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.

What if they won’t even try it?

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This is a guest post by Peggy Crum, RD. Peggy is the nutritionist for the Health4U program at Michigan State University.

Most of us are naturally skeptical about new foods. We may not want to try them because they look strange or smell weird. It’s easier just to stay with the familiar and comfortable things we’re used to eating.Girl Trying New Food

But what if our children won’t eat the foods we like to eat? Taking the path of least resistance, a parent could serve just what their children like. Doing this becomes as ho-hum as choosing from your local restaurant’s kids’ menu. Alternatively, making two (or more) different meals is time consuming.Continue Reading… What if they won’t even try it?

Are You Ready to Break Free from Stress?

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Deadlines, finances, children, traffic, computer systems…it seems it’s impossible to avoid stressful situations! The Breaking Free from Stress class taught by Lisa Laughman Davidson and Milly Gillin is a program that goes over how we each create stress in our lives and how we respond to that stress.

In the video below, Lisa Laughman Davidson introduces the class and talks about the inside-out vs. outside-in concepts of dealing with stress.Continue Reading… Are You Ready to Break Free from Stress?

February is American Heart Month!

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether you celebrate today’s holiday or not, you have a good reason to wear red: it’s American Heart Month!

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day (Center for Disease Control). And more women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined (American Heart Association).Stethoscope and heartContinue Reading… February is American Heart Month!

A Best Doctors Success Story

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When facing critical medical decisions, you can easily become unsure if you’re making the best choice. Best Doctors is now here to help with those tough decisions.

Here is Tom’s story. Tom was getting ready to undergo open heart surgery, and he decided to get a second opinion to make sure the surgery was the right treatment option.Continue Reading… A Best Doctors Success Story

Recreational Sports and Fitness Services Memberships

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2012 is here and that means a new year to work toward your health and fitness goals. What better way to start then by purchasing a membership to the on-campus Recreational Sports and Fitness Centers. The Recreational Sports and Fitness Centers offer a wide variety of equipment and classes at affordable prices that allows everyone to choose a workout that fits their schedule and preferences. From treadmills, ellipticals and weight machines, to group exercise classeslike cycling,  yoga, Zumba and more, the Recreational Sports and Fitness Centers have something for everyone.  See below for membership prices and facility features.Continue Reading… Recreational Sports and Fitness Services Memberships

Orientation Session Scheduled for MSU Smoking Cessation Program

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Post-it Note with message Quit Smoking in 2012Would you like 2012 to be the year you finally quit smoking for good? The MSU Smoking Cessation Program can help!

Olin Health Center, the Office of the University Physician-Health4U program and Human Resources have teamed up to offer you and your adult benefits-eligible family members a chance to enroll in this year-long program at a greatly reduced cost. The program combines use of the prescription medication CHANTIX with medical evaluation, monitoring and behavioral support to increase your chances of long-term success. Continue Reading… Orientation Session Scheduled for MSU Smoking Cessation Program

Happy (and Safe!) Eating

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Picture of holiday-type foodIt is the time of year when there are lots of holiday gatherings where food is served.  As we graze our way through potlucks, office parties, family gatherings and meals with friends, it’s good to keep some food safety tips in mind at this time of year. Many experts agree you can greatly decrease your risk of getting sick from food (or making others sick with your culinary creations) by paying attention to some food rules in the following four areas: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.

Clean: The first rule of food preparation is to keep things clean by washing your hands, your utensils, all surfaces that come in contact with food and some (but not all) foods thoroughly. (Avoid rinsing or washing raw meat and poultry, though, as that tends to just spread bacteria around to other surfaces.)Continue Reading… Happy (and Safe!) Eating

Keep Moving this Winter with MSU Group Cycling

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A great way to stay motivated about exercising during the cold weather is trying out a group cycling class at MSU’s Recreational Sports and Fitness Services Facilities. There’s no better way to keep fit and relieve stress this holiday season than exercising in a group! Gather some friends and move to the beat of your favorite songs.

Royalty Free Music provided by Danosongs.comContinue Reading… Keep Moving this Winter with MSU Group Cycling

Challenge Yourself with the MSU Moves Me 2012 Challenge!

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Have you signed up for MSU Moves yet? If not, now’s the time as you can register for the first MSU Moves Me 2012 Challenge! Registration is now open until January 19, 2012. The challenge runs from January 23, 2012 through March 4, 2012.

MSU Moves Me Logo
Join the all-campus challenge to have fun, win prizes and move more!

MSU Moves is a customized, online movement/fitness tracking system with the goal of encouraging participants to maintain or increase their overall daily/weekly activity level. The program activities reflect the understanding that all movement counts. Participants are not graded and their information is confidential.Continue Reading… Challenge Yourself with the MSU Moves Me 2012 Challenge!

Planned Snacks: Recognizing and Planning for Your Hunger Patterns

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You feel it coming…your stomach starts to grumble, your mouth starts to water…you’re hungry! But wait, it’s 10 a.m., or 3 p.m., and it’s not meal time. So, what do you do? You may ignore it, but then you’re starving by your next meal and you overeat. Or, you look around the office and settle for a couple candy bars that ruin your appetite for your next meal. To avoid this dilemma, here are some tips for planned snacks:

  1.  Notice your hunger patterns. Each person’s is unique and doesn’t vary much from from day to day. Most people need their meals plus a snack or two.
  2. Plan for it. Bring in snacks you enjoy to work, and then you’ll have something ready for those hunger pains. Taking a break from work while you snack allows you to eat undistracted. You can return to work refreshed. And your hunger will return in time for your next meal.
  3. Give yourself permission. Planning the snack is the first step in permission giving that will help you avoid bad feelings and binge eating. There’s a reason your body is asking for food!Continue Reading… Planned Snacks: Recognizing and Planning for Your Hunger Patterns