The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a number of issues that will demand its attention during the course of this year. Many will not come as a surprise to readers but others might.

Air-pollution and climate change.

9/10 people breath in polluted air every day and air-pollution Is considered by WHO as the greatest environmental risk to health. Encouraging world leaders to take the climate change issue seriously when self-interest is also an issue continues to be a challenge.

Non-communicable diseases.

These are responsible for over 70% of all deaths worldwide and include illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Over 85% of these premature deaths are in the low to middle income countries and the rise of these diseases has been driven by five major risk factors. These are tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, diet and pollution. All of which have been highlighted on this blog and we will continue to do so.

Global flu pandemic.

Every year the world faces a flu pandemic. We don’t know when or where it will hit but we know that it will hit hard somewhere in the world. Flu vaccines are constantly being developed to protect people from seasonal flu because there are many different strains, and combinations of flu strains and research is an ongoing need.

Fragile and vulnerable settings.

Many of the poorest countries in the world will suffer drought, famine, conflict, and population displacement. They have weak health services which leave them without access to basic care. WHO continue to be active in these areas.

Antimicrobial resistance.

The overuse of antibiotics in both people and animals – especially those used for food production, is creating drug resistance within the population. Taken to its extreme, the inability to prevent infections could seriously compromise surgery as well as procedures such as chemotherapy.

Ebola and other threats.

Ebola continues to be a threat and 2018 saw two separate outbreaks. WHO has designated 2019 as a “year of action on preparing this for health emergencies“.

Weak primary healthcare.

Primary healthcare is usually the first point of contact people have with the health care system and ideally should provide comprehensive affordable community-based care throughout life.

Many countries do not have such adequate primary healthcare facilities and WHO will work with partners to strengthen primary healthcare in such countries during 2019.

Vaccine hesitancy.

Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease and it currently prevents between 2m and 3m deaths a year. However, measles has seen a 30% increase in cases globally due to vaccine hesitancy which, if such attitudes develop, could see the return of diseases that were long thought to be under control.

These 8 issues will keep a very busy and important organisation occupied in 2019 directing and coordinating health work where it is most needed on an international stage.

Mayfair, we care.

Source:

https://www.who.int/about

As the famous saying goes, there's nothing to fear but fear itself. However, while this may have applied many decades ago, it is quite a different case in the modern age.

People now have all sorts of fears and phobias that range from the weird to outright crazy. The following are some of the common 21st-century fears:  

Nomophobia 

This is the fear of being without your smartphone or being unable to use it for reasons such as low battery or poor signal strength. Most people today spend most of their awake time looking at their phones scrolling through posts on social media and replying to texts. While phones are a great invention, they have created a world where people cannot imagine life without mobile phones.  

Cyberathazagoraphobia 

This is the fear of forgetting a password. Given the hundreds of passwords we're forced to remember, a growing number of people are feeling phobic about forgetting an important password.

Luckily, they have made it considerably easy to remember passwords and recover them when lost. But still, there's always the chance that you lose one forever.   

Editiovultaphobia 

This is the fear of Facebook. Facebook is the largest and one of the oldest social media platforms with over 2 billion worldwide monthly users. However, there are a small fraction of people who are afraid of Facebook and will never risk opening an account or even opening the website.   

Methylchloroisothiazolinonephobia 

This is the irrational fear of texting. According to a study by Experian, the average 18 - 24-year-old smartphone owner sends more than 2,000 texts and receives about 1,800 texts. Looking at these statistics, it's clear why texting can become so overwhelming for some people to the point that they fear it.

Agmenophobia 

This is the fear of joining the slowest line. We've all been there; you go to the store, banking hall, or DMV and find a bunch of queues leading up to the service you seek. They may look the same but deep down you know one of them will be the slowest one. Some people really fear that.   

Allodoxaphobia 

This is the fear of opinions. In our modern world of social media, it's easy for people to share their opinions about various aspects about your life especially if you are one of those people who share everything about their lives on social media. Some of the opinions expressed may not be too kind, and some people are afraid of such opinions.   

Hodophobia 

This is the fear of travel, particularly in the modern means of travel such as autonomous vehicles. The fear of riding in modern vehicles is called amaxophobia or Ochophobia. A lot of people are also afraid of flying especially with recent reports of modern Boeing airplanes taking a nosedive recently. This fear of flying is called pteromerhanophobia or aerophobia.   

There are many more fears people keep coming up with, but if you want to live a happy life, you can't let such fears weigh you down or prevent you from having fun.

So tell us, what weird fear do you have?

Remember. Mayfair, we care.

