Workplace Wellness Tip: MyPyramid.gov

Providing health education is one of the most important things you can do to help your employees. After all, how can we do better if we don't know better? The good news is, there are some excellent resources online--and they're absolutely free. MyPyramid, the USDA's nutrition site, is one of the best.

It's nice to know that there are 49 calories in a kiwi, but that information isn't terribly useful by itself. MyPyramid provides much more than raw data; in fact, it's interactive. Input a few specifics, and the site makes recommendations that are tailored to you.

So why not forward a few helpful links to your employees? It's a simple gesture, and it only takes a minute. In addition to imparting a ton of valuable information, it communicates that you care about their health and well-being.

Here are a few of my favorite sites:

• MyPyramid, from the Department of Agriculture
  
• HealthFinder, from the Department of Health and Human Services
  
• The Mayo Clinic
  
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention