UA Health Link
May 2009
Clean Air Month
Bike to Work Week
National President's Challenge
GTP Health Focus: Bike to Work
Weight Watchers, Interested?
UA Staff Development Days
Whole Grain Recipe Swap
Benefits Open Enrollment
Wellness Breaks: Get Points
OWC: Allergies and Asthma
Coming Up...
June:
Skin Cancer Awareness
Program Links
UA Health In Action Website
Online Wellness Center
Get the Point
Audiocasts
Download files and listen on the go.
Making nutritious decisions at the grocery store
Whole grains to reduce your risk of Diabetes
Fitness Buddy Directory
Find a friend to work out with or add your name to the directory. [more]
Have a fitness buddy success story? [Let us know.]
Health/Fitness Achievements
Have an accomplishment like lowering your cholesterol or completing a marathon?
[Tell us about it.]
Organic Produce Delivery
Several farms in Alaska have Community Supported Agriculture programs offering certified organic produce for delivery across the state. Two farms are listed below.
www.arcticorganics.com/csa.htm
www.glaciervalleycsa.com
Upcoming
Community Events
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
Health Tool
Plan your biking route from home to work and anywhere in between.
Map Your Ride.
Health Tip of the Month
May Health Tip Preview:
Do you know about COPD?
Sign me up!
Community Resource
Anchorage-Arctic Bicycle Club
Fairbanks Cycle Club
Juneau Freewheelers
Free Breast Cancer Screenings
at Providence Alaska Medical Center.
Health Resources
Centers for Disease Control
Clean Air Month
www.cdc.gov
UA Health Resources
Employee Assistance Program
VSP, Vision Care Provider
UA Statewide Website
Governor Palin's Proclamation
Exercise is Medicine,
March 2009
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's 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. |
To ensure the Health Link eNewsletter and other Health In Action
program information is delivered to your inbox, please add customerservice@winforalaska.com to your address book.
UA Health In Action Team
There are many wise and knowledgeable wellness consultants on WIN for Alaska's UA Health In Action team. Together, they have more than 120 years of health education and consulting experience. We'll introduce two team members each month, one in the first edition of the UA Health Link, and another in the mid-month edition.
Meet Angelique Garnand
Next: Brook Predeger
2009 National President's Challenge
Be active your way in May
The President's Challenge is a program that encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives. No matter what your activity and fitness level, the President's Challenge can help motivate you to improve.
The Challenge is from May 1 through July 24. You can register any time from May 1 to May 29. Register here.
For more information about the 2009 National President's Challenge, please read the 2009 Fact Sheet.
Alaska took first place in last year's National President's Challenge, with 2,868 participants, the highest per capita rate of participation among all states.
Receive 20 points in GTP for completing the 6-week challenge.
Governor Palin Encourages Alaskans to Get Active
May GTP Health Focus:
Bike to Work Month
Put your car on strike; take your bike
What is the benefit of riding your bike?
It's worth points in Get the Point (GTP)!
Clean air
Gas savings
There are great events happening university-wide.
Check 'em out:
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
Free bike clinics we've heard about:
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Is your bicycle road ready?
No matter how often you ride your bike, you should tune it up at least once per year, more if you ride frequently.
Before you hop on your bike for the first time this season, there are several things you should do to make sure your bike is road ready. You'll find detailed video tutorials at: http://bicycletutor.com/tune-up/
Register for GTP today!
(April was the last month to register and receive points toward incentive prizes. Beginning May 1, new registrants will use GTP
to track healthful behavior and will not be eligible for prizes until the next incentive campaign begins.)
 Weight Watchers
Gauging interest for on-campus programs
UAS Campus
If 15 - 20 people are interested in joining a Weight Watchers at Work group
on the UAS campus, we may be able to get a group going.
Depending on how many are interested, the group would meet weekly for 13 - 17 weeks on campus at a cost of approximately $186 per person.
Juneau, are you interested in starting a Weight Watchers at Work group?
UAF Campus
A Weight Watchers group is already in full swing on the east side of campus Tuesdays at 12 pm. Now, there's talk of trying to add another group on the west side.
