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At Odie Bs, a sandwich shop in Denver, recovery from drug and alcohol use is part of daily operations. Seventy percent of our staff is active in recovery, Cliff Blauvelt, co-owner of Odie Bs, said in a video testimonial. We try to provide a safe space where people can feel comfortable. Blauvelt has struggled with alcohol use for more than 20 years. He co-owns Odie Bs with his wife, Cara Blauvelt. One employee, Molly, said working at Odie Bs helped her focus on sobriety and reconnect with her sense of purpose. I was burned out, I was working a lot of hours. I started dry January, and after a few months I realized I needed to quit drinking, she said in the same video testimonial. Cara definitely helped with my sobriety journey, just reminding me one day at a time, and now, I have been sober for going on two years. Colorado is one of more than 30 states that have launched recovery-friendly workplace programs in recent years. Theyre part of a growing effort to reframe how employers address addiction, mental health and recovery for the well-being of their employees and businesses. Our team from the Centers for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health works with employers to develop training guidelines and policies to help make their workplaces supportive of recovery. Over the past three years, weve worked to understand the tools employers need to better support employees with substance use disorders. Many are deeply motivated but lack formal policies or training. That gap is what the Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative is designed to fill. Since 2021, our team has developed and delivered recovery and mental health training to more than 8,000 Colorado employees. They represent more than 100 businesses in industries ranging from local government to construction companies and health care providers. Our training sessions focus on equipping individuals with an understanding of mental health and substance use disorders, explaining how to combat stigma, and outlining how to navigate accommodations in the workplace. The toll of addiction Substance use is not just a personal issue; its a public health and workforce challenge. In 2023, 1,865 Coloradans died from a drug overdose, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Thats up about 65 deaths from the previous year. Nationally, overdose deaths have more than doubled since 2015. In high-risk industries, such as construction and mining, where physically demanding work, long hours and job insecurity are common, workers have some of the highest rates of nonmedical opioid use. These workers are thus at a high risk of developing substance use disorders. They also face other mental health challenges. These same sectors face the highest suicide rates across all occupations and nearly double that of the general public. Recovery, as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a federal agency, includes a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. In Colorado, an estimated 400,000 people identify as being in recovery. Many of them are working, raising families and rebuilding their lives. The economic impact of substance use is significant. Colorado has lost more than 360 million work hours to opioid use over the past decade, according to the American Action Forum, a nonprofit that conducts economic analyses. Thats the equivalent of 173,000 full-time jobs for one year. In 2017 alone, the cost of lost productivity due to opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose in Colorado was estimated to be US$834 million. Employers save an average of $8,500 per year for each employee in recovery, according to the National Safety Council. These savings come from lower health care costs, reduced absenteeism and decreased turnover. In other words, when employers retain and support workers through recovery rather than lose them to untreated substance use, they see measurable benefits. A shifting policy landscape In 2024, Colorado lawmakers passed a bill for supporting recovery and addressing the opioid epidemic. The legislation provided funding to establish the Recovery Friendly Workplaces Initiative and the voluntary employer participation and certification program. In early 2025, funding for the initiative was removed from the state budget due to a broader fiscal shortfall. The funding cut disrupted many of our planned activities, and we are currently relying on interim support from counties and state offices. Looking ahead Small businesses remain a priority for our team, despite recent funding cuts. Many lack human resources departments or formal wellness programs but are nonetheless deeply committed to helping their employees succeed. A Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace Initative participant, Absolute Caulking & Waterproofing of Colorado, employs 39 people. Absolute has championed recovery-friendly policies as something the business values. This partnership saves us time and resources, which is invaluable for our small, family-owned business, said Sarah Deering, vice president of the company. The road ahead presents challenges, including limited funding, the societal stigma around recovery and all of the complexities of recovery itself. But we continue to follow the scientific evidence. Our research team is evaluating the outcomes of our programs to better understand their impact and hopefullyinform future policy recommendations. We are committed to the belief that work can and should be a place of healing. Liliana Tenney is an assistant professor at the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Olivia Zarella is a research associate at the Center for Health, Work & Environment at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Migraine sufferers have heard it all: ice hats, essential oils, ginger tea. The latest advice? Head to McDonalds and order