Often, when we think, read or talk about bullying, a teenager or an elementary school child is involved. Many people think of bullying in the lines of "give me your lunch money" or “do my homework" statements.

Unfortunately, there is another prevalent form of bullying which is on the rise and few people are willing to talk about it – bullying in the workplace.   

There is no legal definition of workplace bullying but the many people confuse it with other common vices such as harassment, micro-management or discrimination.

However, bullying can be described as repetitive unfair treatment of an individual by his/her boss, employer, colleague or a group of colleagues at the workplace. Workplace bullying affects the victim and the organization in unimaginable ways. But before we delve into the effects or workplace bullying, we first need to understand the forms in which it manifests;    

What is workplace bullying?  

Bullying can be as basic being isolated from team duties, copied emails or withdrawing information that would otherwise be helpful in performing one's duties.

It could also be physical whereby, an employee is pushed, grabbed or hit by someone at the workplace. Hurling insults, making derogatory comments, 'whispering' behind the victim's back as well as issuing threats such as "I can get yout fired" are other common forms of bullying.

Sometimes corporate bullies intertwine their actions with discrimination in the case where gender, sexual orientation or race is involved. For instance, in a 2015 report by YouGov, Asians and other minority races were more likely to experience some form of bullying disguised as discrimination.

The report also revealed that women were more likely to be victimised than men, but female co-workers and bosses were reportedly biased towards fellow women.    

Effects of corporate bullying on the victim 

Bullying has a lot of negative effects on both the victim and the organisation - the most common effect being on company and team morale. The victim will feel less interested and motivated to go to work and over time, their self-esteem will be deeply wounded.

Often, victims end up being retrenched due to under-performance or stagnation, which is an indirect result of declining morale.    In extreme cases, victims could develop mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. This in return could lead to suicidal thoughts or hospitalisation and an inability to work.      

Effects on the organisation?  

The organisation may not be affected by bullying in the short term but eventually, repeated cases of bullying take their toll colleagues which in turn will creep through the entire organization.

First, colleagues may feel threatened. This affects their morale and productivity.

Second, an organisation's turnover rate is likely to rise as employees take the decision to move away from a toxic working environment. 

Lastly, if a victim decides to take legal action against the bullies, an organisation's image and reputation could suffer immensely. If such cases attract the public interest, people may boycott the organization's products and services. In addition, it may be difficult to attract and retain good talent in future.      

What can be done about workplace bullying? 

There are no notable policies or laws governing how to tackle workplace bullying. This, however, does not mean that bullies should get away with their actions. To resolve this issue, both the victim and the organisation need to take action. 

First, the victim should keep record of all instances of bullying. These will serve as evidence, if they decide to take legal action, either through a lawyer or their trade union.

Second, the victim should discuss their plight with the human resource personnel to establish whether there are policies that touch on their situation. If HR lacks a suitable solution, industrial courts can resolve such issues but at a cost.

Lastly, if their mental or physical health is affected, it is advisable to seek medical attention and counselling.   

The organisation's management, on the other hand, can take measures such as educating all employees, from the top down, about corporate bullying and its consequences. In addition, every organisation should put in place policies that deal with bullying effectively.      

In a nutshell, corporate bullies don't disappear after senior school.

They proceed to colleges and universities and some will become bosses. The fact that people are not willing to talk about bullying at the workplace doesn't change the reality. There is an imminent need to tackle the issue, not just at a personal or organizational level but on a legal or national scale. If people can deal with harassment and discrimination, then there is room to deal with workplace bullying.      

Remember Mayfair, we care.

Sources:  

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/07/29/workplace-bullying-here-is-why-we-need-to-talk-about-bullying-in-the-work-place/#6c39fed23259  https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2013/07/On-line-Catalogue216953.pdf

Research indicates that people who exercise on a regular basis have better mental health and emotional well-being. So why are you sitting there?!

Exercise, as we know, is great for our physical health. It helps to keep our hearts in good shape and our weight under control. In general, we are lowering the overall risk of heart disease. However, being active has a knock on affect that is often overlooked as it is also a powerful mood booster and stress buster.

Working out doesn’t only exercise the body it also lowers the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn helps relieve feelings of anxiety. It encourages the brain to release endorphins and serotonin which are often referred to as the bodies’ feel-good chemicals because of the positive impact on mental health. So it is easy to see how exercise is not only helping you keep physically fit but also having a positive effect on your mental health.

Sleep

By exercising regularly the likelihood is that you will sleep better. Poor sleep quality and mood disorders have been closely linked. Sleeping well boosts cognition because your body works to support healthy brain function while you sleep.

Self-esteem

People who are active often report feeling a sense of achievement which in turn increases their self-esteem. When we make new year’s resolutions and stick to them this gives us a sense of empowerment and control over our lives with an increased ability to cope.

Social benefits

Not only does exercise give you the chance to try new experiences such as walking, gym, cycling and dance classes, it provides the perfect opportunity to socialise and meet new friends. When meeting new people and experiencing new situations, the mood is enhanced accordingly.

Energy boost.

Being more active increases your fitness and your energy levels and this also has the positive impact on your mental well-being.

Don’t be put off.

When you think of exercise you probably have a vision of working out in the sweaty gym toiling away! However, research has indicated that just 30 minutes of moderate to intensive working out each day can provide significant benefits to overall well-being. So forget the gym, put on the walking shoes and go for a quarter of an hours walk at lunchtime, and a quarter of an hours walk in the evening - whatever suits you!

The brain loves exercise.

There is a benefit to taking your first walk of the day before you go to work. Exercise pumps blood to the brain which increases your ability to think clearly. This will have clear benefits when you arrive at your place of work with a clear mind and an action plan.

In conclusion, regular exercise is a no-brainer, it is simply a matter of making it part of your daily routine because the benefits are enormous.

Remember Mayfair, we care.

Did you know that almost 30% of all deaths each year are due to heart disease?

Now that you do know, might you make an effort to pay a little more attention to looking after a healthy heart? For starters, here are 3 good habits to maintain a healthy heart:

Activity.

Exercise and activity is key to nearly every aspect of a healthy heart. Thirty minutes of exercise five times a week will help enormously. Whether this is on a treadmill or taking a brisk walk around your neighbourhood, a swim, a gym visit or a sports activity try to fit in whatever you can that suits your lifestyle.

Diet.

We hear all the time that diet and exercise are a most effective combination for remaining healthy. I wonder why this is?! Perhaps it’s because it is true?!

Where food is concerned try to base your meals around plant foods such as fruit, vegetables wholegrains, nuts and seeds. Include healthy fats like Olive Oil and have small amounts of red meat and fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, these are all good for you.

Relaxation.

As mental and emotional stress is now believed to be a significant risk factor for heart problems try to factor some time to relax into your day.

There are numerous ways of reducing your stress levels such as yoga, meditation, going for a walk, reading, listening to music, or just socialising with friends.

3 health checks you should have on a regular basis.

Blood pressure.

According to the Heart Foundation the biggest risk factor for both heart disease and stroke is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is called a silent killer because there are no obvious symptoms so many people don’t realise they have it.

These days it is easy to buy blood pressure monitors for the homes where you can keep an eye on your it. Alternatively, make sure you visit the doctor on a regular basis for your blood pressure to be checked.

Cholesterol

Once again, it is important to have your cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis by the doctor. High cholesterol can be dangerous to your health and a simple test will tell you where your levels up.

Blood sugar.

Even if you don’t have diabetes, too much sugar in your blood can damage your arteries so please ensure that you get this checked on a regular basis as well.

These six tips will all contribute towards a healthier heart and remember, Mayfair cares

Mayfair, we care

Despite the clear distinction between mind and body, our mental and physical health are connected. The human body is essentially a well-oiled machine. If you think of it as a car, then you can see how our physical state can impact on our mental wellbeing.

For instance, a car with worn out wheels will consume much more fuel to slow down even though the wheels and the engine are two entirely different parts of the vehicle. Similarly, with us humans, our bodies can dictate how our minds feel and vice versa.        

Our physical health can impact on our mental health in a positive way and in a negative way. If you eat a balanced diet consistently, then your physical state will improve and so will your mental health. If you are a chronic smoker, your physical state deteriorates and eventually so does your mental wellbeing. Let’s look at some clear-cut examples of physical health affecting mental health.      

Exercise and Depression      

Physical activity has great benefits for both the body and mind. For the body, it yields better overall fitness and helps build muscle mass, making us stronger. For the mind, exercise increases activity in the frontal lobes and increases the brain’s uptake of endorphins, which are otherwise known as feel-good hormones.      

Physical exercises improve our physical state, but they also have a great impact on mental health. In fact, exercise is considered the best natural antidepressant because of the effect it has on the mind. Exercise improves our physical health, and our physical health positively affects our mental wellbeing. Better physical health enhances confidence and self-esteem, and this can uplift a depressed individual’s mood considerably.      

Depression and Chronic Illnesses      

On the flip side of things, poor physical health is detrimental to our mental health. A study conducted in 2009 on patients with chronic heart disease discovered that 22 per cent of the subjects had mild depression. 17 per cent of the participants were even taking antidepressants. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that poor quality of life brought on by chronic illnesses can cause depression.