Fairbanks, are you interested in Weight Watchers on the west side of campus?
UAA Campus
The Weight Watchers group on the UAA campus is held Mondays at 5:30 pm (weigh-in at 5 pm) in the Consortium Library, Room 307/302A.
Interested participants may join the group at any time during the 13-week program.
UAA & UAF Staff Appreciation and Development Days
WIN for Alaska hosting health and wellness fair
UAF: Great Hall, Monday, May 11,
10:45 am - 2:15 pm
UAA: Student Union, Thursday, May 14, 12 - 2:30 pm
Sign up for a chair massage* and to have your cholesterol tested*, and get yummy (and nutritious) food samples. Pick up a summer events flyer and details of the Health In Action program.
We'll see you there!
*Sign ups are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Get Out!
Midday exercise is good for vitamin D levels
Your Health In Action team is preparing to help you get out and enjoy one of the best things about Alaska...the summer.
During June, July, and August, we're planning to have weekly walking groups, Tai Chi classes, and midday biking.
Look for summer program details in the mid-month UA Health Link.
Whole Grain Recipe Swap
All staff/faculty at UAA, UAF, and UAS invited
May's Midday Health Forum is a Whole Grain Recipe Swap. Learn about the benefits of whole grains. Bring copies of your favorite whole grain recipe to share. Recipe samples welcome, but optional.
This will be the last Midday Health Forum until November. If you regularly participate, use this time during the summer months to get out and get active.
Anchorage
Tuesday, May 19: University Center Room 144
Thursday, May 21: Rasmuson Hall Room 112
Time: 12 - 12:30 pm
Sign up to receive an invitation and reminder
Fairbanks
Wednesday, May 20: IARC Building Room 501
Thursday, May 21: Rasmuson Library Room 502
Time: 12 - 12:30 pm
Sign up to receive an invitation and reminder
Juneau
Wednesday, May 13: Egan Library Room 112
Time: 12:30 - 1 pm
Sign up to receive an invitation and reminder
Benefits Open Enrollment
Open until May 15
Open enrollment is the UA employee's annual opportunity to make changes to certain benefits for the new plan year, effective July 1, 2009.
During open enrollment, you can:
- Add or opt out of health plan coverage
- Change the level of health plan coverage
- Enroll eligible family members in your health plan
- Add, drop or change the level of your life insurance or accidental death and dismemberment (AD & D) coverage
- Enroll or re-enroll in a flexible spending account to pay for day care or health expenses with pre-tax dollars
Employees should receive a CD with all pertinent open enrollment information at their home address, but you don’t need to wait for the mail. All necessary forms and information are also on this site.
http://www.alaska.edu/benefits/open_enrollment/
Wellness Breaks
Earn points in Get the Point for participating
If you're signed up in Get the Point, you may be interested to know that you can earn up to 75 points for participating in a Wellness Break.
- 20 pts: Attend a Wellness Break
- 15 pts: Participate in a health screening. (Wellness Breaks can include blood, blood pressure, and body composition screenings.)
- 10 pts: Attend 30-minute health/wellness presentation (that's three Wellness Break presentations).
- 10 pts: Receive a professional massage. (Chair massages are available at most Wellness Break locations.)
- 10 pts: Try a new healthful snack. (Healthful snacks are included in a Wellness Break.)
- 10 pts: Apply new health knowledge. (Use the info you take away from the Wellness Break.)
Read more about Wellness Breaks
Schedule a Wellness Break
Online Wellness Center
This month's preview
Allergies & Asthma
A food or seasonal allergy can make you feel miserable, as can some of the medications you need to treat it. Learn how to reduce your symptoms naturally, how to avoid allergens that cause problems, and how to recognize when medicine is really necessary.
Itching for Some Allergy Relief?
When Food Becomes Dangerous
Asthma — Not Just a Kid's Disease
Asthma and Summer
Dogs Can Make You Healthy
Plus, visit the Online Wellness Center for articles on
fitness and exercise and stroke. |
WIN for Alaska, Inc.