a large Coca-Cola and fries, dubbed the McMigraine meal. One viral video with 5.7 million views reads: Trying McDonalds chips and a Diet Coke because Ive had a headache for 48 hours and TikTok said it would help. In the caption, the TikTok creator confirmed the hack worked. @millyhancockk Can confirm it works original sound – Franklin Saint Another posted, the migraine girls get it” while pulling up to a McDonalds drive-through. A third asked, can someone please explain why the McMigraine always works? While TikTok health hacks should be taken with a generous pinch of salt, this one may have some basis in science. This is a hack thats relatively well known in the migraine community, neurologist and fellow migraine sufferer Jessica Lowe (@doctorbrainbarbie), explained in a TikTok video with 9.3 million views. A large coke from Mcdonalds has about 80 milligrams of caffeine in it. That right there is probably enough to stop your migraine in its tracks. @doctorbrainbarbie McDonalds Migraine hack explained by a Neurologist. #migraine #migraines #migrainerelief #migrainetiktok #headache #headacherelief #neurology original sound – Doctor Brain Barbie Caffeine acts as a vasoconstrictormeaning it narrows blood vessels, which helps counter the dilation that occurs during a migraine. The fries offer both electrolytes and carbohydrates. Mcdonalds is well known to have some of the saltiest fries around, Lowe added. Electrolytes can ease migraine symptoms tied to dehydration or low sodium, while carbs may help if the trigger is hunger or a drop in blood sugar. Still, proceed with caution. For some people, caffeine and fast food can trigger migraines rather than relieve them. Dr. Kay Kennis, a trustee for the Migraine Trust and a GP who specializes in migraines, told the BBC that McDonalds food may also contain high levels of tyraminea known potential trigger. If youre struggling with migraines, consult your healthcare provider to explore treatment options. But if you’re craving McDonalds in the meantime, go for ityou just might get some relief.
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The iconic Goodyear airships are taking a victory lap over the skies of an Ohio city this week.The Akron-based tire company is celebrating the 100th anniversary of “Pilgrim,” its first blimp to take flight just outside of the city on June 3, 1925.Goodyear began experimenting with vessels that would be lighter than aircraft in the early 1900s, and the dirigibles have since become a lasting and iconic symbol of the corporate brand. For some, it evokes nostalgia, while for others it offers a glimpse into a larger-than-life part of advertisement history.Here is a by-the-numbers look at Goodyear airships over time: 1910 Goodyear establishes an Aeronautics Department to build lighter-than-air aircrafts, and by 1912 the company had built its first balloon.In 1930, the “Defender” blimp became the first airship in the world to carry a lit neon sign so the company’s name could be seen after dark.Goodyear began making airships for the U.S. Navy in 1917, and its first blimpthe first commercial non-rigid airship flown using heliumlaunched years later, becoming a marketing tool.From 1942 to 1944, the company built more than 150 airships for the Navy to serve in World War II, flying patrol over warships on the seas with zero reported loss of ships when a blimp was on watch. New Year’s Day 1955 The Goodyear Blimp has been a regular at major sporting events since flying above the 1955 Rose Bowl. A few years later, it became a service vehicle for television coverage while simultaneously functioning as a highly visible advertising platform.Since that time, blimps have undergone wholesale changes and improved dramatically: steering technology; safety innovations; high-definition cameras; aerial views captured with specialized systems that compensate for movement during filming, resulting in stable and smooth footage footage; and much quieter rides thanks to relocated engines and propellers. 4 blimps There currently are four Goodyear Blimpsthe three in the U.S. and one in Friedrichshafen, Germany.Today’s Goodyear Blimps are semi-rigid dirigibles, meaning they have an internal frame as compared to previous eras of blimps that could be fully deflated. In 2014, Goodyear transitioned to the New Technology semi-rigid airship platform designed to allow for improved maneuverability and speed. 246 feet The Goodyear Blimp is 246 feet long (75 meters), which would cover about 80% of a football field. It is 58 feet (18 meters) high and holds three Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of helium.Goodyear gets helium for its blimps from multiple sources. Because helium is a finite resource, the company purifies its helium every six to eight weeks to extend its life.The blimp travels more than 100 days per year, with trips ranging anywhere from three days to three weeks. A crew of nearly 20 people travel with the airship whenever it is touring. Today’s Goodyear Blimps fly between 1,000 and 1,500 feet (305 meters and 457 meters) in the air and travel at speeds up to 73 miles per hour (117 kilometers per hour). 10 blimp pilots There currently are fewer blimp pilots in the world than astronauts, according to Goodyear, which has 10 full-time pilots. To serve in that job, you must have a commercial pilot license followed by approximately 250 hours of training to earn an additional lighter-than-air airship rating from the Federal Aviation Administration. 2,500 and 500,000 The blimp has covered more than 2,500 events and taken more than 500,000 passengers for rides, according to Goodyear. Former President Ronald Reagan might be the most famous passenger, but it was rapper Ice Cube who raised the blimp’s street cred when he included a line about it in his 1992 song titled “It Was A Good Day.” Bruce Shipkowski, Associated Press
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