Wellness Committee

Tips: Wellness Committee

Expand all Collapse all

• Eating Out, Healthily

  The USDA has several ways to help you eat healthy when eating out.

• Strength Training

  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the benefits of strength training is that it can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is enormously helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.

• Preventative care

  Preventative care can be key to living a longer, healthier lifestyle. By scheduling an appointment with your health care provider, you and your doctor can determine what exams and/or screening are appropriate for you.

• Choose My Plate

  You may be familiar with ChooseMyPlate. This USDA initiative took the place of the food pyramid, but is still designed to help people eat healthier. To further aid people in making healthier eating and exercise choices, the USDA recently launched SuperTracker. Creating a profile in SuperTracker can help you with personalized diet and exercise recommendations, meal tracking using a database of more than 8,000 foods, reports showing your activity level, weight, and nutrient intake over time, along with tips to help you reach your wellness goals.

• Eating a heart-healthy diet

  Whether or not you have a family history of heart disease, it's a good idea to follow a heart-healthy diet. Heart disease is the nation's No. 1 killer. The Food and Drug Administration offers the following guidance to choose heart-healthy foods: choose foods with less fat, particularly saturated fat and trans fat, and less cholesterol; choose foods with less sodium, which can increase blood pressure—a serious risk factor associated with heart disease; choose foods with fewer calories and more fiber, especially fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lower your risk of heart disease.

• Healthy eating and regular excercise

  Based on a survey by the National Health and Nutrition Board, today, more than ever, healthy eating and regular physical activity are important for achieving and maintaining good health. Approximately 2/3 of American adults and 9 million children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 19 are either overweight or obese. Excessive weight and obesity have become the fastest growing epidemics affecting Americans today. These epidemics cut across all segments of society, regardless of age, race, ethnic group, or gender. Studies show that people given larger portion sizes of anything from baked pasta to stale popcorn will eat much more of the food than people given smaller portions, yet they don't report feeling more full than those who ate less. Do you find you eat the food in front of you until it is gone, no matter how large the portion? Remember to be aware of what you eat and use a smaller plate!

• How much sugar is in that drink?

  Ever wonder how much sugar is in that drink you are drinking? Astonishingly, there are 17.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 17.5-ounce bottle of Nantucket Nectars Cranberry juice, 19.25 teaspoons of sugar in a Mountain Dew, and 10.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 16-ounce bottle of Snapple Lemon Iced Tea. According to the Alliance for a Healthier Vermont, women who consumed one or more servings of a soft drink per day were twice as likely to develop diabetes as women who consumed less than one serving a month. Drink less sugar for better health. Think water instead!

• You can sense that spring is on it’s way!

  The weather is changing and now is your chance to get outdoors and make some changes to better yourself. Get moving for a healthy heart. Clip on a pedometer. For motivation to walk more, attach a small step-counting device that clips onto your belt or straps onto your wrist. Start with a baseline (calculate how many steps you take over a three-day period) and then make a goal to add 1,000 to 2,000 more steps a day and work up to the recommended 10,000 steps each day.

• National Donor Day

  February 14 is designated as National Donor Day. Did you know that you may contribute to saving up to 8 lives through organ donation as well as enhance many others through tissue donation? According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services donor information site, organ donors made 28,000 transplants possible and another million people were able to benefit from tissue donations. Make the commitment to be an organ and/or tissue donor and then register with your state. For more information and to access your state’s registration site, visit www.organdonor.gov. To provide even more information about becoming a donor, the Wellness Committee will be hosting both an open community event and a Brown Bag Basics session this spring where you can hear from Laura Krause about her experience as a living donor.

• Stock Your Freezer!

  Keeping a well stocked freezer can prevent last minute trips to the grocery store and make meal preparation easier on busy days. Ever wonder how long you can freeze certain foods?  Are there certain foods you shouldn’t freeze?  Visit the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection website for answers to these questions as well as information on freshness & quality, nutrition retention, safe thawing, and refreezing foods.

