One of our retirement vendors, TIAA, is hosting a variety of financial and retirement planning webinars in September. Click on the flyer below to learn more, or visit tiaa.org/webinars to register.
Category: Health and Wellness
Health and wellness is important to you and to MSU. The healthier our faculty and staff are, the healthier MSU will be. This category features information related to wellness at MSU.
See the Benefits of Enrolling in VSP via MSU Benefits Plus
When was the last time you visited the eye doctor? If the answer was, “I can’t remember,” you might want to consider scheduling a check-up. Annual check-ups are important to ensure the health of your eyes, and since August is National Eye Exam Month, there’s no better time to see your optometrist.
MSU benefits-eligible faculty and staff have the opportunity to enroll in several voluntary, employee-paid benefits programs via MSU Benefits Plus. Included among these programs is vision insurance through VSP. This vision insurance coverage can help with the costs of exams, glasses and contact lenses for you and your family. For basic information about the plan and coverage rates, you can visit the MSU HR website.
Benefits-eligible faculty and staff can enroll for vision insurance during open enrollment in the fall. Outside of open enrollment, benefits-eligible new hires or newly-eligible faculty and staff have 30 days to enroll from their date of hire or date of eligibility.
VSP via MSU Benefits Plus is a great option for MSU faculty and staff members so they can keep their eyes healthy with regular check-ups!
Five Best Campus Locations for a Summer Picnic
In a state like Michigan, it’s important to enjoy the beautiful summer weather while it’s here because it has been known to change drastically from one day to the next. Picnics give you the opportunity to combine two of the best things: sunshine and food.
MSU’s campus is very large, so you know there are some excellent picnic spots just waiting to be found. We’ve collected five of the best picnic locations for you so that you can lay in the grass, eat great food and spend some time outdoors.
- Adams Field: If you want a traditional picnic experience, Adams Field is the place to go. There are plenty of trees for shade, and you can lay out on the grass and admire the architecture of the West Circle dorms.
- Old Horticulture Garden: Located behind the Student Services Building and next to Benefactors Plaza, the Old Horticulture Garden has always been a favorite of students looking for a quiet place to study outdoors. The ambient noise from the fountain, beautiful flowers and benches make this an excellent location for a summer picnic.
- Beal Botanical Garden: This garden gives you the best of both worlds. There is plenty of space to lay out on the grass, but if that isn’t your thing, there are also benches placed throughout the garden where you can sit to enjoy your meal. When you are done with your picnic, you can stop into the MSU library which is located right next to the Botanical Gardens.
- Next to the River: We couldn’t pick just one spot next to the river because there are just so many good ones. Take a stroll down the river trail and stop whenever you get hungry! Wherever you end up, it’ll be a great place for a picnic.
- Horticulture Gardens: The Horticulture Gardens are another great spot on campus to picnic because you have the opportunity to learn about plants while enjoying the fresh air! After your picnic, you can stroll through the many gardens to look at the displays and get ideas for your own outdoor space.
Health Matters: Melanoma Prevention
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, most often caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunshine or tanning beds that lead to the formation of malignant tumors. Thankfully, melanoma is highly curable when discovered early. That being said, it is also much more likely than other forms of skin cancer to spread if left untreated.
Risk Factors
While melanoma only accounts for about one percent of all skin cancers, it accounts for the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. Risk factors include a weakened immune system, fair skin or having a large number of moles, as well as family history.
But the most common cause of melanoma is exposure to UV light. A history of sunburns, particularly during childhood, or excessive exposure to sunlight, may increase an individual’s likelihood of developing melanoma.
Prevention Tips
- Always seek the shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Do not allow your skin to burn.
- Avoid tanning and UV tanning beds.
- Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
- Apply sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
- Examine your skin from head-to-toe for moles every month.
With your Best Doctors benefits, a meticulous review of your medical case gives you an easy-to-understand report that either confirms your diagnosis and treatment or recommends a change. If you have concerns about melanoma or the effect of UV rays, Best Doctors is your one-stop shop for eliminating uncertainty and getting additional guidance on your health and wellness.
Want to Become SPARTANfit?
Do you want to get in shape this summer? Fitness assessments are available through SPARTANfit for MSU faculty and staff members!
By participating, you will receive a comprehensive assessment to help determine your current fitness level. During this assessment, a series of resting exercise measurements will help establish your fitness baseline to set goals, monitor performance and assess progress throughout your fitness program.
Following the assessment, you will meet with a SPARTANfit staff member to discuss the results of your computerized age-adjusted fitness profile. Additionally, you will work together to establish a tailored, three-month goal-oriented fitness plan.
