UA Health Link
February 2008
In this issue...
Cholesterol/Glucose Screening
Mayor's Marathon Training Meeting
Schedule a Wellness Break
Be Mind-full
February Wellness Challenge
Audiocasts
Upcoming Community Events
Program Links:
UA Health In Action Website
Online Wellness Center
Health Activity Tracker
On the UA Health In Action Website:
Employee Assistance Program
VSP, Vision Care Provider
UA Statewide Website
Upcoming
Community Events:
February
Anchorage
Sweetheart Ski, Feb 14, 5 - 9 pm, Selkregg Chalet, $2. Bring your classic skis and pick up a map and clues to a self-guided ski and scavenger hunt. Call: 343-6992 for details.
Fairbanks
Aquacise at the Hamme Pool.
M, W, F, 6 - 6:45 pm through May.
Call: 459-1086 for details. UAF Campus Rec Center also has fun activities.
Juneau
Learn basic dance steps to Latin Rhythms, Tuesdays, Feb 5 - 26, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, $14, at JDHS. Call: 523-1774 for details. UAS Campus Rec Center also has fun activities.
Health Resources:
Find these and more on the UA Health In Action Website:
Department of Health & Human Services Healthline.com
Community Resource:
 American Heart Association
Their mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Your local AHA office offers several heart healthy events each year.
Anchorage Office Fairbanks Office
Health Tool:
Heart disease continues to be the No. 1 killer of women in America. Take the Heart CheckUp
Source: American Heart Association
Health Tip of the Month:
Would you like to get a Health Tip by email every month?
February tip preview: Heart Disease, Know Your Risk.
Sign Me Up!
January Tip: Work Out Gadgets: To buy or not to buy
ARCHIVES: Health Tip
Disclaimer: The information contained in the UA Health Link eNewsletter is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or treatment that may be prescribed by your physician. Before adhering to any WIN for Alaska or UA Health In Action's recommendations or undertaking any exercise program, wellness advice, fitness or diet regimen, you should consult your physician.
You are solely responsible for any actions that you may take based on information in the UA Health Link eNewsletter, and any such actions are at your own risk. Neither WIN for Alaska nor UA Health In Action is responsible for any injuries or other problems that might occur due to said actions.
Because the UA Health In Action program is an approved UA Statewide Benefit, "unsubscribe" is not available for the Health Link eNewsletter. |
IHP Sessions Begin in Anchorage and Juneau TODAY!
Good things come to those who participate
What to Expect
 Over the next six months, we will be documenting the possible physiological changes a person may experience by participating in the IHP Sessions.
We will follow "Ima Fitt" through her sessions to show how she benefits from them. Ima believes she is fairly healthy but knows she should eat more vegetables and get more exercise. It is difficult for her to make time to take care of herself. When she does, she's not sure what exercises she should do and wonders if she should join a gym, or if exercising at home is good enough. She also wonders how she can she eat more vegetables when she doesn't like them. Deciding she needs help, she registered for her Initial IHP session.
Initial IHP Session
Ima comes to the session with her UA Health Risk Assessment (HRA). She meets her Wellness Consultant and they go over her HRA and discuss her expectations of the IHP program—overall improved health. Her Wellness Consultant develops an exercise and meal plan based on her needs and goals. She also gets a tracking calendar to use to track her exercise and diet.
Before the session is over, Ima schedules her Two-week Assessment session. She leaves feeling motivated and ready to make positive lifestyle changes.
In the next issue of the UA Health Link, we'll cover Ima's Two-week Assessment session and what kinds of changes, if any, she has started to notice.
Why Should You Participate?
More than 300 people have signed up for the IHP sessions. A variety of reasons you may want to sign up include: a New Year's Resolution, wanting to compete in a marathon/triathlon, needing support to lose weight, looking for ways to reduce stress, and/or needing an exercise plan.
What's your motivation? Register today.
Get the Point!
Get a head start The Get the Point incentive program starts today, Feb 1. If you haven't already, log into the Health Activity Tracker (HAT) so you can participate by tracking your healthy activity. The program rewards you for all your healthy activity not just exercise. So, come on, "Get the Point!" Exercise Tip:
Finding Your Target and Max Heart Rate
Your target heart rate is 60 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Exercising within your target heart rate zone can help boost your fitness level.
One of the most widely used formulas to estimate your max heart rate is called the "Best-Fit Formula."
- 210 minus 50% of your age, minus 5% of your weight (in pounds), add 4 if you are male = Estimated Max Heart Rate
For links to more information about determining your max heart rate, go to the UA Health In Action website under "Resources."
