MyLU Insider

Health and Wellness

Category: Health and Wellness

Laurie’s March wellness tip

Stress: We all experience it.

Stress comes from a variety of sources—work commitments, family obligations, personal expectations. It may be the culmination of several events or commitments occurring at the same time that heightens our stress level. Even events that bring great joy to our lives—the birth of a child, a wedding, a job promotion—can bring about a significant increase in the stress we experience.

For some of us, stress can be a motivator. It revs us up and helps us set priorities. For others it’s exhausting and can be incredibly overwhelming.

Stress can make things feel “out of our control.” Stress is often what keeps us awake at night, makes it difficult to concentrate and has been shown to impact both our memory and mental functioning. Long-term exposure to high levels of stress can negatively impact our health in dramatic ways.

In order to optimize wellness, we need to find ways to manage stress effectively in our daily lives. Fortunately, here at Lawrence we have a number of stress relieving options available:

  • Exercise has long been touted as a great stress reliever. Whether you work up a sweat on your lunch hour at the Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center or take a more leisurely walk around campus grounds, both form of exercise will help to relax you and reduce stress levels.
  • The Mind Spa at the Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center. Take time to make use of this great service, which offers guided meditation, light therapy and biofeedback.
  • The Center for Spiritual and Religious Life is located in Sabin House and offers the opportunity for both quiet personal reflection and engaging conversation. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then accessible by your ID until midnight, they welcome drop-in usage for rocking chair sitting, tea sipping, poetry or silence. Also, consider joining the weekly meditation session (Fridays 3:30–4 p.m.), or stopping in for “4th Friday Soup and Salad,” a monthly lunch and discussion for LU employees. A library of resources is available for your personal use as well.
  • Consider using the Employee Assistance Program. This free benefit allows you to receive professional, confidential counseling to help manage stress or address other issues that may be impacting your health and wellness.

Lastly, feel free to contact me directly at laurie.ehlers@lawrence.edu to set up a personal appointment if you’d like to discuss stress or any health-related issue you may be experiencing.

—Laurie Ehlers, RN educator

It’s On Us Week of Action

Please join SHARE, SAASHA and WELLU in Lawrence’s It’s On Us Week of Action Feb. 13–17 to support awareness of and help prevent sexual assault.

The week’s events include:

Monday (Feb. 13): Kickoff
7 p.m.: The Hunting Ground followed by SHARE
discussion, Mead Witter
Storm the Dorm: sign the pledge in your residence hall
and prevent sexual assault

Tuesday (Feb. 14): “What is Consent?”
Find us all across campus and let us know what
consent means to you
5:30 p.m.: Show your support at women’s and men’s
basketball games, Alexander Gym

Wednesday (Feb. 15): Survivor Support
Day
Wear teal in support of sexual assault survivors
8 p.m.: SAASHA Survivor Support meeting, Drahiem

Thursday (Feb. 16): Be More than a
Bystander
7 p.m.: Bystander training, Cinema

Friday (Feb. 17): “Let’s Talk about Sex”
4:30 p.m.: Consent and Communication discussion with
Kim Jones, Title IX coordinator, Main Hall 203

Check out It’s On Us for more information on the initiative. And visit our It’s on LU calendar of events! http://www.lawrence.edu/students/share/get-involved

Healthy Living Series this Friday at noon

WELLU’s Healthy Living Series continues Friday, Jan. 13 with Weight Loss and You—Exercise and Nutrition from noon to 1 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center’s Kraemer Room.

This presentation will discuss successfully setting weight-loss goals and achieving them. We will also discuss what is new in the weight-loss world and learn more about the research coming from the National Weight Loss Control Registry.

January WELLU update

New Class at the Wellness Center—Cuong Nhu Martial Arts
Starting Jan. 10 in the Wellness Center we are proud to offer Cuong Nhu Martial Arts. Classes will be on Tuesdays and Fridays from noon to 12:45 p.m. Classes are open to everyone and all skill levels. Anyone can become a good member in Cuong Nhu as long as they have the desire and determination to do so.

Cuong Nhu means “hard-soft” in Vietnamese. Cuong Nhu offers a wide variety of techniques that are the result of blending seven styles of martial arts. Cuong Nhu is excellent for self-defense. The wide variety of techniques enable one to apply techniques accordingly when faced with various situations.

Mark Your Calendar—Weight Loss & You: New Exercise & Nutrition Strategies to Reach Your Goals
Join us Friday, Jan. 13 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Warch Campus Center (Kraemer Room) for the Weight Loss & You presentation. This presentation will discuss successfully setting weight-loss goals and achieving them. We will also discuss what is new in the weight-loss world and learn more about the research coming from the National Weight Loss Control Registry.

WELLU Massage Sign-up
One-hour massages for $20?!? You read the right! Reserve your spot for a one-hour massage at the YMCA for only $20. Massage appointments can be made for any date during the second term. There is a limit of one massage per person per term. Contact Erin Buenzli to schedule your appointment.

Health Smart Class—Boot Camp
In partnership with the city of Appleton, we are excited to offer boot camp classes right here in downtown Appleton. Achieve your fitness goals with this high-energy, drill-based, interval session! Take charge of your day with this balanced workout combining cardio and strength exercises. We will use functional movements to improve the cardiovascular and muscular systems. Your agility, strength, cardiovascular fitness and core stabilization will be challenged through body-weight and equipment-based drills. Classes are held at the City Center Plaza. Please see this flier for registration information.

Managing Stress as a Working Parent
Many parents hold full- or part-time jobs. However, being a parent on its own is one of the hardest jobs anyone could take on. Couple that with the stress of a career and it can be too much for anyone. It’s not uncommon to experience guilt and frustration trying to balance both work and family obligations and end up focusing on the things you can’t do or what you’re missing out on. The key to managing both worlds is focusing on the things that you can accomplish and making the most of the time you have at work, with your family and on your own. Read this article from Hays Companies.

It’s not too late to get your flu shot at the Health Center

Flu cases are on the rise, and health officials are urging people to take precautions. Simple steps, including getting a flu shot, help protect against the flu.

There have been 161 influenza cases to date in Wisconsin this flu season and 95 influenza-associated hospitalizations, including eight children and 78 adults ages 50 and older. Of those hospitalized with influenza, 63 percent were ages 65 years and older.

“Getting a flu shot is still one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family and friends against the flu and potential complications,” said State Health Officer Karen McKeown. “There are also many simple steps people can take now to avoid spreading the flu to family and friends, and to keep from getting it themselves, including practicing good hand washing hygiene, covering your cough, and not sharing drinking cups and straws.”

Influenza can range from mild to severe and in some cases can cause life-threatening complications. Symptoms can come on quickly and include fever, headache, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, body aches and tiredness. If someone does get the flu after getting vaccinated, it is more likely to be a milder case.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone aged six months and older should be vaccinated annually. To schedule a flu shot, contact your health care provider, pharmacy, local public health department or tribal health clinic, or go to the CDC website to find a flu vaccination center near you.

Health officials encourage you to remember these steps for protecting against the flu:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with your upper sleeve and try to avoid touching your face with your hand. If you use a tissue, throw it away after one use.
  • Use your own drinking cups and straws.
  • Avoid being exposed to people who are sick with flu-like symptoms.
  • Eat nutritious meals, get plenty of rest and do not smoke.
  • Frequently clean commonly touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, refrigerator handle, telephone, faucets).
  • If you think you have the flu, call your doctor. Stay home, rest, drink plenty of liquids and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.

*Department of Health Services

Contact Jill Drier, director of health services, for more information and to schedule your flu shot today!

WELLU Healthy Living Series continues Friday

WELLU Healthy Living Series: Hold Your Weight This Holiday Season

Learn ways to boost your exercise despite the cool temperatures and revisit healthy nutrition strategies to get you through the challenging holidays.

Friday, Dec. 9
Noon–1 p.m.
Warch-Kraemer
Presenter: Kate Harrell

Individual questions? Thirty-minute nutrition sessions are available Friday, Dec. 9 from 1:45 to 3:30 p.m. with Kate. Email erin.buenzli@lawrence.edu to sign up.