February is American Heart Health Month - Do you know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke? - SharpSchool
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February 2023
February is American Heart Health Month
Information provided by the American Heart Association.
Do you know the symptoms of Stroke Symptoms
heart attack and stroke? Spot a stroke F.A.S.T.
Review these symptoms and visit • Face drooping. Does one side of the face droop or is it
https://www.heart.org for more information. numb? Ask the person to smile.
• Arm weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person
Heart Attack Symptoms: to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in • Speech difficulty. Is speech slurred, are they unable to
the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to
or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like repeat a simple sentence, like "the sky is blue." Is the
uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. sentence repeated correctly?
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper extremity. • TIME TO CALL 911. If the person shows any of these
Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get
arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. them to the hospital immediately.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. Cardiac Arrest Symptoms
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, • Sudden loss of responsiveness. No response to tapping
nausea or light headedness. on shoulders.
• No normal breathing. The victim does not take a normal
breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least
five seconds.
*Content is meant for informational purposes only. Concerns related to your health should be discussed with a medical provider.
In case of emergencies, call 911 or go to an emergency room.
High Blood Pressure Can Lead To
Stroke, Heart Attack
High blood pressure (HBP, or hypertension) is often
referred to as “the silent killer.” Most of the time, HBP
has no obvious symptoms to indicate that something is
wrong. The best ways to protect yourself are being aware of
the risks and making changes that matter. The first step to
protect yourself is to have your blood pressure measured
and know what the numbers mean. Your blood pressure is
recorded as two numbers:
• Systolic blood pressure (the first number) – indicates
how much pressure your blood is exerting against your
artery walls when the heart beats.
• Diastolic blood pressure (the second number) –
indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting
against your artery walls while the heart is resting
between beats.
HBP, left untreated, can lead to many health risks, including
a heart attack or stroke. Read more about the health risks
here. If you are diagnosed with HBP, the American Heart
Association has resources and information on its website to
help you manage your condition.
2 Benefits Bulletin
Cash In on Wellness With Stay Motivated With Webcasts
MotivateMe From the Employee Assistance
Earn up to a $100 reward in your paycheck* by completing healthy Program
actions for year 9** of MotivateMe by September 30, 2023.
Keep your momentum going with Employee Assistance Program
Who is eligible? webcasts. Explore topics such as health & wellness, financial health
Active employees who are enrolled in one of the OCPS Cigna and personal development anytime with on-demand replays. Each
medical plans. seminar is designed to reduce stress, find balance and help us be
our best. There are currently more than 80 wellness topics,
What do I need to do? including:
• Complete your Health Assessment on www.myCigna.com.
• Exercise Essentials: Getting and Staying Active
(Tip: If you don’t know all of your information such as your
• A Fresh Look at Healthy Eating
cholesterol, that’s okay. You can skip the numbers you don’t
• Financial Wellness Playbook
know and still complete the Health Assessment.)
• Raising Money-Savvy Kids
• Get your Annual Physical (not Well Woman Exam) by your • Achieving Success: Using Goals to Get There
Primary Care Physician. • The Power of Purpose
All OCPS Employees* can access registration information,
YOU JUST EARNED $50! live webcasts and on-demand replays at
• You can earn an additional $25 or $50 ONLY if you have www.Cigna.com/EAPwebcasts.
completed the annual physical and the health assessment
*Employees do not have to be enrolled in an OCPS medical plan to
online. Select two of the following for $25 each (maximum
utilize the EAP webcasts. Mental/ behavioral health and substance
of two).
use disorder services are accessible to employees and dependents
Colon Cancer Screening Mammogram covered by one of the OCPS Cigna medical plans.
Cervical Cancer Screening Flu Shot
Work with a Cigna Use a Cigna Center of
Health Coach Excellence
Does OCPS receive my personal health information?
No. Information provided to Cigna through the health assessment
is confidential. OCPS will receive aggregate data concerning the
overall health of our employee population. This is used to help
develop future programs that will have the maximum impact on
improving the health of OCPS employees. Aggregate reports do not
include personally identifiable information.
