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Get More out Of Life: Speak to a Health Coach
Good health isn't just in the hands of doctors and scientists. While strides in medical research and regular checkups make it possible to diagnose and treat disease and illness, maintaining a healthier lifestyle can enhance your ability to get and stay well. After all, your actions are largely in your control.
To help you analyze your overall behaviors, take the 2007 LifeSteps personal scorecard. Comprised of 25 questions that help you assess the areas where you're succeeding, as well as where you need to improve, the scorecard rewards you with discount points in the following areas:
- Health screenings and prevention
- Weight management and healthy eating
- Tobacco use
- Safety outside of work
- Managing stress
Once you've taken the scorecard, you'll have the opportunity to take it again in four months, should you wish to make lifestyle changes and improve your score.
Coaching you to better results
Trying to change certain behaviors can seem like an endless struggle. Did you know that there is a free, 24-hour resource that can provide you with ongoing support? Through LifeSteps, you and your family members can call a health coach who can help you understand your health risks and current habits. Then, they can help you develop a plan for taking appropriate steps to make and maintain the changes. They can even provide tips and suggested questions for when you visit your doctor.
"One of the things we do is help people decide whether to take the scorecard now or make some changes to their lifestyle and take it at a later date," says Julie, a registered nurse and LifeSteps health coach. "Whatever their decision, we can also explain options for implementing an improvement plan and refer them to appropriate resources, such as a class, a dietitian, and help them determine what would be most effective for them."
Before taking the scorecard, be sure to read through the sample scorecard that was mailed to your home and to determine your score based on current habits and behaviors. Remember, more points mean greater credits in your 2007 paychecks. If you're not satisfied with your current score, consider talking with a LifeSteps health coach.
Julie recommends that scorecard participants be sure they're current with the appropriate preventive screenings, including dental check-ups, cholesterol readings, blood pressure tests and mammograms.
You've Taken the Scorecard — Now What?
Once you've completed the scorecard, a health coach can be a great resource to help you interpret the results. They're trained to help you better understand any shortcomings and develop a manageable action plan to tackle change slowly, but effectively.
"We'll suggest questions to ask their doctor or dietitian, and, if they prefer, we can follow up with them on the phone to see how it went or they can call us for next steps," Julie says. "While the scorecard is a great way to earn healthy rewards, it is a great tool to help you take better care of yourself."
Personal health information provided to a LifeSteps health coach is protected by federal and state privacy laws and will not be disclosed to American Standard Companies except as authorized by law for administration of the company's group health plans.