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HEALTH&HABITAT
June/July 2012 www.esb.ie/em
SPORTSCO
2nd July – 31th August 2012
9:30am – 4pm
Pre and post-camp care available
Swimming & Games, Soccer, Unihoc, Basketball, Dance, Arts & Crafts, Treasure Hunt
*no camp the August bank holiday week for kids aged between 4 and 12 years
SPORTSCO
South Lotts Rd,
Ringsend, Dublin 4
t. 6687022
www.sportsco.ie, info@sportsco.ie
Application forms available soon on our website and at reception
TRIPS TO COME FROM ESB TRAVELCO
Belfast- a special visit during a special year
A visit to Belfast confirmed the excellence of the hotel located in the heart of the city with full health and leisure facilities. It is the only city centre hotel with in-house pool & gym. The offer is inclusive of:
- 5 nights’ bed breakfast and evening meal
- Transfers to/from the Central Train Station
- Afternoon tea on arrival
- Private room one evening for Irish Night with Shay and Breda
- Dedicated host from Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau to assist us with what Belfast has to offer
PRICING : €355 pps - single supplement €190 (Based on hotel’s sterling quotation calculated at current euro rate, also bank commission and other charges).
Mittel Europe – 4 cities, a capital idea!
Visit:
- Prague – Czech Republic: 5 Nights
- Vienna - Austria: 5 Nights
- Bratislava - Slovakia: 2 Nights
- Budapest - Hungary: 4 Nights
PLUS! Tour guide for the duration of the trip and dedicated English speaking guides for the city tours.
Full and half day trips to tourist highlights in the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary
PRICING : €1799 pps and €75 airport tax for half board in 4* hotels.
Contact: Joe Weir, ESB Travelco, 27 Herbert Place, Dublin 2. Phone 01 632 5120 or email: jmweir@utvinternet.ie.
Have you entered the Home Cook Hero competition?
Life page 38
GOING ABROAD
to Europe this year?
EAP NOTICEBOARD
DON’T FORGET YOUR European Health Insurance Card and make sure it’s up to date!
As an Irish resident you are entitled to get healthcare, through the public system, in countries of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland if you become ill or injured while on a temporary stay there. To avail of this treatment you need to have an, up-to-date, European Health Insurance Card or EHIC (formerly the ‘E111 form’). One card is needed for each individual or member of the family. There is no charge for the EHIC card.
You should apply for the European Health Insurance Card if you:
• Plan to go on holiday to another EU / EEA country or Switzerland.
• Regularly visit any of these countries, for example, on business, or for leisure.
• Plan to go to any of these countries to seek work.
• Are being sent by your employer to work in any of these countries temporarily but will continue to pay tax in Ireland.
• Intend to undertake a course of study in any of these countries but still consider yourself as ordinarily resident in Ireland.
• Intend to visit any of these countries for any other type of temporary stay where healthcare, in itself, is not the aim of the visit.
How to apply for your European Health Insurance Card
1. You can apply online at www.ehic.ie if you already have either a Medical Card or a Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) card
2. You can apply in person by completing an application form at your local HSE office.
3. To apply by post, ask for an application form from your local EAP Officer, HSE Office, Community Care Office or Health Centre. Complete the application form and return it by post to your local HSE office.
What personal details do I need to give in order to get my card?
You will need to provide your name, address, date-of-birth and PPS number. You may be asked to show evidence of your PPS number, such as a P60 or a Social Services Card. You may also need to show proof that you are ordinarily resident in Ireland.
What do I do if I become ill or injured in another EU member state?
To obtain healthcare with the card, go to the nearest public system doctor, public hospital, or other public treatment centre and present your card. Treatment in a private setting is not covered by the card
Remember: Cards are valid for up to two years after which they must be renewed.
The Employee Assistance: Programme (EAP) is a confidential service provides to ESB Staff and Pensioners. For further information on this or any related matter contact your local EAP Officer
Start your day with an egg
MIRIAM MCDONALD
NATURAL HEALTH
EATING HEALTHILY IS very important to your health now and in the future. If you wanted to eat something that had the most protein of any common food, as well as almost all the essential vitamins and minerals what would it be. This wonder food is the egg!
Eggs are beneficial for the eyes, brain, weight-loss and disease prevention in general.
They contain lutein and zeaxanthin – important for eye health and particularly beneficial in preventing age related macular degeneration. Containing sulphur, eggs are also very good for nails, hair and skin – indeed, some people claim their hair grows more on a diet rich in eggs!
Choline is a very important mineral in the body and one egg provides 26.5% of your daily needs. The nervous system, liver, gall bladder, kidneys and thymus gland all need choline and it is important in fat and cholesterol metabolism, as well as being critical for good brain health.
Choline helps regulate inflammation in the body, (increasingly seen as the root of autoimmune and heart disease as well as cancer) and it is believed to turn off the switch which causes inflammation. Choline is also very important in pregnancy as choline-deficiency can impact on foetal brain development.
It is hard to believe, but eggs can also help in weight loss. In a randomised control trial conducted by Ballesteros et al in 2004, one group ate two eggs for breakfast five days a week for eight weeks. They lost twice as much weight as those not eating eggs and had an 83% greater decrease in waist circumference.
Although there is a common perception that eating eggs raises levels of cholesterol a range of studies have shown this not to be the case. In fact, many now believe that it is inflammation that causes the build up of cholesterol, resulting in atherosclerosis. Controlled studies found eggs actually have a positive impact on cholesterol levels. In one trial participants ate two eggs every day and their LDL cholesterol (so called ‘good’ cholesterol) increased.
But everyone is different and clearly too much of one food is bad for anyone. A recent study found that those with existing type-2 diabetes who ate eggs every day slightly increased their risk of cardiovascular disease. It is recommended therefore, that such people eat no more than four eggs per week.
So next time you’re wondering what to eat, include an egg – boiled or poached is best. But don’t overdo it – vary your diet and, of course, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Miriam McDonald is a Nutritional Consultant & Practitioner (CANNP). She can be contacted at miriam.mcdonald@freshperceptions.com