• February is American Heart Month

  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers the sobering news that heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women, with an American having a coronary event every 25 seconds. To protect yourself, know the diseases and conditions that could increase your risk as well as the signs and symptoms of a heart attack (they can be different for men and women). Learn how to use the strongest weapons against heart disease: healthy diet and exercise. For more, visit The Center for Disease Control and Prevention or The American Heart Association.

• Choose my Plate

  Eating healthier doesn't have to cost more. The Choose my Plate website advises us to follow the three "P"s: Plan, purchase, and prepare.

• Meatless meals

  You can eat healthfully without spending a lot. One way to achieve healthy savings is to serve meat less often. It can be challenging to serve healthy meals on a budget, but with planning you can reduce your risk of some cancers and save money at the same time. Many people save money by adding meatless meals to their weekly menus. Meatless meals are built around vegetables, beans and grains — instead of meat, which tends to be more expensive. Meatless meals also offer health benefits. More information about meatless meals can be found at the Mayo Clinic's website.

• Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin

  Good skin care, including sun protection and gentle cleansing, can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come. These five basics can help: protect yourself from the sun, don't smoke, treat your skin gently, eat a healthy diet, andmanage your stress. Click www.mayoclinic.com for more information.

• A heart-healthy diet

  Whether or not you have a family history of heart disease, it’s a good idea to follow a heart-healthy diet. Heart disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer. The Food and Drug Administration offers the following guidance to choose heart-healthy foods: choose foods with less fat, particularly saturated fat and trans fat, and less cholesterol; choose foods with less sodium, which can increase blood pressure—a serious risk factor associated with heart disease; choose foods with fewer calories and more fiber, especially fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lower your risk of heart disease.

• 20/20 at 40

  Prevent Blindness America encourages working-age adults to take control of your own eye health, and make it a core component of your overall healthcare routine. Absent previous signs, symptoms or risk factors, Prevent Blindness America encourages all Americans to get a baseline eye exam by an ophthalmologist or optometrist at the age of 40, and regular eye care thereafter (your eye doctor will tell you how often you should return for routine visits). http://www.preventblindness.org/2020-40.

• January is National Radon Action Month

  Four Things You Can Do During National Radon Action Month: test your home—the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon, testing is easy and inexpensive; Attend a National Radon Action Month event in your area - Look for radon events in your community; spread the word—spend time during National Radon Action Month encouraging others to learn about radon and test their homes; and buy a radon-resistant home For more information: http://www.epa.gov/radon/nram/index.html.

• Healthy Smiles Contribute to Healthy Bodies

  What can you do to improve your smile? Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily; use toothpaste that contains fluoride; eat a well-balanced diet and limit foods and drinks high in sugar; schedule regular dental check-ups; and replace your toothbrush every three months or when the bristles are frayed. For more information about dental health click http://www.bcbsvt.com.

• January is National Blood Donor Month

  You don’t need a special reason to give blood. You just need your own reason.Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend. Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day. Some believe it is the right thing we do. Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. And you’ll feel good knowing you've helped change a life. Find a local blood drive.

• Stress-relieving techniques

  Stay healthy during the holiday season by focusing on exercise, relaxation, nutrition, water and sleep. Take care of yourself so that you can enjoy time with family and friends. Take a few minutes each day to practice meditation or other stress-relieving techniques such as deep breathing. Meditation does not have to be a complicated process. Focus on your breathing for a few minutes before getting out of bed in the morning, at your desk each day, and before going to bed at night. Keep to regular sleep patterns as much as possible; our bodies need 7–8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is essential for the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems. If you find that you are missing sleep or getting out-of-sync, take a night off from holiday shopping, baking, and socializing and relax. Stay home and read a book or rent a DVD and settle in early. You will be amazed how much more you will enjoy the holiday season if you take care of yourself first.

• Holiday stress

  The holiday season is upon us and can be a stressful time of the year for you and your family. Check the Bulletin each week for ideas to help you maintain your energy level and stay healthy over the holidays. The focus will be on exercise, relaxation, nutrition, water, and sleep. If you already have an exercise routine, it is important to keep up with it during the holiday season. The hectic season will make it tempting to skip a day or two. Staying active will help you feel better and maintain your energy level. If you do not have a regular exercise routine, there are still small steps you can take to increase physical activity and relieve holiday stress. Park your car in the farthest parking lot at work or at the mall, take the stairs instead of the elevator, get up from your chair at work and walk around for a few minutes, or take 10 or 15 minutes during lunch to walk outside.

