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.

Explore fitness options at MSU this summer

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Swimmer underwaterSummer is a great time to try out new forms of exercise. In addition to the variety of running trails crisscrossing campus, outdoor facilities such as the basketball courts, tennis courts, and the IM West outdoor swimming pool are open. Plus, with most students gone for the summer, more exercise machines and courts will be open for use in the indoor facilities. Check out some of the fitness options you can take advantage of this summer.

General use of facilities

Open Recreation

Faculty and staff only need to show a valid MSU ID for open recreation. It is available during posted building hours.

IM Sports West offers open recreation spaces for basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, tennis, squash, racquetball, handball, and wallyball. IM Sports East offers open recreation spaces for basketball, volleyball, badminton, squash, racquetball, handball and walleyball. IM Sports Circle offers spaces for basketball and volleyball. Equipment is available to rent.Continue Reading… Explore fitness options at MSU this summer

Build a positive relationship with food in How To Eat course

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According to one research from UCLA, http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/Dieting-Does-Not-Work-UCLA-Researchers-7832), people on diets typically lose 5 to 10 percent of their starting weight in the first six months, but at least one-third to two-thirds of people on diets regain more weight than they lost within four or five years.
According to a study from UCLA, people on diets typically lose 5 to 10 percent of their starting weight in the first six months, but at least one-third to two-thirds of people on diets regain more weight than they lost within four or five years.

It’s displayed on magazine covers, in radio and television advertisements, and sold in countless books and programs: advice on how to diet, slim down and restrict what you eat. Nearly everyone has tried to diet before, and it’s safe to say the experience is often unsuccessful and unsatisfying.

Health4U offers a free class series called How To Eat that focuses on building a positive, healthy relationship with food. “Everybody has the ability to eat the right type and amount of food by paying attention, to notice their bodies’ need for food,” said Peggy Crum, MA, RD, nutritionist and the course instructor.

This course has been offered for the past nine years, with great success. MSU employees who are interested in How To Eat are encouraged to attend the orientation session on Thursday, May 19, with no obligation to enroll in the course. Crum said some of the best participants for the course are those who have tried dieting, experienced frustration, and want to get off the dieting cycle.

“What we’re really talking about here is eating well and finding your best health, not losing weight,” Crum said.  “While I’m not against weight loss, I am against weight loss as the primary goal.” Intentional weight loss requires restricting food by counting and following rules. Eventually, the dieter is no longer able to tolerate under-eating. Eating often becomes chaotic and feels out of control. The goal for participants in this course is to re-discover internal regulation of food and to achieve competent eating.

MSU employees who are interested in How To Eat but are unable to attend classes can schedule time to see Peggy Crum in one-on-one sessions. Contact Health4U to make an appointment.

Please contact Health4U at health4u@msu.edu or 517-3532596 if you plan to attend the May 19 orientation. The 6 week course occurs 12:10–12:50 p.m. Thursdays from May 26 to June 30 in 338 Olin Health Center.

At the heart of the matter

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Heart and stethoscope
According to the CDC, in the United States someone has a heart attack every 43 seconds.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in America, and heart attacks are among the most common results of the disease. However, diagnosing and even recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack can be difficult, because there are so many other conditions that are accompanied by discomfort or pressure in the chest.

The most common symptom of a heart attack is described as a feeling of pressure or being squeezed by a fist inside the central chest. Additional symptoms that heart attack patients describe include pain in the upper arm or across the back, as well as up into the neck and jaw, while others report feelings of heartburn, nausea, or abdominal pain.Continue Reading… At the heart of the matter

Warm up with these savory recipes

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Beef_stew_smallThere’s nothing like a hot meal to warm you up in the cold winter months. Once again, Residential and Hospitality Services Senior Executive Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski has provided us with some delicious recipes to share. These winter warmers will bring a smile to your face and impress any guest! One of Chef Kurt’s favorite recipes is the beef dish below, and you can also try out his Shrimp Scampi and Catalan Seafood Stew recipes.

Slow Cooked Balsamic Beef

4# beef chuck roast
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 T. olive oil
1 c. chicken broth
ÂĽ c. red wine
1 medium onion sliced
2 carrots peeled and rough cut
1 package of baby bella mushrooms quartered
1½ c. large cut pieces of rutabaga
1 bay leaf
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
3 T. Balsamic Vinegar
ÂĽ c. chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
Zest of one lemon
1 clove of garlic minced

Generously season both sides of the roast with salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear each side of the roast for about 3-5 minutes.

Add broth and wine to the hot skillet to de-glaze it, scraping up the brown bits on the pan remove from heat and reserve.

Place sliced onions, carrots, mushrooms then rutabaga in the bottom of the slow cooker and put the seared meat on top.

Pour the deglazed sauce mixture on top of the meat in the slow cooker.

Combine balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce in a small bowl and pour over meat in the crock pot.

Cover & Crock on Low for 6-8 hours.

Remove and serve with lemon/garlic/parsley topping (gremolata)

Get informed during American Heart Month

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Heart with stethoscope. Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
Love your own heart by making regular check-up appointments and monitoring high blood pressure.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. According to the CDC, only 54 percent of women are aware of this fact.

February is American Heart Month, a time to advertise the dangers of heart disease and the ways in which to prevent it. Tomorrow, February 5, is National Wear Red Day, a day organized by Go Red for Women, a nonprofit organization within the American Heart Association. To begin supporting the cause, all you need to do is wear red on Friday!Continue Reading… Get informed during American Heart Month

“Reach Higher” in 2016 with The Daring Way

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Health4U logo
The Daring Way is based on the research of research of Dr. Brené Brown

The new year serves as a common time for people to begin improving the health of their minds and bodies. An often-overlooked but vital part of human health is emotional wellness. Health4U is introducing a new experiential course, The Daring Way™, that teaches participants how to understand and examine their emotions. Lisa Laughman, LMSW, ACSW, will be teaching the course, and affirms that “learning to live and work the Daring Way is essential to high performance.” Workers that are able to navigate the full range of human emotions and understand how vulnerability, shame, insecurity and fear might hold them back will be more likely to take risks and will be emotionally prepared when things go wrong.

