Tips and Benefit Resources for Heart Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Cardiovascular disease, which refers to several conditions including coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia and heart valve problems, results in one death every 33 seconds (CDC, 2023). 

It’s important to note that cardiovascular disease is no longer something people only have to worry about as they get older. The CDC states, “In 2021, about 2 in 10 deaths from CAD happened in adults less than 65 years old” (CDC, 2023). 

The good news is cardiovascular disease is largely preventable by living a healthy lifestyle. The following tips and MSU benefit resources will help keep you and your family healthy: 

  • Know Your Numbers: Take charge of your health by knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and take steps to improve them if needed. 
    • Schedule your annual wellness check-up. Many miss their annual check-up because they forget or don’t prioritize it. It’s important to schedule your annual visit so your doctor can check these numbers, along with other important health metrics. If you’re enrolled in an MSU health plan, you can learn more about your plan and find links to find a provider on the HR website. 
    • Use Livongo by Teladoc Health for Diabetes Management.  Livongo is a diabetes management program that provides unlimited test strips, connected meter, optional coaching, online records, and more – all FREE for MSU employees and their eligible dependents who are enrolled in an MSU health plan. Learn more about Livongo and how to sign up
  • Support Your Mental Health: According to the American Heart Association, “Increasing evidence shows that biological and chemical factors that trigger mental health issues may also influence heart disease” (AHA, 2023). These chemical changes can predispose people to other health issues, such as cardiovascular disease. Utilize these resources to support your mental health: 
  • Evaluate Your Diet: Eating foods that are high in salt, sugar, saturated, and/or trans fats can cause high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, which may increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 
    • Eat a Plant-Forward (Plant-Based) Diet. Make sure the majority of your calories come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds (American Heart Association, 2023). If you must eat dairy and/or meat, look for low-fat, lean, and unprocessed options. The AHA recommends a list of the best plant-based sources of protein and offers insight on protein and heart health
    • Beware Unexpected Sources of Sodium. The top ten sources of sodium in the American diet include some unexpected items, including bread, sandwiches, cold cuts, chicken, cheese, and eggs (CDC, 2023). 
    • Food and Nutrition Counseling for MSU Employees. MSU Health4U offers one-on-one counseling with a registered dietitian (a doctor’s referral is not required). 
  • Get Regular Physical Activity: The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week – that’s just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. 
    • This comprehensive fitness assessment for MSU employees will help you determine your current level of fitness. Based on your unique results, a SPARTANfit staff member will work with you to establish a tailored 3-month goal-oriented fitness and wellness plan. 
    • A functional movement screen consists of seven movement assessments designed to identify areas of imbalances and asymmetries by testing your mobility and stability. A certified professional will lead you through the assessment and then provide you with corrective exercises to implement.   
    • Spartan Wellness Personal Training: Consultation includes a discussion of scores, norms, goal setting, educational material, and an individualized exercise program. 
    • Make fitness part of your regular commute with these bike commuter resources from MSU Bikes.  
  • Quit Smoking. Smoking harms almost every part of the body, including your heart (AHA, 2023). It’s never too late to quit and there are both short- and long-term benefits to giving up smoking. 

Sources: 

American Heart Association (2024, January 19) American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults    

American Heart Association. (n.d.). How can I quit smoking? Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/health-topics/answers-by-heart/how-can-i-quit-smoking.pdf  

American Heart Association (2023, December 20). How does plant-forward (plant-based) eating benefit your health?  Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-does-plant-forward-eating-benefit-your-health  

American Heart Association (2022, May 6). Smoking both traditional and e-cigarettes may carry same heart risks as Cigarettes alone. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/05/06/smoking-both-traditional-and-e-cigarettes-may-carry-same-heart-risks-as-cigarettes-alone   

American Heart Association (2024, January 10). What is cardiovascular disease?  Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 15). About heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, June 6). About Sodium. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/salt/food.htm   

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, May 15). Heart disease facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm  

Employee Discounts to Support Your 2024 Resolutions

Another new year means new resolutions, and MSU Benefits Plus wants to make those goals and tasks more achievable than ever. Below, you can learn more about these exclusive health, wellness, and other helpful discounts for MSU employees and start your journey to a happy new year today!

To access these discounts and more, login to MSU Benefits Plus today. If you haven’t used MSU Benefits Plus previously, register using your employee email address and set up an account. 

Health & Wellness

  • Noom â€“ Save 30% on a 12-month program. Use code: EBG.
  • Mindfulness.com â€“ Save 50% on a year of Mindfulness. Use code: STRESSFREE.
  • Bowflex â€“ Save up to $300 off the C6 Bike and other great discounts. Use code: EXCLUSIVE.

Travel

Education

  • Spartan Bookstore â€“ Save 10% on new and used books, clothing and more.
  • Rosetta Stone â€“ Get a lifetime subscription with unlimited languages for $149 with no renewal fee (normally $299).

Tech

  • Apple â€“ Get preferred pricing on iPhones, iMacs and more.
  • Dell â€“ Get the best pricing available on all Dell PCs, electronics and accessories.

The HR website also offers other deals you can find on-campus through the MSU Tech Store, MSU Bakers, and the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, among others. You can check out some of those deals through the MSU HR Website. For more information on discounts from MSU Benefits Plus, visit the MSU Benefits Plus website. If you have any questions about the discounts, please contact MSU Benefits Plus via email at msubenefitsplus@corestream.com or by phone at 888-758-7575.

Campus Resources to Reduce Stress

April is Stress Awareness Month! Everyday stress can take an immense toll on our mental health. While all of us experience stress, we all manage our stress differently. It’s essential to find ways to manage stress if we want to maintain our health and wellbeing. To help you make stress reduction a priority this month, MSU Human Resources has compiled this list of MSU campus resources: 

Activities 

  • Wellbeing Wednesdays: The WorkLife Office and Health4U are partnering to bring you Wellbeing Wednesdays. These weekly sessions are focused on wellbeing in its many forms: workplace wellbeing, mental health wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and more.  
  • Join them on April 12 for Art Therapy! Destressing sometimes means unleashing your inner child. This Wellbeing Wednesday will guide you in making some artwork. 
  • Campus Meditation Map: Beal Scholar, Anhad Viswananth, created this incredible meditation map to highlight the best spots to meditate around campus. 
  • MSU Campus Walking Tour: Taking time to be outdoors and exercise is a great way to manage stress. Health4U has provided a campus walking tour with maps of multiple walking paths throughout campus.  
  • Get Active this Spring: Warmer weather on the horizon means more opportunities to get outside! From sailing and stand-up paddleboarding to golf leagues and group fitness classes, there are tons of opportunities on campus and in the greater Lansing community to make exercise part of your weekly routine. Check out these opportunities and consider joining with a friend. 
  • Sleep: Understanding and Optimizing Your Nightly Reboot: Quality sleep is vital for our health, but it isn’t always easy to come by. This class will explore the science of sleep, the impact sleep has on overall health and wellbeing, and how to improve your sleep quality. Join this virtual webinar on April 18 to learn more.  
  • Rest with Music: The MSU School of Music, Abrams Planetarium, and Health4U invite you to take an hour out of your month to listen and simply REST WITH MUSIC. Join in-person at the planetarium or participate via Facebook live. 

Learning Resources 

  • Managing Stress and Work: This recorded Wellbeing Wednesday webinar shares tools and strategies for identifying stressors, prioritizing responsibilities, and managing stress throughout your career. 
  • Mess Makes Stress: This article will help you find ways to declutter your space, making for a less stressful environment.  
  • How to Recognize and Minimize Burnout During Uncertain Times: This recorded webinar will help you identify how burnout is affecting your work and personal life.  
  • Stress Reduction: Health4U provides different articles and resources that specifically target dealing with stress. 
  • Toolkit: Managing Stress: This resource on the Toward a Respectful Workplace website helps identify the stressors in your life and how to manage them. 
  • How to Avoid or Manage Burnout: This article will help you learn how to avoid burnout and what to do if you’re experiencing it.
     

Have another resource you’d like to add to the list? Let us know in the comments!

Tips and Benefit Resources for Heart Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Cardiovascular disease, which refers to a number of conditions including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia and heart valve problems, results in one death every 34 seconds (CDC, 2022).