This conclusion was echoed by one professor from the Institute of Psychiatry in London. Professor David Goldberg noted that chronic illnesses put people at higher risk of depression. Interestingly, he also stated that depression could cause some chronic physical illnesses, saying “depression and chronic illness [es] are in [a] reciprocal relationship with one another.”      

Poor physical health is often a precursor to mental illnesses, but the reverse is also true. Let’s look at how our mental health can impact our physical state.      

Stress and Chronic Illnesses      

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects millions of people worldwide. This condition, which is characterized by the development of flaky sores on the skin, is triggered solely by stress, making it a prime example of how poor mental wellbeing can affect our physical state.      

85 percent of psoriasis patients are irked by their condition. One in ten contemplate suicide, and one in three feel shame and humiliation over their condition. This shows us the profound impact our mental health can have on our physical wellbeing, but it is also a clear example of how something like a bad skin condition can cause depression and even promote suicide.      

Physical stress has just as bad an impact on mental wellbeing, which is why many professional athletes suffer from mental illnesses at some point in their careers. Retired athletes often fall into depression due to the sudden shift in routine at the end of their careers. Their bodies are adapted to strenuous training schedules, and the sudden switch to sedentary living often instils them with a sense of hopelessness and lost purpose.      

Our physical and mental health are tied to one another in complicated ways. What we know is that they can both impact on each other positively and negatively. Many chronic illnesses are predated by mental illness, but our mental health also suffers significantly when our bodies undergo a prolonged period of illness. The two are cyclically linked, so your physical health is just as important to your mental wellbeing as your mental health is to your physical state.

Mayfair, we care

How are your New Year Resolutions going? Do you need an incentive?

Ask any millionaire, and they’ll tell you that being wealthy is a lifestyle. You’ll get the same response from fitness experts, industry leaders, and influential people. A person is only a culmination of their good and bad habits, and there is a ton of evidence to support that.      

Of course, not everybody wants to be a millionaire or to lose 40 pounds before the year ends. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t form new habits this year. The thing about habits is that they are very difficult to form and even harder to break, but the payoff from creating and keeping good habits is immense, and bad habits can have a truly destructive impact.       

Think about the chronic smoker who started out with two cigarettes a day and is now smoking two entire packs every single day. In the same breath, think about the person who started 2018 as an overweight individual, but has now lost all their excess weight and still goes to the gym three times a week. The difference between these people is simple: they picked up different habits at the beginning of the year.      

The science behind habit-forming has been studied for years. Researchers at Cornell University say that the average adult human being makes roughly 35,000 conscious decisions each day. 200 of these decisions are made on the choice of food alone! It is, therefore, no surprise that once we’ve reached our decision-making capacity, we automatically resort to our habits. This is why it is super important to create good habits because otherwise your default action after a long, stressful day of making decisions would be resorting to “bad habits.”     

How to Create New Healthy Habits and Make Them Stick      

On paper, forming habits is quite straightforward. Want a better-looking body? Exercise frequently. Want to be smarter than your classmates? Study more often. Want to be rich and successful? Make it a habit of managing your time and money. It sounds easy, but it isn’t because ultimately our habit-forming abilities are hinged on our willpower.       

Willpower is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Adapt it to tough situations, and it gets even stronger. However, push too hard, and willpower collapses too. In the end, willpower is best used in short, effective bursts. Therefore, the best way to create new habits is by making it as simple as possible to retain the habit. How do you achieve this?      

Identify the Habit You Wish to Form, then Break It Down Into Little Steps      

If you want to achieve a specific goal by the end of the year, think about the process first. See how you can break it into bite-sized sections that you will easily remember to do each day. For example, if it’s a better body you want, focus on getting every day’s exercise done no matter what it takes. If you want to be a better writer, focus on reaching your targeted word count every day.        Focusing on the goal will only get you discouraged, but paying attention to the steps will keep you focused on doing your part every day.      

Expect Failure, and Learn From It      

The truth is that you will slip and fall along the way. There is no way around failure, but there is a surefire way to get past it, and that is to keep going. Accept failure, not as a sign of your lack of strength, but as a test of your resolve. The best part about moving on from failure is that you become so used to failing that it no longer has the power to stop you from achieving your goals.       

In 2019, try and create at least one good habit and stick with it for the rest of the year. Whether it is going to sleep earlier, working out regularly, or eating better, a good habit sticks with you for life, and you will be reaping its benefits long after your body becomes adapted to it.

