Alfred Health News

The Alfred's Healthy Heroes Father's Day Appeal, proudly presented by Harris Scarfe, is now underway.

The focus of the 2015 appeal is keeping dads well and raising funds for cardiac care at The Alfred

Deputy Director of General Medicine, and father of two, Dr Harry Gibbs shares his top health tips for those working in hospitals.

Reducing stress

"We all know working in healthcare can have its stressful days, and stress can compromise our immune system," explained Dr Gibbs.

"There will be days when things don't go your way. To help cope with these times, take positive action by working on improving your mental health and wellbeing, just as you would with your physical health and fitness.

"You need to work out what your way of coping is. That might be going for a run, sitting down for 10 minutes of mindfulness practice, doing yoga or cooking a great meal."

Take action early

"If you're not well, take action early and don't come into work," explained Dr Gibbs.

"I learnt the hard way when I once came to work with a cold, and ended up in hospital with pneumonia.

"By coming into work when you're sick you're not providing the best service you can to your staff and patients, and you may also risk their health."

More from Dr Gibbs

• Wash your hands
• Keep up-to-date with vaccinations, such as influenza
• Follow the Infection Prevention Guidelines
• Sleep well - the quality of your sleep can dictate how much you eat, how fast your metabolism runs, how well you can fight off infections and how well you can cope with stress. Make sure you get enough sleep and keep a regular sleep pattern by going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time.
• Eat a healthy diet - eat a range of foods in moderation to ensure you get a variety of nutrients and vitamins.
• Knowing your family history is one of the most powerful tools to understanding your health. Your genes can influence your risk of developing some forms of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and make you more susceptible to many mental health problems.

Learn more about The Alfred's Healthy Heroes Father's Day Appeal at www.alfredfoundation.org.au