Discussing Loss with Your Child

HILTON-BASED COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGIST, WENDY CORFE, DISCUSSES HOW TO HELP OUR CHILDREN COPE WITH LOSS.

For many of us death is sleep,” or “Jesus took him,” it is okay to talk about him/ an uncomfortable topic as these explanations can her if needed. and one from which we cause potential anxiety Children sometimes would prefer to shield our in children about going to engage in magical thinking children. The reality is that sleep or about Jesus. when a loved one dies and most children do experience Involve your child in any secretly blame themselves loss (often of a beloved pet) rituals or ceremonies to for having caused their during childhood. Given this honour the dead person. death by, for e.g. not saying and the impact of the CoRituals provide closure and goodbye or by refusing vid-19 pandemic, it may be there is comfort in being to give them a hug. Being useful to think about how to united in grief with friends able to speak openly about support your child through and family. the deceased allows for the grieving process. If the deceased is a pet, this magical thinking to be

Support begins with belighting a candle, saying a revealed and resolved. ing honest with your child. few words about the meanGive your child control If a family member or pet ing of the animal to the child over his/her grief. Helpbecomes very ill and has and saying a prayer can ing your child to compile to go to hospital, inform be a helpful way of provida special memory box of your child and answer his/ ing closure. Some children items which remind him/ her questions honestly. may find it useful to plant her of the loved one can be This gives your child time a flower or tree in remema beautiful way to remememotionally to prepare brance of the loved one. ber and feel close to that for the worst. Don’t make Once the initial shock of person when they need to. promises about outcomes the loss wears off, your child Contents could be photos, that you cannot keep. will need to be able to grieve personal items belonging to

In the event of needing and this process can take the loved one like a watch or to explain that someone time. ring, a small item of clothing has died, keep language As a parent, you provide a smelling of the loved one, a simple and age-appropriate, model for your child on how toy given by the deceased e.g. that grandpa was to process and deal with – your child will know what very ill and he has died. grief. Allow your child to see needs to go into the box. This means that his heart you cry and explain why you Some families also put stopped working and that are crying, this gives them together photo books of his body is still and no permission to also cry when special times with the longer in pain. If you are they are grieving. Speak deceased for which the religious, you can use your about the deceased often. child writes the story and beliefs to further explain This can be painful and this can be a wonderful, where you believe the bitter-sweet at first but it cathartic healing experiperson’s soul is. Avoid using provides a connection to the ence and resource for your euphemisms, e.g. “gone to deceased and shows that child when needed.

Corporate Wellness Week

THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY IS CORPORATE WELLNESS WEEK - AN OPPORTUNITY TO

RAISE AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO CREATE A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT.

In an unhealthy work the workplace. potentially function at their environment, there is deMental Health peak. creased productivity, higher The South African FedThe WHO defines mental absenteeism, poor work eration for Mental Health health as: ethic and lower safety in the is a non-governmental “…a state of wellbeing workplace. organisation (NGO) seekin which every individual

The World Health Organing to uphold and protect realizes his or her own isation (WHO) proposes the rights of people with potential, can cope with that “A healthy workplace is mental illnesses. The call is the normal stresses of life, one in which workers and for employers to facilitate can work productively and managers collaborate to mechanisms to achieve fruitfully, and is able to make use a continual improvethe objective of achieving a a contribution to his or her ment process to protect and healthy workplace. community.” promote the health, safety According to the WHO, In today’s fast-paced and well-being of all workthe average person spends society, employees experiers and the sustainability of a third of their adult life at ence stress in the workthe workplace.” work. It is thus important place daily. Work stress,

Let us look at two health that the workplace is somecombined with other mental and wellness concerns in where that employees can health conditions, such as

depression and anxiety, impact on the productivity of employees and in turn also on the performance of companies and organisations in South Africa. It is therefore important that employers pay increased attention to their employees’ wellness, especially with regards to mental health.

In general, employees do not feel comfortable in addressing their mental health issues with their employers. A survey by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group in 2017 showed that only 1 in 6 employees who had a mental illness indicated that they would be comfortable disclosing this to their manager. This is due to actual or perceived stigma. Stigma is pervasive throughout society, but can be increasingly malicious in the workplace, where employees fear retaliations for what they perceive to be weakness. This is because mental illness tends to be ‘invisible’ compared to those with a physical illness. Workplace bullying causes unseen damage to individuals, therefore awareness and educational programmes to all managers and their employees is of vital importance.

Employee responsibilities for self-care include:

• adequate sleep and exercise • ensure appropriate socialisation and spiritual expression • ask for help and access services when necessary

Ergonomics

This is the study or measurement of work. In this context, the term work signifies purposeful human function; it extends beyond the more restricted concept of work as labour for monetary gain, to incorporate all activities whereby a rational human operator systematically pursues an objective. Thus it includes sports and other leisure activities, domestic work such as child care and home maintenance, education and training, health and social service, and either controlling engineered systems or adapting to them, for example, as a passenger in a vehicle.

More specifically, ergonomics is the science of designing the job to fit the worker.

In all situations, activities and tasks, the focus is the person or persons involved. It is assumed that the structure, the engineering and any other technology is there to serve the operator, and not the other way round.