It’s important to note that cardiovascular disease is no longer something people only have to worry about as they get older. The CDC states, “High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among younger people (ages 35–64) are putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life. Nearly half of Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking” (CDC, 2021).

The good news is cardiovascular disease is largely preventable by living a healthy lifestyle. The following tips and MSU benefit resources will help keep you and your family healthy:

  • Know Your Numbers: Take charge of your health by knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and take steps to improve them if needed.
    • Schedule your annual wellness check-up. Many miss their annual check-up because they forget or don’t prioritize it. It’s important to schedule your annual visit so your doctor can check these numbers, along with other important health metrics.
    • Use Livongo by Teladoc Health for Diabetes Management. MSU employees and their dependents enrolled in an MSU health plan have access to Livongo, a diabetes management program that provides unlimited test strips, connected meter, optional coaching, online records, and more – all free for MSU employees and their eligible dependents. Learn more about Livongo and how to sign up.
  • Evaluate Your Diet. Eating foods that are high in salt, sugar, saturated, and/or trans fats can cause high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, which may increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
    • Eat a Plant-Forward (Plant-Based) Diet. Make sure the majority of your calories come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts (American Heart Association, 2022). If you must eat dairy and/or meat, look for low-fat, lean, and unprocessed options. The AHA recommends a list of the best plant-based sources of protein and offers insight on protein and heart health.
    • Beware Unexpected Sources of Sodium. The top ten sources of sodium in the American diet include some unexpected items, including bread, sandwiches, cold cuts, poultry, cheese, and egg dishes (CDC, 2022).
  • Get Regular Physical Activity. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week – that’s just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
    • This comprehensive fitness assessment for MSU employees will help you determine your current level of fitness. Based on your unique results, a SPARTANfit staff member will work with you to establish a tailored 3-month goal-oriented fitness and wellness plan.
    • A functional movement screen consists of seven movement assessments designed to identify areas of imbalances and asymmetries by testing your mobility and stability. A certified professional will lead you through the assessment and then provide you with corrective exercises to implement.  
  • Quit Smoking. Smoking harms almost every part of the body, including your heart (AHA, 2023). It’s never too late to quit and there are both short- and long-term benefits to giving up smoking.

Sources:

American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids. www.heart.org. (2022, July 28). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults   

American Heart Association. (n.d.). How can I quit smoking? – american heart association. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/health-topics/answers-by-heart/how-can-i-quit-smoking.pdf 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 14). Heart disease facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, July 12). About heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, January 26). Heart disease: It can happen at any age. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/any_age.htm 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, August 23). About Sodium. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/salt/food.htm  

How does plant-forward (plant-based) eating benefit your health? www.heart.org. (2022, October 10). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-does-plant-forward-eating-benefit-your-health 

Smoking both traditional and e-cigarettes may carry same heart risks as Cigarettes alone. www.heart.org. (2023, January 24). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/05/06/smoking-both-traditional-and-e-cigarettes-may-carry-same-heart-risks-as-cigarettes-alone  What is cardiovascular disease? www.heart.org. (2022, May 4). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from

Employee Discounts to Support your 2023 Resolutions

Another new year means new resolutions, and MSU Benefits Plus wants to make those goals and tasks more achievable than ever. Below, you can learn more about these exclusive health, wellness, and other helpful discounts for MSU employees and start your journey to a happy new year today!

To access these discounts and more, login to MSU Benefits Plus today. If you haven’t used MSU Benefits Plus previously, register using your employee email address and set up an account. 

Exercise and Mental Health

  • Future â€“ Receive 50% off your first 3 months of 1:1 custom personal training through Future Fitness. Discount is automatically applied at checkout.
  • Yours â€“ Sleep, meditate and heal. Save up to 70% on a yearly plan or 40% on a monthly plan through Yours. Use code CORESTREAM2022.
  • Calm â€“ 57% off a one-year subscription for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store’s most popular mental wellness application ($29.99 instead of $69.99).

Travel

  • CoreStream â€“ Specializing in finding the cheapest flights on the best carriers, use CoreStream’s online booking engine to search for flights, comparative shop, and book online with just a few clicks. Save up to 70% on your next flight!
  • Tickets at Work â€“ Find deals of up to 60% off hotels in tons of destinations using this exclusive link.