“The Daring Way teaches you how to be more comfortable with risk and innovation, and risk aversion is a barrier to high performance,” Laughman said. “When we’re afraid to take a risk because we’re afraid of failing, then we’re not being as high performing as we could be.”

Participants in The Daring Way program will develop tools to take charge of their lives and relationships outside of work, as well.

“Being able to move through challenging circumstances effectively is going help you have healthier relationships, a better sense of perspective, and will protect your physical health as well.”  Laughman said. “Your body is not going to be resisting difficult emotions.”

Each of the 12 classes for The Daring Way take place 12:10 – 12:50 p.m. Wednesdays in 338 Olin Health Center, beginning January 20. The class will now be offered using the online learning platform Zoom, and online seating is still available.

Participants should sign up with the intention to attend every class, if possible.

To register or to ask questions, email health4u@msu.edu or call 517-353-2596.

MSU offers support for smoking cessation

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The benefits of quitting smoking have been made very clear throughout the last few years. In addition to the numerous health improvements, such as a return to regular breathing patterns and a decrease in the risk of heart disease and many forms of cancer, quitters also enjoy saved money, a better sense of smell and taste, more freedom with time and scheduling, and much more. However, knowledge is rarely enough to end an addiction. Many smokers find the task of quitting daunting, or even impossible.

Eligible faculty and staff at MSU don’t have to go through the process alone. The Breathe Easy Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation Program offers behavioral support and, if desired, medication, to aid the quitting process. The next information session is Wednesday, January 27 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in 247 Olin Health Center. Attending the information session does not obligate attendees to enroll in the program. To register, call 517-353-2596 or email health4u@msu.edu.

The program is absolutely free.  MSU faculty, staff, graduate student employees, retirees, and their adult benefits-eligible family members are eligible to participate in this program.

Sometimes the first step is the most difficult. The team at Breathe Easy can guide you along the rest of the way to quitting. Listen to the testimonials from real graduates of this program:

 

Travel safely this winter

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A Snow-covered bridge. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.
A snow-covered bridge. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

It’s easy to forget the trials of winter transportation after months of clear roads. Here are a few safety tips for getting around in the cold and snow.

Driving

  • Drive slowly and leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front of you.
  • Anticipate extra time needed for scraping ice and snow off your vehicle and/or slower driving.
  • Always have at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle.
  • Leave with warm clothes. If you get in an accident or your vehicle gets stuck, you will need to spend some time outside.
  • Don’t warm up your vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
  • Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice or mud.

Read more driving tips from AAA and all about snow removal at MSU.Continue Reading… Travel safely this winter

Health Matters: Knee and hip replacement

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HipKneeReplacement_Standard-smallJoint replacement surgery has become very common in the United States, with surgeons replacing more than a million hips and knees each year with very high success rates. Nine out of 10 people who get a hip or knee replacement have significantly reduced pain and increased mobility.

Who is a candidate for replacement surgery?

Although joint replacement is usually needed later in life, anyone who experiences chronic joint pain or reduced mobility in the knees or hips is a candidate for replacement surgery (depending on a variety of other factors). Surgeons will look for signs of osteoarthritis or joint degeneration, the most common forms of arthritis, as the starting point for a plan of treatment.Continue Reading… Health Matters: Knee and hip replacement

Safe Commuting Tips

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This article was written by the MSU Bike Advisory Committee.

MSU has upgraded to the silver level of the Bicycle Friendly University Award! As we continue to advance the bicycle-friendly nature of MSU, it’s important for drivers to do their part in ensuring safety on shared roads.

A cyclist travels alongside cars on Farm Lane. Photo courtesy of Tim Potter.
A cyclist travels alongside vehicles on Farm Lane. Photo courtesy of Tim Potter.

As you drive to work, why not use more attention and compassion towards your fellow commuters and make the morning commute safer and more enjoyable for everyone? Remember that your fellow commuter might be on foot or on a bike and that every one of them means one less car on the road and one less car competing for a parking space!

If you drive a car to work you should take special care when passing cyclists. Cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on Michigan roads as other vehicles. When passing a cyclist, make sure to pass at a safe distance. Don’t attempt to squeeze by cyclists in the same lane even though you think there’s enough room, as they may suddenly need extra room to avoid potholes, dead animals, or an icy patch on the road. Many places, including the City of Grand Rapids, already have safe passing laws that require 5 feet of safe passing distance.

Also, don’t forget to watch out for pedestrians at cross walks. Michigan law requires vehicles to yield to pedestrians in cross walks.

At the same time cyclists and pedestrians are required to follow traffic rules: don’t cross a street when you have a “don’t walk” signal or a red light. Michigan law requires cyclists to stop at stop signs and red lights just as any other vehicle.

But besides following basic rules, even more important is to be alert and courteous. This makes commuting a better experience for everyone. Just remember, the cyclist you just buzzed might be working at the Clinical Center and giving you a flu shot later, or it might be the professor of your next MSU class.

All commuters share two goals: get to work safely and get home safely after work. Let’s work together to make that happen!

Want to help MSU become more bike friendly? Attend a meeting of the MSU Bike Advisory Committee

Resources:

MSU Police MOVE SAFE campaign 

League of Michigan Bicyclists safe cycling handbook 

MSU Bike Commuter Benefits:

Learn More about Safe Bicycling 

Michigan Law Regarding Bicycling