SPARTANfit assessments cost $40 for faculty and staff members. If you would like more information, visit the SPARTANfit website.
Sign up today so that you can take advantage of this opportunity and reach your fitness goals!
3 Excellent Local Farmer’s Markets to Check Out This Summer
There’s something about fresh fruits and vegetables that just screams summer, and there’s no better place to buy those foods than at a local farmer’s market.
The month of June is National Fruit and Vegetable Month, and even though July is almost here, there’s still plenty of time to celebrate by heading to a nearby farmer’s market to pick up some delicious fruits and veggies. We’ve compiled a list of three markets in the Lansing area to get you started.
MSU Student Organic Farm Stand
You’ll find this market located under a big white tent on Farm Lane in front of the MSU Auditorium every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
East Lansing Farmer’s Market (ELFM)
The ELFM will take place June 4 – October 29, 2017 on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Valley Court Park, 280 Valley Court.
Farmers Market at the Capital will be open three times this year:
Thursday, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday, August 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday, September 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
View a more complete Greater Lansing Farmers Market Guide or West Michigan Farmers Market Guide.
Spend Your Lunch Hour at These Summer Health4U Programs
There are many Health4U programs available to MSU employees. All of the programs run from 12:10 p.m. – 12:50 p.m., so you can check them out during your lunch hour!
The programs include: Fresh Air Fitness, Relaxing Under the Stars, Rest With Music and Recipe for Health Cooking Series. Learn more on the Health4U website.
Food’s Pathway Through Your Body: Best Doctors Webinar Discusses GI Health
Did you know that the pathway that food takes as it travels through your body is called the gastrointestinal tract? The GI tract plays a major role in our lives as it’s the main pathway that food travels to get to our digestive organs, so it’s important to ensure that there are no issues.
The upcoming Best Doctors Webinar, “Healthy GI: Exploring the Gut” will explore the gastrointestinal tract and teach you how to keep it healthy. The webinar will be presented by Dr. Eli Ehrenpreis, an academic gastroenterologist and clinical pharmacologist at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and Dr. Lewis Levy, the Chief Medical Officer of Best Doctors.
This free presentation will be on Thursday, June 29 from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A after the presentation. If you are interested, be sure to register!
Fresh Air Fitness Summer Series
The beautiful summer weather is meant to be enjoyed, but that can be hard to do when you work inside all day. The solution is to spend your lunch hour at one of the Fresh Air Fitness classes! There are different classes on different days throughout the month of June, so you are sure to find something that you will enjoy.
All of the classes are free of charge! Be sure to go online and register today so you can make the most of your lunch hour.
Here’s a video to give you some more information about the classes:
Health Matters: Insomnia, Sleep Apnea and the Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep
In today’s fast-paced world, one of the most under-rated health practices is getting adequate, proper rest. And “burning the midnight oil” – whether you’re working late, raising a family or cramming for exams – is not the only thing that prevents you from getting the deep, restful sleep your body and mind need.
About half of all people over 65 have frequent sleeping problems, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, and deep sleep stages in many elderly people sometimes become minimal or even non-existent. Young adults with active work and social lives are also at high risk for sleep deprivation. While insomnia can come from many sources, including stress, environment and medical conditions, setting yourself up for a good night’s sleep is a critical part of a generally healthy lifestyle.
Sleep apnea is a common condition, causing your breathing patterns to abruptly awaken you frequently during the night, which diminishes the depth and quality of your sleep. A leading cause of daytime sleepiness, apnea often goes undiagnosed, because it is difficult for your doctor to detect the condition during routine office visits.
How much sleep each of us needs depends on several factors, including age. For adults of all ages, 7 to 8 hours a night is widely considered the best amount of sleep, and it increases if you have already been deprived of sleep in previous nights. When you haven’t slept enough (even if you are accustomed to a sleep-depriving schedule), your judgment, reaction time and other functions are still impaired.
In fact, driving experts say that sleep deprivation is a leading cause of traffic accidents, while most fitness trainers typically include sleep as one of the central components of a comprehensive physical training program.
Besides boosting alertness, sleep – particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – helps your brain store new information into long-term memory by replenishing the components of your brain that control memory, alertness and problem solving. Generally speaking, REM is the most restorative component of your sleeping time.
As part of your Best Doctors benefits, an in-depth review of your medical case gives you an easy-to-understand report that either confirms your diagnosis and treatment or recommends a change. Regardless of how well-rested you may feel, Best Doctors is your one-stop shop for eliminating uncertainty and getting additional guidance on your health and wellness.