Education

  • Spartan Bookstore â€“ If you are looking for books to learn something new or just to enjoy some reading, visit the Spartan Bookstore for 10% off new and used books with your faculty/staff ID.
  • Rosetta Stone – Get 12 months of language learning from Rosetta Stone for only $95.88 (normally $119.88) when you sign up through the exclusive link!

Tech

  • Apple – Get ready for the best deals if you choose to spend your holiday gift money on new Apple products, because MSU employees get exclusive pricing through the Employee Purchase Program.
  • Dell â€“ Ready to upgrade your workspace in 2023? Save up to 30% on select systems through Dell Member Purchase Program Discounts.

The HR website also offers other deals you can find on-campus through the MSU Tech Store, MSU Bakers, and the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, among others. You can check out some of those deals through the MSU HR Website. For more information on discounts from MSU Benefits Plus, visit the HR website. If you have any questions about the discounts, please call MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575.

Work-Related Goals with Resources to Help You Achieve Them

Updated December 2023

For many, the start of a new year brings a desire to set new goals – both professionally and personally. As you think about the past year, try to pinpoint areas you’d like to work on. Check out What’s Your Plan: Six Steps to Align Your Goals with What’s Important to You if you don’t know where to start. You’ll learn how creating a personal strategic plan can provide a “vision and structure for your professional life and an anchor for you to connect with during periods of change.”

Review the following common work-related goals below to see if any resonate with you and use the articles and learning opportunities provided by HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department to help you reach them.

As you think about what you want to work on in the coming year and beyond, consider tying them to your Performance Excellence goals (for support staff). For more information about how to set yourself up for success as you identify goals, check out this When SMART Meets HARD: Setting Goals that Matter article.

Giving Tuesday at MSU

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday, and Michigan State wants to support you in your service this holiday season.

Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 to encourage people to give back. It’s now a global movement that inspires millions of people around the world to collaborate for good and celebrate generosity.

Sign up now to serve with your fellow Spartans in states like Texas, Indiana, and Minnesota through Serve MSU. Join the tradition that is already 14,000 Spartans strong and has raised over $1 million and spent 61,000 hours volunteering, all since 2013.

You can also serve the local community this Giving Tuesday by supporting Spartan impact projects such as campus sustainability, diversity research and veterans resources. All of these campus initiatives and more can be found here.

To give over the phone, call (517) 884-1000. You can also email University Advancement at uadv.msuannualfund@msu.edu with any questions about Giving Tuesday or service throughout the year.

For additional community service opportunities this year, click here.

Celebrate Giving Tuesday however it works for you and your loved ones. Make someone’s day brighter with a smile, help out a neighbor or stranger, or get involved in a cause you are passionate about.

This Giving Tuesday, find the service project or need that is perfect for you and give what you can. Spartans Will…give back to the community!

MSU Resources for National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Written with support from HR Accommodations Specialist, Julie DeGraw, PhD

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which raises awareness around disability employment issues and celebrates the many contributions of workers with disabilities. In observance of NDEAM, we put together this helpful list of resources for awareness of employee disability workplace accommodations.

The theme for NDEAM 2022 is Disability: Part of the Equity Equation, which celebrates the essential role individuals with disabilities play in the workplace. “Disability is and always has been part of the rich diversity of our nation, and, by extension, our workforce,” says the Office of Disability Employment Policy. “During NDEAM, we celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities, past and present. We also commit to ensuring all workers, including workers with disabilities, have equal opportunity to gain skills and put them to work in inclusive, supportive workplaces going forward.”

We all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive workforce where every person is recognized for their abilities – every day of every month. Although many impacts are not physically visible, it doesn’t mean they do not exist. 

MSU is a leader in cultivating a diverse and inclusive campus environment, and we are constantly striving to improve our efforts to meet the needs of persons with disabilities by being more flexible, understanding, inclusive and supportive of those with different abilities.

