Washtenaw Optimal Wellness (WOW) is working diligently to implement a Blue Zone Project. Blue Zone® Projects help citizens make the healthy choice, the easy choice™.
Blue Zones® Projects help communities gain national recognition as great places to live, work, and play. A Blue Zones® Certified Community helps attract and retain talent with healthier food and lifestyle choices. (12% of millennial’s identify as plant-based or vegan).
Through community transformation programs and workplace wellness programs, businesses can lower healthcare costs, lower their workers’ compensation claims, improve productivity, improve employee absenteeism, and have less attrition due to happier healthier employees. Positive attitudes, higher productivity, lower healthcare costs and happiness are some of the positives of healthy employees.
In Blue Zones® Project Communities, the Blue Zones® organization help communities transform where they live, work, learn, and play by making the healthy choice is the easy choice™. These permanent and semi-permanent changes to the environment affect current residents, but also positively impact the lives of future generations.
Worksite Best Practices
Some of the best practices organizations have added to their existing wellness programs include:
~Providing employees opportunities to attend Purpose Workshops and cooking demonstrations;
~Encouraging participation in 10-week walking groups (called Moais®);
~Promoting more movement throughout the day, downshifting breaks, and more frequent use of stairs versus elevators;
~Offering healthier cafeteria, catering, and vending options.
~Utilizing a plant-forward message wherein healthy foods are front and center with easy access.
BLUE ZONES PROJECT COMMUNITIES HAVE EXPERIENCED:
Double digit drops in obesity, smoking, and BMI (body mass index).
Millions of dollars of savings in healthcare costs. In Albert Lea, MN. – Healthcare claims dropped by a whopping 49%!
Measurable drops in employee absenteeism.
Increased longevity of citizens by years.
Dramatic decrease in workers’ compensation claims.
Developed more walkable and bikeable communities.
Greater community involvement and volunteer efforts.
One BZ Project saw a 17% decrease in smoking and 9% increase in exercise.
More Results
See more Blue Zones® Project results here: https://www.bluezones.com/blue-zones-project-results/
Corporate Wellness Programs
Highlighting a similar approach to corporate wellness programs, the Complete Health Improvement Programs (CHIP) from the Lifestyle Medicine Institute has documented the dramatic impact on improving employee health, lowering workers’ compensation claims, lowering sick care pay, and lowering insurance claims. You can view their peer reviewed scientific publications in respected medical journals HERE: https://chiphealth.com/science-all-articles/
Other Plant Forward Initiatives Results
Many companies and organizations have implemented corporate wellness initiatives similar to the ones outlined above in the CHIP program. Geico saw tremendous results from the CHIP program. Companies like Google, Whole foods, CenturyLink, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota benefited by the impact of plant forward initiatives. (Note, WFPB = Whole Food Plant Based)