*Rewards are disbursed twice a year (May/June and December) via
payroll deposit and are considered taxable income. Should you Let’s Get Social
receive a reward in error, the recovery of this overpayment will occur The Employee Wellness Program is on Facebook! Be sure to like
on your next regularly scheduled check. The incentive will be our page to stay up to date on OCPS Employee Wellness Program
forfeited if termination of employment occurs prior to the happenings and community events.
scheduled reward disbursement. Maximum payroll deposit is $100.
The health assessment and annual physical must be The Employee Wellness Facebook page can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/EmployeeWellnessOCPS.
completed in order to be eligible for the additional $25 rewards.
**Qualifying activities must be completed between 10/1/2022
and 9/30/2023 to be eligible for a year 9 MotivateMe reward.
Benefits Bulletin 3
February Healthy Hero
"There is nothing more wonderful than the love and guidance a grandparent can give his or her
grandchild." — Edward Fays
That’s just what Joy Walker, third grade teacher at Vista Pointe ES, hopes to provide her six grandchildren.
Itza Trejos, ESOL compliance specialist, nominated Walker because she sees her as a role model in the
Omada digital lifestyle change program. In addition, Trejos is inspired by the way Walker encourages
others to participate in a healthy lifestyle and her overall positive attitude.
Walker attributes her inspiration for living a healthy lifestyle to her grandchildren. Noting that retirement
is just around the corner and she is looking forward to seeing them enjoy their youth and grow into
adulthood.
Every day before work, she can be seen walking laps around the school’s basketball court. She joined the
Omada program after receiving a brochure and discussing the benefits with a colleague who was already
participating. After learning about how the program works, she said, “It sounded like the next step for me
to take.”
When asked what she would like to share with others, Walker said, “Don’t give up. Even though you can’t
do every day or you mess up with the good eating, just go back to it. No matter what you do, it will help in
the long run.”
We celebrate Joy Walker as February’s Healthy Hero. Her dedication to a healthy lifestyle is inspiring to colleagues at Vista Pointe Elementary
and throughout OCPS.
If you would like to nominate a co-worker as a Healthy Hero, please email wellness@ocps.net with the candidate’s name, work location and
why they deserve the title.
Be Sweet to Your Heart This February
During the month of February, the American Heart Association spotlights heart health and the prevalence of heart disease in America. Heart
disease, including hypertension, coronary artery disease and other conditions, is largely preventable. Here are three things recommended by
the American Heart Association that you can do this month to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Get Moving
The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise at least five days per week. If
30 minutes is difficult to schedule, aim for three daily activity breaks of 10 minutes each to gain benefits.
Heart Healthy Eating Habits
Limit foods high in saturated fats, found in butter, cheese, red meat and other animal-based foods, and tropical oils (coconut, palm, and palm
kernel). Instead, choose sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as fish, nuts and plant-based cooking oils (avocado, olive,
and rapeseed).
Ease Stress
Stress is a common aspect of life, however high levels of stress can lead to high blood pressure, some heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias)
and artery damage. Activities such as meditation, deep breathing and journaling are great options to combat the stress of day-to-day life. Take
advantage of EAP webcasts, detailed in this edition of the Benefits Bulletin.
Communicating with your primary care physician and getting your annual physical are great ways to get a pulse check on heart health
markers such as blood pressure and cholesterol.
Looking to take more steps toward a heart-healthy lifestyle? Contact Health Coach Danielle at EmployeeHealthCoach@ocps.net or by call/
text at 407.304.8042 to get started with health coaching.
The Benefits Bulletin is designed to keep OCPS employees and their families informed about
available benefit programs.This information is not intended to replace professional health care.
See your health care professional for information relevant to your medical history.
4 Benefits Bulletin Editors: Kimberly Eisenbise and Beth Palmer
Graphic Artist: Kim Boulnois
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