An ergonomics programme is a systematic process for identifying, analysing, and controlling workplace risk factors, often for reducing overuse musculoskeletal disorders. Together, employers, workers, and other parties with an understanding of ergonomics can design effective programmes to prevent and minimize work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

What are the advantages of good ergonomics?

• Increased savings: fewer injuries, more productive employees, fewer workman’s compensation claims • Fewer employees experiencing pain: ergonomics reduces the risk factors that lead to discomfort • Increased productivity: more efficient, productive, and greater job satisfaction • Increased morale: employees feel valued because their workplace is safer • Reduced absenteeism: healthy and pain-free workers For more information visit www.safmh. org.za.

Collagen 101

KATRINE ANKER-NILSSEN TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HYPE AROUND COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTS.

Collagen has been around in cosmetics bone disorders like osteoporosis.” for a while, but is a relatively new kid on Collagen may also help gut health issues the block when it comes to supplements. Its by strengthening the lining of the gut – benefits certainly sound intriguing, but is it making it less permeable and more effecjust another health fad? Let’s find out why tive in retaining nutrients from food – and you should be taking it, and how you can enimproving gut absorption issues. This, howsure you’re taking the best possible product. ever, needs more scientific research. “Most

“Collagen is the most abundant protein in of the research done has been on joint and our body. It is found in our bones, muscles, skin health, showing beneficial effects,” skin, and tendons. It’s the glue that holds says Danielle. “Although larger studies are the body together, and forms a foundation needed, I have many older clients who on to provide strength and structure,” explains taking the right collagen can feel the differregistered dietician Danielle Roberts – the ence in their skin, hair growth and nails in Sharks rugby team’s nutritionist. just one to two months.”

Strengthening the skin by improving elasWhen combined with exercise, collagen ticity and hydration, collagen can keep us may also boost metabolism by increas looking younger by slowing down the aging ing lean muscle mass. “Due to the high process. It may also help improve joint amino acid content, it makes it an ideal pain and maintain bone mass. “Bones are protein for muscle repair and recovery mostly made of collagen, which give them – reducing stiffness,” explains Mariska structure,” explains Danielle. “As we age, we Terblanche of Skat. “Apart from prevent lose bone mass density. Taking collagen ing the signs of aging by hydrating the can help increase bone density and prevent skin and reducing wrinkles, it can also

promote nail and hair growth,” she adds.

Our ancestors ate animals from head to tail, ensuring that there was no waste. This included boiling down the bones and ligaments, or the animal, to make a rich broth that formed the basis of most of their meals. “Collagen is found mostly in the parts of the animal that we discard in modern-day cooking, so we just don’t get enough of it in our diets,” explains Catherine Clark – owner of The Harvest Table – adding that collagen is “more than just a supplement, it is a necessity for optimum health.”

“Because good collagen supplements – which are additive, filler and preservative free – are actually a food, there are very few, if any, side effects,” says Catherine. However according to Danielle collagen supplements may cause indigestion for some people, or a feeling of fullness – as it is a protein.

You can take collagen in the form of pills, capsules, powder, granules or even liquid. “In order to receive enough collagen for your body to do the repair work that it needs, you should be taking approximately 16 grams a day,” says Catherine. “As collagen can be heated without losing its effectiveness, you can easily add it into cooking and hot drinks.” It also works well in smoothies, and according to Mariska you can bake with it without compromising your recipe.

Some people suggest taking collagen in the morning when your stomach is empty, while others prefer taking it at night – so that can body can “process” it while you sleep. “Personally, I take collagen powder in the morning after I train, as it adds 10g protein to my post workout meal,” says Danielle.

With so many collagen supplements available, make sure you do your research. A good collagen supplement will be 100% pure, natural and unsweetened. “Colourless and tasteless means there are no other ingredients added,” says Mariska.

Always look for a product that comes from a grass fed (bovine) source or wild caught (marine) source. “This ensures that the animals were raised as nature intended, and not prematurely fattened. Also ensure that the animals were given no routine antibiotics or growth hormones – as you wouldn’t wanted traces of those in your collagen,” says Catherine.

“Collagen needs to be broken down into peptides to be absorbed into the body, so look out for a hydrolysed collagen supplement,” says Danielle – adding that it’s absorbed better with vitamin C.

Veganism is the fastest growing sector in the food industry today, so researches are feeling the pressure to come up with a plantbased alternative to collagen supplements.

Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, and different types of protein – whether it is egg, pea or bovine – all contain a different mix of amino acids.

“Collagen protein has a unique set of amino acids found only within the skin and tissue of animals. These amino acid com binations do not naturally occur in plants. We can offer a mix of plant-based proteins to try and give the best possible second alternative to animal-based collagen, but it is not proven to be as effective. This is a hot topic and we should watch this space closely as new research becomes avail able,” says Mariska.

“Aloe vera, bamboo and seaweed may have collagen boosting materials, as well as certain mushrooms which provide the amino acids to make certain proteins,” adds Danielle.

To boost your collagen naturally, drinking bone broth or adding bone broth powder when cooking are great options. “Cooking foods, like stews, with the bones in, also increases collagen,” says Catherine – who believes consumers will see greater long term benefits by consuming collagen and allowing their bodies to repair from within.

For more information contact Danielle Roberts, www.danielleroberts.co.za, Catherine Clark, www.harvesttable. co.za, Mariska Terblanche, www.skatonline.co.za