Blood Pressure & Cholesterol/Glucose Screening
Sessions available in February We're having free blood pressure & cholesterol/glucose screening events for UA staff and faculty on the following dates and times. Registration required. Don't wait to schedule; spaces fill up fast! UAA—7:30-10:30 am—Register
Thursday, February 7, Rasmuson Hall 207A
Friday, February 8, UC 143
UAF—7:30-10:30 am—Register
Tuesday, February 12, Wood Center
Thursday, February 14, Wood Center
UAS—7-9 am—Register
Tuesday, February 19, Egan Library 116
Tuesday, February 26, Egan Library 116
Anchorage Mayor's Marathon
Time to start training If
you are interested in participating in the Mayor's Marathon in
Anchorage on June 21, 2008, it's time to start thinking about a
training program. Join Mel Kalkowski and Michael Friess for one of the
training meetings:
- Training Meeting (choose one)
February 12 or 14, at 12:30 pm
Lyla Richards Conference Room
in the UAA Student Union
Schedule a Wellness Break
It's like a mini health fair that comes to you
A
Wellness Break is a free half-day event brought to you by WIN for
Alaska—your Health In Action Team. We offer blood cholesterol and
glucose screenings, chair massage (many locations), healthy snacks, a wellness walk, and presentations. The format lets invitees drop in and out
or stay for the whole event.
Some of the presentation choices include:
-How to Use a Pedometer to Benefit Health
-Getting More Veggies in Your Diet
-Hydration Nation: Why Water is Good for You
-Health Activity Tracker Introduction
-How to Succeed at a Wellness Challenge
-Target Heart Rate: Optimizing Health and Fitness.
Contact us for more details, or download the Wellness Break Request Form and fax it to us, (907) 248-0751. If you are in a city other than Anchorage, Fairbanks or Juneau, and have more than 20 staff/faculty, we will be visiting you soon.
February Wellness Challenge
Do something special for someone
 Doing
something for someone else is the ultimate altruistic act. Or is it?
When people give of their time and/or talents, or just do something
that makes someone else feel happy or special, many times they find
themselves benefiting too.
Take the challenge...do something special for someone at least 22 days in February.
Download and print this month's Wellness Challenge, Do Something Special. It's worth 20 points in the Get the Point program, plus, it'll make you (and your heart) feel good.
 Check out your Online Wellness Center this month for information on Heart Health, Healthy Relationships, and Children’s Health Month
Mind-fullness
Is your hunger in your mind?
 When stress and pressure builds to an uncomfortable level, it’s fairly natural to become attracted to a pleasant and distracting behavior such as eating. Normalized eating has ups and downs, and sometimes using food to cope with stress happens. However, if overused, interaction with food can become a stressor. In this article, we will discuss ways to become more mindful and break the pattern of automatically looking to food for release.
What are my earliest signs of stress?
It's really hard to interrupt something if you don't know you're in the middle of it. What are your stress signals? Learn to recognize them. (If you need help with this, attend a UA Health In Action Wellness Break that offers the Stress Management session, or register for IHP sessions.)
Plan.
Take a moment right now and jot down three stress reducing choices. Some alternatives could be deep breathing, walking, taking a moment to recognize the emotion, allowing yourself to be in the moment, or asking for support from others.
Pause.
When the craving hits you, pause. Recognizing that you have choices puts you in charge, not the craving. Ask: Will eating help me? Pausing can give you an opportunity to choose.
Real hunger or head hunger?
Rate your hunger on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being not hungry at all and 10 being famished. If your hunger is between 0-3, this is most likely emotionally-driven Head Hunger. A hunger of 9 -10 is generally very strong physical hunger. Honor your body’s physical hunger - eat something nutritious. Take a few breaths first. If you're really, really hungry, you’re at risk for overeating.
Enjoy it!
Here’s the deal – stuffing food robs you of the comfort. Especially when you choose to use food as a coping tool. Take the time to experience its smell, texture and taste. What do you enjoy about this food? Who or what does it remind you of? Get as many of your senses and good memories involved as possible. Paying attention and slowly savoring the food can bring more comfort with less food.
Listen and learn from your experiences.
Ever notice how stress-induced overeating can bring feelings of guilt that actually increase your stress? Let any guilt pass, and choose to reflect on your experience and what choices you can offer yourself in the future.
Cindy Salmon
WIN for Alaska Wellness Consultant,
Licensed & Registered Dietitian, Personal Fitness Trainer
Audiocasts
Exercise for your ears!
Available This Month:
Get the Point Q & A (11:58) WIN
Individualized Health Planning Sessions Q & A (7:35) WIN
Most Young Women Don’t Recognize Heart Attack Warning Signs (6:41) American Heart Association Think of audiocasts as mini-wellness breaks for those days when you need some time for yourself, but the pile on your desk says otherwise.
Accessing an audiocast is easy:
1) Click one of the links
2) Turn up the sound on your computer
3) Press the play arrow once
4) Get informed
Audiocasts are also available on the UA Health In Action Website under "Programs." [go]
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WIN for Alaska, Inc.