Resources for Employee Disability Workplace Accommodation Awareness

  1. Are you looking for more information about the types of disability workplace accommodations you can request or more information on your disability in general? You might want to check out the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). JAN allows you to look up suggestions for workplace accommodations by disability, limitation, work-related function, topic or accommodation. Please note: Not all accommodations listed on JAN may be deemed reasonable as it depends on the essential duties of your individual position.
  2. Did you know you have access to discounts on hearing aids? MSU employees and retirees may qualify for discounted hearing aids through partnerships between some MSU benefit providers and TruHearing®. Additional funding can also be provided by our partner organization Michigan Rehabilitation Services. Please contact Accommodation Specialist, Julie DeGraw for more information.
  3. Technology can be a great resource for employees in addressing the impacts of their disability. Some resources are offered for free at MSU without even having to complete the registration process (e.g., screen reader software that reads text aloud)! See the full range of resources at the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) Assistive Technology page.
  4. Employees with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can find a wealth of information and resources through ADDitude. Read the ADDitude magazine, view webinars, download eBooks and more!

If you are interested in requesting disability workplace accommodations at MSU, begin the process by registering with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD)

All medical records and diagnoses are kept confidential from supervisors and units. Undergraduate and graduate employees can also qualify for workplace accommodations. If you need more information or help going through the process, please contact Accommodation Specialist, Julie DeGraw at degrawju@msu.edu or 517-884-0799.

For more information on National Disability Employment Awareness Month please visit the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s website.

World Mental Health Day

Mental health is one of the most important aspects of your overall well being. It can be difficult to focus on work when one’s mental health isn’t taken care of. In honor of World Mental Health Day, here are some resources you can use at MSU and in your personal life. 

MSU Resources

Off-Campus Resources

  • Lansing resources
    • The City of Lansing offers a variety of mental health resources including Online Behavioral Health Screening and a directory of local therapists
  • Community Mental Health Authority
    • The CMHA of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham provides services to increase access to care, support people in crisis and provide treatment for those with the most serious and complex behavioral health needs regardless of their insurance coverage.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline  
    • The Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. The Lifeline recently changed to 988 for a shorter and easier to remember resource

Your mental health matters and MSU resources and benefits are available to get you—or keep you—on the path to a healthy body and healthy mind.

Self-Improvement Month

September is Self-Improvement Month! Self-improvement can be related to many things, whether it’s learning something new, maximizing a strength or focusing on your physical or emotional wellbeing. Celebrate this month by taking some time for yourself, growing and using these MSU resources to help get you started.

Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace

Take advantage of this personal development course in October. The Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace course will help you break the seven habits of negativity and other secrets of getting along. For more information, click here. 

Take a Walk Around MSU

Utilize our beautiful campus or take a stroll through the East Lansing area. Taking a walk is great exercise, but can also improve your mental and emotional well-being.

TIAA Webinar: Strategies for Staying on Track

The WorkLife Office is hosting a webinar to help you stay on track of your financial goals. This opportunity will give you tips on how to have a solid financial future even after you’ve stopped working. For more information, click here

Identify and Maximize Your Strengths

This course will teach you how to benefit most from your strengths based on your CliftonStrengths Assessment. The assessment identifies your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving, so that you can discover what makes you exceptional and maximize your potential. For more information, click here

Spartan Clothing Swap

Work on your self-improvement by cleaning out your closet, helping the planet and giving back to others in the community. The Surplus Store and Recycling Center are hosting a clothing swap where you can swap your clothes in good condition with others and keep them out of the waste stream. For more information, click here. 

Wellbeing Wednesdays: Supporting Each Other Through the Next New Normal

The WorkLife Office and Health4U have partnered to bring you Wellbeing Wednesdays. This informal webinar will focus on how we can support each other during continued change and the importance of self-care. For more information, click here

Ready, Set, Change!

This personal development course will demonstrate how organizational change can result in better outcomes. Join this November to improve and take charge of your organizational environment. For more information, click here

Strings Sing: 2022 Music and the Garden Series

Take in the natural beauty of the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden, relax, and enjoy some chamber music and jazz at the 2022 Music and the Garden Series. For more information, click here. 

Women’s Networking Association: All Things Women’s Health – Understanding and Taking Care of Your Body

The Women’s Networking Association will host this webinar to teach women how to best take care of and listen to their bodies. For more information, click here. 

The Power of Habit™

This personal development course will teach you how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones. Join us in October, and kick those bad habits for good! For more information, click here.  

Share your favorite self-improvement tips and comment below!