servings of vegetables. 2. Make sleep a priority Sleep is when we repair our cells, especially our brain cells, and when we do most of our digesting and absorbing of nutrients. Not getting enough sleep can lead to higher levels of stress hormones and it can cause more inflammation in the body. It’s recommended that individuals get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. To help improve sleep quality, use a cervical pillow to keep the neck and upper spine in a neutral position while sleeping. This helps reduce stress and strain to these areas of the body. 3. Exercise for 30 minutes Regular exercise can help you boost your immune system and fight off infections. The recommended time is 30 minutes a day. Exercise helps to increase blood flow, reduce stress and inflammation, and strengthen antibodies. Don’t overdo it - too many rigorous workouts can weaken the immune system and leave you vulnerable to flu and viruses. 4. Wash your hands Washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Scrub for 20-30 seconds to reduce the risk of infection. When you don’t have access to a hand washing station, use hand sanitizer. 5. Keep well hydrated Staying hydrated helps your body naturally eliminate toxins and other bacteria that may cause illness, especially when it’s cold and flu season. It’s recommended that you drink eight 250 mL glasses of water per day. Fill up a water bottle and have it next to you while you work, exercise, travel in your car, etc.

6. Soak up some Vitamin D Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating immunity as it triggers an antimicrobial response and acts to protect the body from bacterial and viral agents. When exposed to pathogens, Vitamin D enables you to quickly fight off these invaders before it becomes a full-blown infection. If the sun isn’t shining where you live, try adding vitamin D-rich foods to your diet, like salmon, egg yolks, fortified cereal and orange juice. 7. Try apple cider vinegar Some claim drinking apple cider vinegar protects the body against heart disease and helps fight infection. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims. Made by fermenting the sugar from apples, some people like to dilute it in water and drink it as a beverage. Common dosages range from 1–2 teaspoons to 1–2 tablespoon per day. 8. Quit smoking Smoking can tear apart sensitive lung tissue, which increases the risk of contracting bronchitis and pneumonia. Ingredients, like tar and other toxins, can kill antibodies and reduce the body’s production of them suppressing the immune system. 9. Reduce sugar intake If you eat a lot of foods and beverages high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, you may be reducing your body’s ability to ward off illnesses. Instead, plan home cooked meals with whole foods. Whole foods have not been processed or refined and are free of additives and other artificial substances. Eating more whole foods and cooking from scratch will reduce your sugar intake. 10. Limit alcohol intake Consuming too much alcohol can have negative effects on the immune system. It can weaken your body’s ability to fight infection and slow down your recovery time. Alcohol can also lead to dehydration. It causes your body to remove fluids from your blood through your renal system at a much quicker rate than other liquids. 11. Practice mindfulness Stress affects your body’s immune response, causing you to produce extra levels of cortisol and cytokines that trigger inflammation. It can also decrease the number of white blood cells available to fight infection. Lowering your stress levels through meditation, yoga, exercise and other mindful practices can help keep your immune system functioning properly. You can also use essential oils to reduce stress and relax the body.

TfluPvGacfcuinnadtioends FLU SHOT IMMUNISATION SERVICE BOOK NOW ONLINE @ CHEMISTWAREHOUSE.COM.AU/FLU SCAN HERE MONDAY 21ST MARCH – SATURDAY 11TH JUNE AVAILABLE AT SELECTED STORES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR FREE CHEMIST WAREHOUSE FLU SHOT, PLEASE CONTACT Tabitha Davenport - People & Culture Assistant Over the next few months, leading up to the colder weather, TPG are once again offering all team members the opportunity to access FREE Flu Vaccinations and also COVID Booster! (Booster only available through Terry White Chemist) We have vouchers for both Chemist Warehouse and Terry White Chemists (Flu Vaccination only) for you to choose from during the months of April, May and June. Please email Tabitha Davenport with your preferred chemist and the subject line ‘Flu Vaccination’ to receive your unique code and instructions on how to book an appointment using your code.

JinotogJune! Statistics show that when a team participates in healthy lifestyle activities it builds a culture of productivity and comradery, leading up to winter is a great time to develop a healthy habit or try a new physical activity, if you create a healthy habit before winter, you are more likely to see it through in the cooler months. The Jog into June Physical activity challenge is a team challenge amongst your team mates. Every team is different and that’s why we are letting you set the goal. How it’s going to work… 1. Set your challenge, it must be a physical activity of some description. Some suggested activities could be: a. Donating Blood or Plasma as a team b. Pushup challenge c. Daily meditation challenge d. Increase your hydration (drink a minimum 2 litres water per day) e. Plank Challenge f. Healthy Meal Challenge There are heaps of different 30-day physical activities to choose from online. Pick one that suits your team. 2. Once you have decided on your challenge and get started be sure to post your updates on Yammer so our teams can see your progress. What you will need: 1. Jog into June activity poster (either the weekly activity tracker or the event poster) 2. Gold star stickers (at least 30 per team member if you are completing a 30-day challenge). The weekly activity tracker is used to measure your progress and to celebrate the daily achievement. (Who doesn’t love a gold star right?) For each day that your team member completes an aspect of the challenge, pop a gold star on the tracker (if you are doing a repetitive activity note the number completed for the day). If the activity is a singular one you can place a gold sticker for the day that it is completed.

Pmsarlnienadedcptifmuicplinrnoegsvisng Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation exercise in which you systematically tense and then relax all the muscle groups of your body. It helps promote overall physical relaxation, which has a number of benefits on its own. The Benefits of Progressive Muscle Relaxation People who practice progressive muscle relaxation regularly tend to have: • A better sense of overall well-being • Lower blood pressure • Less muscle tension • Less anxiety • Lower level of fatigue In addition to these benefits, researchers are finding that this relaxation therapy may help people with insomnia. Progressive muscle relaxation can help relieve insomnia in two ways: • Physical relaxation - Many people who have trouble falling asleep get physically tense and restless. Progressive muscle relaxation can help with physically relaxing the body • Calming the mind - Eases racing thoughts keeping you from sleeping whilst you are focusing on practicing these exercises (helps to relax your mind).

How to Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation On your own, a session of progressive muscle relaxation takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You can practice progressive muscle relaxation any time of day however, people with insomnia most often do it just before going to bed or after they get into bed. During progressive muscle relaxation, you will focus on each muscle group in your body, first tensing selected muscles for a few seconds and then slowly relaxing them over the course of 20 to 30 seconds. To practice progressive muscle relaxation at home, lie down in a quiet space, free of distractions, and breathe steadily as you progress in the following order: 1. Face. Lift your eyebrows to wrinkle your 4. Back. Flex the muscles in your back as you forehead, and then slowly relax and let the arch them on the floor or bed, and then tension out of your forehead. Close your relax and let the stress and tension go out eyes tightly and then relax and slowly open of your back muscles. them. Tense your lips, cheeks, and jaw muscles by grimacing, and then feel a 5. Hips and buttocks. Tighten the muscles in sense of serenity come over your face as your hips and buttocks, and then slowly you relax all your facial muscles at once. release the tension and feel the stress leaving this area of your body. 2. Shoulders and arms. Bring your shoulders toward your ears, tensing your muscles, 6. Legs and feet. Flex your leg muscles, and then slowly let them relax. Starting with squeezing your legs together, and then your upper arms, flex your biceps, and then slowly relax. Flex your feet for a few relax, letting the tension out of your seconds, and then relax them. Curl your muscles. Tense your forearms, and then toes, and then slowly let them return to slowly let them relax. neutral. 3. Chest and abdomen. Take a deep breath and tense the muscles within your chest and abdomen, and then slowly exhale as you relax these muscles. After you have systematically tightened and relaxed all the muscle groups in your body, you should feel relaxed and calm. As with any new technique, progressive muscle relaxation takes some time to master. You may need to practice it once or twice a day for about a week to really start getting good at it.

