Managing your personal health means greater productivity, greater ability to manage stress and, presumably longer life. recent survey of health websites in the US found that 55 million adult users had used the web for gaining access to health information, making it the fastest growing search category on the net. The following are some useful sites for the busy New Zealand executive.
www.pch.co.nz The site of Primary Corporate Health, company that runs on-site health programmes for companies in New Zealand. The company’s vision is to be “the leading provider of preventative healthcare services to corporate customers”. The site is utilitarian (certainly not good-looker design), it’s effectively an online brochure. There are some quirky features, such as the online calculator that assesses the likelihood of you having heart attack in the next five years (fun!), and questionnaire for assessing the economic benefit company can expect from healthcare programme.
www.moh.govt.nz The Ministry of Health website is packed with publications on all issues to do with health, though many are admittedly academic. One recent online publication relevant to business is ‘Shaping the Health Workforce: why employers need to lead the thinking and decisions in the health labour market’. The site offers news and issues page, health related links page and forum for making submissions on health policy issues.
www.dstress.com The website of the Stress Education Centre which is run by Dr L John Mason PhD, pyschophysiologist who specialises in stress and change management. This site primarily contains information to enhance your levels of health/wellness and productivity. It offers articles of interest such as ‘Managing Change’ and ‘On the Ergonomics of Computer Stress’. The site also offers online courses in stress and change management, though you have to pay for them. Good site for corporate health.
www.imt.net/~randolfi/StressLinks useful links page for all things healthy. There is access to literally hundreds of different health orientated websites and articles from this site. Everything from pages dedicated to changing negative thought patterns to relaxation techniques and yoga clinics.
www.thnc.com This is the home page of The Health Network which was founded as an internet service provider for the health industry in 1997. While officially aimed at those working in the health field there are some good resources online here including directory of doctors, dentists and other health professionals, health tips, herbal A-Z and an A-Z of articles relating to specific illnesses or medical treatments. This site also links to the Xtra health web page (see below) where you can ask panel of experts health related question.
www.xtra.co.nz/health The Xtra site is useful every day resource for online health info. Bookmark it. It offers daily features and news, information on wide range of subjects including parenting, nutrition, sexual health and weight, and an A-Z on specific diseases. There’s also range of links to other health centres. The design is the equivalent of an online daily paper devoted to health and it’s easy to navigate.
www.healtheries.co.nz Healtheries is the market leader in alternative health with about 60 percent of the market. The site was set up to eliminate confusion in the market place about which supplements suit which conditions. The site is an information resource not hard sell marketing tool. The most popular feature is the online health questionnaire which takes about 10 minutes to complete and recommends supplements for individuals to gain better health.
www.blackmores.com Another of the supplement companies’ websites, this online resource has some great health information. There’s access to free online naturopath, newsletter, advice for healthy lifestyle, and advice tailored to different life stages.
www.everybody.co.nz This is an excellent local resource for workplace health information. The day I searched it offered an online workplace stress poll and feature about mental health in the workplace. There’s access to latest health research, healthy living information, catalogues of support groups, hospital listings, as well as search for non-prescription medicines (search by brand name or symptom). Four and half out of five, it’s safe to say that there is literally something for everybody here.
Damon Birchfield is an Auckland-based freelance writer. Email: [email protected]
