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HEALTH&HABITAT
February/March 2012 www.esb.ie/em
HEALTH AWARENESS FOR 2012
Your health is important to us
HEALTH SERVICES UPDATE
ESB HEALTH SERVICES is committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of ESB Staff. As part of this commitment we are continually involved in programmes aimed at increasing the awareness of the health benefits associated with a balanced diet, a good exercise plan and a healthy mind. Physical activity releases endorphins – the ‘feel good’ hormones, so it can often help to improve your mental wellbeing and help you maintain a positive mental attitude. Being physically active lifts your mood, gives you a sense of wellbeing and gives you more energy. Also what we eat has a major effect on our general health both physically and mentally. Your body is able to fight stressful situations better when you eat a healthy diet.
Building resilience is about developing strengths and abilities to ‘bounce back’ from challenges and setbacks that life presents. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Mind power is immensely valuable. By having a healthy mind, you can channel your thoughts in the positive direction to reach the goals you set for yourself.
We all face difficult challenges today, i.e. dealing with uncertainty and change, facing and overcoming career challenges, cultivating new relationships and making health and lifestyle decisions. Accordingly, it’s worth taking time out to ensure that we deal with these challenges with a positive and productive mind-set in order to enhance the quality of our lives.
You have already received your 2012 health and wellbeing calendar, which provides some useful tips to manage your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing and help build your resilience. The calendar themes will be supported by business and local initiatives throughout the coming year. ESB Health Services will be releasing a suite of health booklets in the coming months. These booklets will cover Understanding Cancer, Cardiovascular Health, Travel Health, A Guide to Back Care, and Wellbeing – building your mental, physical and emotional resilience. These booklets will be available on-line from the ESB Health Services Intranet site at http://esbnet/sharedservices/health/default.shtm or by contacting Health Services on 01 7026261.
Your Health is important to us.
For further information on the seasonal Flu visit: http://esbnet/sharedservices/health/medical_cond/influenza.shtm. Your health is important to us
Liam Maher wins golf trophy
Photo shows Club Captain Eugene O’Meara presenting Liam with his prizes.
SPORTSCO raffle winner
Tax relief on medical expenses
EAP NOTICEBOARD
Tax relief can be claimed in respect of the cost of certain medical expenses paid by you, for yourself and/or (from 2007 onwards) on behalf of any other person. You cannot claim tax relief for any expenditure which has been, or will be, reimbursed by another body for example the MPF, (or other Health Insurer), the HSE or where a compensation is made or will be made.
What medical expenses qualify for relief?
- Doctors and consultants fees.
- Diagnostic procedures carried out on the advice of a practitioner.
- Drugs/medicines prescribed by a doctor/dentist/consultant.
- Maintenance or treatment in a hospital or approved nursing home.
- Supply, maintenance or repair of any medical, surgical, dental or nursing appliance used on the advice of a medical practitioner for example:
- Glucometer Machine
- Hearing Aid
- Orthopaedic Bed/Chair
- Wheelchair/wheelchair lift (no relief is due for alterations to the building to facilitate a lift)
- Exercise Bicycle
- Computer (where necessary to alleviate communication problems of a severely handicapped person
- False Eye
- Wigs - Physiotherapy or similar treatment (e.g. chiropractor, osteopath, bonesetter) prescribed by a practitioner.
- Orthoptic or similar treatment prescribed by a practitioner (Routine Ophthalmic Care - i.e. Sight Testing, Spectacles, does NOT qualify for tax relief).
- Speech and language therapy carried out by an approved Speech and Language Therapist for a qualifying child.
- Transport by ambulance.
- Educational psychological assessments carried out by an approved Educational Psychologist for a qualifying child.
- Certain items of expenditure in respect of a child suffering from a serious life threatening illness.
- Kidney patients’ expenses (up to a maximum amount depending on whether the patient uses hospital dialysis, home dialysis or CAPD).
- Specialised dental treatment (routine dental treatment does NOT qualify for tax relief)
- In-Vitro fertilisation.
- Cost of gluten-free food for coeliacs.
- Cost of food products manufactured specifically for diabetics.
Relief given
Relief is granted at the standard rate of tax for medical expenses incurred during 2010. Relief at the high rate is still available for payments towards Nursing Homes.
How to claim
You can claim the tax relief in a number of ways:
- Claiming online via Revenue’s “PAYE Anytime service” on www.revenue.ie.
- By completing Form Med 1 - Health Expenses Claim for Tax Relief and submitting it to your local Revenue office
- If you use a Form 11 to make a tax return and claim reliefs and credits, the amount of the health expenses claim may be entered at Panel I on the Form 11
The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a confidential service provided to ESB Staff and Pensioners.
For further information on this or any related matter contact your local EAP Officer.
Put some medicine in your soup
MIRIAM MCDONALD
NATURAL HEALTH
Have you every noticed that during the colder months your body craves soups, stews and generally warmer foods? They warm us up, make us feel better and are generally nourishing. Of course homemade soups are best. You can buy local and even if you puree the cooked vegetables, they still have more fibre and are more nutritious than mass manufactured soups.
You can make those soups even healthier by selecting a range of spices and herbs, that will not only add some zest to your soup, but also have medicinal properties to keep you well throughout the cold months.
Garlic, for example, is a powerful antioxidant helping to combat flus, viruses and other respiratory ailments. It helps prevent formation of blood clots and is effective in reducing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It has also induced death of cancer cells in tests on prostate and colon cancer.
Another herb to consider adding to your soups or stews is Turmeric. Turmeric calms the stomach and is anti-inflammatory. Like garlic it is good for colds and flus and helps with circulatory problems, preventing blood clots. It is also anti-arthritic (relieves arthritis and stiff joints) and anti-carcinogenic.
If you really like it hot, how about a little cayenne pepper. Similar to turmeric and garlic, cayenne pepper is also anti-bacterial and an antioxidant. It is a powerful blood tonic, improving circulation, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Like turmeric it is also effective in relieving joint pain and helping with arthritis. And if that wasn’t enough to make you take to cayenne, many cultures view cayenne pepper as a potent libido, increasing euphoric endorphins in the blood stream!
And finally, good old black pepper. Black pepper like many of the spices above, is good for the stomach and aids digestion as it encourages the flow of gastric juices. Similar to the other spices it is an antioxidant and anti-bacterial, so can help in the treatment of colds and flus. Spring can often be a time when colds and flus abound – Why not use the medicine in your kitchen cupboard to fortify yourself, build your immunity, improve your blood flow, your overall heart function and general health.
Miriam McDonald is a Nutritional Consultant & Practitioner (CANNP). For any queries on nutrition please email her at miriam.mcdonald@freshperceptions.com