Biggest Morning Tea This year we are asking all sites to get involved in assisting us to raise money for the Cancer Council through hosting a Biggest Morning Tea Event. We have set up a dedicated fundraising page to help keep track of our donation goal of $3,000 https://www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/fundraisers/thepersonnelgroup All sites are invited to participate in the days leading up to the official date (Thursday 19th May 2022) of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea or on the official date. This is an opportunity for your team to come together and raise money for a good cause. You may choose to hold additional activities on the day to support raising funds for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, these activities may include: • Gift Basket Raffle Th1u9rtshday • Silent Auctions May. • Gold Coin Casual Day (Yellow and/ or Blue theme) • 50/ 50 Raffle • Trivia ($2 participation – winner takes 50% of prize pool 50% donated) • Raffle an RDO



Hosting A Healthy morning tea Did you One in three cancers can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle. know? Enjoying a diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and doesn’t include many high kilojoule foods and sugary drinks is a simple way to reduce your cancer risk. Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea provides an opportunity to serve some healthier food and drinks to promote positive health and nutrition messages to the wider community. Top tips for a healthy morning tea: 1. Make colourful fruit skewers – easy to eat and easy on the eye! Mix in season fruits like grapes, apples, mandarins, kiwi, pears, watermelon and rockmelon. 2. Have a selection of dips and vegie sticks served in cups to be COVID safe! 3. Include some options that have fruit or vegetables in them, such as banana bread, carrot and zucchini muffins or pumpkin and sweet potato scones. 4. Serve indulgent foods like chocolate cake and slices in small portions. 5. Have a big jug of water flavoured with slices of lemon, cucumber, strawberries, or mint and ice to serve along with teas and coffee. Cancer Council’s nutrition experts’ favourite morning tea recipes include: • Hummus and wholegrain crackers • Apple and date muffins • Zucchini and corn fritters • Mini crustless chicken quiches • Banana pikelets These recipes can be viewed by visiting: https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/news/how-to-host-a-healthy-morning-tea/

Wholesome Autumn Lunch INGREDIENTS: • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced • 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped • a sprig of rosemary or thyme • a pinch of salt • a swirl of olive oil • 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas • 1 cup whole walnuts • 2 tablespoons maple syrup EXTRAS • cooked quinoa (for serving, optional) • baby kale or spinach (for serving, optional) • dressing of choice INSTRUCTIONS • Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. • Arrange the sweet potatoes on a large sheet pan with the shallots and herbs. Toss with olive oil and salt. Roast for 20 minutes. • Add chickpeas to the pan. Stir it all up. Roast for another 20 minutes. • Toss walnuts with maple syrup and a little more salt. Add maple walnuts to the pan. Stir it up. Roast for another 5 minutes. • Remove the stems of the herbs. Serve roasted mixture with cooked quinoa, baby kale or spinach, and dressing of choice. Healthy and delicious!

Have you used your Health & [email protected] Wellbeing reimbursement yet? 4. This payment is made through our finance TPG will reimburse team members $100 per department. You will receive a remittance financial year towards a product or a service that contributes towards a team member’s advice after they have processed the personal health and wellbeing. payment. 5. Reimbursement claims must be in by the How to claim your health and wellbeing end of June 2022 in order to be processed reimbursement: by the end of the 2021/22 financial year. 1. Purchase a good or a service towards your health and wellbeing. 2. Scan your receipt and completed office account claim form with the banking details you wish to have the $100 deposited into. 3. Email to Natasha Black – People and Culture Manager – Getting the Jab? Brain While we hope never to make having the Teaser COVID vaccine compulsory for team members, we do follow the science and I have keys but no medical experts that say – it is safe and locks and space but no needed for Australia to be able to live with rooms. You can COVID into the future. Our little piece of the enter but you can’t big picture is supporting you all when, and if, leave, what am I? you make your booking. Most people will get a booking during a Answer will be posted working day, and so, please feel free to take on Yammer. the rest of the day off afterwards. This is not taken as sick leave – just a thank you for doing your bit. Please let your Manager know when you have made your booking so they can manage the site.

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