 Mayfair, we care

Most people working in offices or working as drivers, can sit all day without doing much movement or exercise.

Sitting all day can cause major back problems and lead to posture issues not to mention pain. Sitting has become the new smoking as far as resultant health issues are concerned but some of us have little choice but to sit down for most of the day.

We are all aware of the importance of getting up and moving regularly but in reality, work gets in the way and we don’t have time to do what we know we should.

However, for those of us at desks or when the vehicle is stationary there is a new technique created by Dell – Maree Day who is a biochemics and posture expert.

Her advice is as follows.

·       Move half forward on the seat so that your feet are flat on the floor directly under your knees and your back is not touching the back of the chair.

·       Look straight ahead and sit up tall with relaxed arms to restore the natural curve of your spine. In this position you should find your eyes level with the top third of your computers monitor if you have it in the correct position (which many of us don’t!).

·       Practice the invisible breathing technique. Breathing in deeply and as you breathe out think ‘sternum through towards your spine’. As you think this thought you will feel your deep abdominal muscles doing their job, flattening and narrowing your waist. Repeat these 5 to 6 times every hour. “Within days you will feel your abs strengthening and your posture will already have improved” says Day

These postures will activate every one of your muscles so you will breath, sit, stand, move and exercise better transforming your posture and body shape day says.

Mayfair, we care.

Source – The Invisible Exercise by Dell-Maree Day

How resilient are you?

Does the smallest setback in your business or personal life become a major drama? And does a major setback in your personal or business life become a total catastrophe?

How easy do you find it to bounce back from adversity? Some people seem to have amazing resilience to bounce back from personal or business failure but for others it can be far more difficult and potentially lead to significant health issues.

By showing external resilience it does not mean that you are unaffected by events, more that they have worked out how to deal with setbacks and have strong coping mechanisms as a result.

We can all work on our capability to bounce back from adversity. Here are seven hints and tips that will help.

Be happy with excellent even though you’re striving for superb.

There really is no such thing as total perfection so settling for completion of the project that is very good, or excellent, will reduce your stress levels and enable you to move on to the next project.

Take time out.

Even in the busiest of days it is important to give yourself some “me time“. This might involve reading, a hobby or exercise.

Do something different.

By signing up for a course at the local college or Joining a local sports club you will develop your relationships with others and boost your physical and mental well-being. 

Spend time with positive people.

It is widely known that some people can suck the energy out of the room; these people are known as mood hoovers and you should avoid them at all costs! Surround yourself with supportive friends and positive acquaintances. This is good for confidence and your own belief in yourself.

Keep active.

Staying in good health is important for resilience therefore aim for 30 minutes a day of moderate activity.

Talking.

Good relationships are key to resilience and there is nothing better than A good chat with a good friend or relative to affect the quality of your relationships.

Time is a healer.

Remember that no matter how bad things might seem at the moment due to a business failing or relationship breakdown, such bad times to pass And you will emerge a stronger person in due course.

Please note however that if you are experiencing extreme distress on an ongoing basis then you should seek professional help as well as taking the advice above.

 Mayfair, we care

Will make them, don’t we? We promise ourselves that we will exercise more, drink less, eat less and eat healthily, lose weight and stop smoking as well as a multitude of other resolutions.

But how many of us keep the promises that we’ve made to ourselves? It is said that by the second week of February over 80% of new year resolutions have been broken.

So, what’s the secret of keeping a successful resolution?

One top tip is not to make too many resolutions.

Choose the most important one or one that you are confident about and feel strongly about and stick with it. Concentrating on one resolution is easier than two, three, four or more because then it becomes very, very difficult and you are likely to be disheartened if you are failing on even one of them.

Have smart targets.

S – be specific and set yourself a target. If you want to exercise more perhaps this might be 20 minutes per day. If weight loss it might be a specific number of pounds / kilos in a week etc etc.

M – be sure that you measure your achievements. Keep a note of your progress against your goals and know when you need to work that little bit harder if you’re not on target.

A – be accountable to someone else. Tell another person which might be a family member, or a work colleague, what your goal is and ask them to check progress with you on a regular basis.

R – be realistic.  Is your goal realistic? If it’s not realistic you will become discouraged and the resolution will fail. If you are realistic you have a better chance of success and then can set new goals to the next level when you have achieved your target.

T – make your resolution time bound. When do you want to achieve your goal by? Will it be a three-month project, six months or more? A time bound goal is crucial for success.

So please be good to yourself in 2019 and if you follow the advice above you will have a better chance of success than the 80% of people who don’t make it past the second week of February.