• Winter exercise

  Winter exercise is wonderful, but knowing what to wear is key to enjoying the outdoors. Cotton is not an option for winter workouts according to Jeff Galloway, an Olympian, running coach and author of 17 books including the best selling Galloway's Book on Running. Cotton soaks up sweat and rain and holds in fluids. He indicates that "wet fabric next to your skin will zap your body of heat and give you an unwanted chill." Choose the right workout fabrics and layer clothing to keep dry.

• A guilt-free Thanksgiving feast

  With just a little know-how, you can enjoy a guilt-free Thanksgiving feast.  In a recent WebMD article by Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, former president of the American Dietetic Association, recommends getting active by creating a calorie deficit; exercise before you even indulge in your favorite foods.  Also recommended is eating a healthy breakfast - it takes the edge off your appetite and allows you to be more discriminating in the food you select during the meal.  Make recipes healthier with less fat, sugar and calories - no one will notice the difference if you skim calories by using lower calorie ingredients.  And, monitor your portions.  After all, being stuffed is a good idea but only if you are a turkey!

• Great American Smokeout

  Don't be left out on November 17th, join the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout.  The American Cancer Society encourages smokers to use the date to quit smoking.  By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life - one that can lead to reducing cancer risk.  Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done. To have the best chance of quitting successfully, you need to know what you're up against, what your options are, and where to go for help.  Visit www.cancer.org for tips and tools to help you quit smoking for good.

• Living with diabetes

  With nearly 26 million children and adults in American living with diabetes, and another 79 million at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, the disease is extremely serious matter. This year, the American Diabetes Association is asking individuals to take a pledge and raise their hand to Stop Diabetes. November is American Diabetes Month, a time to rally individuals, communities and families to Join the MillionsSM in the movement to Stop Diabetes®. Beginning November 1, the public can take action by taking the American Diabetes Month pledge on Facebook or can become involved in other ways including attending local events and visiting www.stopdiabetes.com.

• Meyer Recreation Barn Classes

  Fall 2011

  Open to students, faculty, and staff.

  Prices: students, $3; faculty and staff, $5 (punchcards available in Student Life)

  • Mondays. 7:00-8:00 pm: Zumba with Betsy Dunham
  • Tuesdays, 6:00-7:15 pm: Vinyasa Yoga with Rebecca Healy
  • Wednesdays, 8:00-9:00 pm: Anusara Yoga with Natasha Judson
  • Thursdays, 1:00-1:50 pm: Pilates with Donna Menneto
  • Saturdays, 10:00-11:00 am: Yoga--Meditation & Motion with Jamie Weaver

  Please direct questions to Andrew Wu in the Office of Student Life (x4455).

• Candy and snacks

  Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating today, within reason, of course. Candy and snacks shouldn’t ever get in the way of healthy meals! (Source: TodayHealth)

• Get some sleep

  Sleep deprivation makes the day drag and appears to put a drag on metabolism too, causing the body to use less energy. (Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

• Build healthy relationships

  Building healthy relationships and fostering a general connection with everyone around you is an important part of wellness. One way you can do that is through active listening (i.e. devoting your attention to what someone is saying). It requires you to listen with an open mind uncluttered by inner dialogue. Concentrate on understanding what the other person is saying, not on phrasing your response. (Source: The Wellness Book)

• Take a brisk fall walk around the campus loop

  From VAPA, up the road to the Jennings Music Building, by the Deane Carriage Barn, continue by the beautiful walled garden, continue on the road between the Dickinson Science Building and Commons, and then head back to where you began -- you’ve walked approximately 2,100 steps or 1 mile!

• October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

  The National Cancer Institute recommends that women age 40 and older have mammograms every one to two years. Women who are at higher than average risk of developing breast cancer should talk with their health care providers about whether to have mammograms before age 40 and how often to have them. Encourage all the women in your life to have regular mammograms.