March 2022 Wellness Newsletter
Mar 2, 2022 12:00 AM
March 2022 Wellness Newsletter - March is "Spring Clean Your Mind and Body" Month!
Spring is (almost) here, and it's time to shake off the Winter cobwebs - and not only in your home!
Spring clean your mind and body with our month-long "Spring Cleaning" series. And, take a much needed Spring break with Ola, the March Wellness Campaign!
March Wellness Campaign Begins March 7!
What better way to shake off the winter months than a Spring virtual trip to Hawaii?
Ola registration is now open!
Register here
Ola in the Hawaiian language means life and well-being. Get ready to ride the wave to better health with the Ola Spring Campaign that starts March 7! From the Big Island's Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, to the lush rainforest of Haleakala on Maui, to the towering cliffs along Molakai's rugged north coast, you'll soak up stunning scenes as you exercise your way around our 50th State.
Your Hawaiian Paradise Fitness Goal
If you are just getting started with exercise, aim for 6000 steps a day and work your way up. If you're already active, aim for 10,000 steps or more a day. Each day that you hit your goal, you are awarded with a colorful hibiscus flower on your Ola tree, and you'll reveal a stunning Hawaiian scene from one of the 8 beautiful islands.
How to Track Your Activity
Once you register you can connect a device or app to your Ola account. Just put your device on in the morning, then each time you sync it with your computer or app and log into your Ola account, you will see your steps add up. Tracking manually? No problem - you can enter the steps manually, and you can also convert other activities to steps easily with the Step Converter in Ola.
You Can Also Track Non-Exercise Activities
Your everyday activities count, too! It's easy to add them in - just manually add 2,000 - 4,000 steps based on how active you are throughout the day. For instance, if you stayed mostly at your workstation except for occasional breaks, add 2,000 steps. Add 3,000 steps if you moved a moderate amount and took short walks several times. Add 4,000 steps if you moved a lot during the day. Once you register, you will see this information and more in the FAQs.
March Mindful Mondays: Spring Clean Your Mind Series
Monday, March 7, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Upgrade Your Mindset
- Learn tips to reset your mindset toward a more positive outlook for Spring.
Monday, March 14, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Ease Your MInd
- Does your mind need a Spring Break? Take a Spring vacation as you ease your mind with mindfulness.
Monday, March 21, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Mindful Eating Habits
- Have you ever eaten something and realized that you didn't actually savor it? Mindful eating helps us to become aware of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations related to eating. This session is for your mind and body!
Monday, March 28, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Boost Your Brain Waves
- Boost your brain health and your mental health in this informative session
March Wellness From the Kitchen with Chef Sandra Lewis: Clean Eating
Tuesday, March 15, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Spicy and Healthy Ramen-Style Chicken Soup
- Enjoy the benefits of a home-cooked spicy chicken soup. Ramen-Style! Register here
Tuesday, March 22, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Romanian White Bean Dip (hummus)
- Super easy to prepare, this Romanian White Bean Dip will make your taste buds sing with its smoky onion and tomato topping. Fresh and yummy! Register here
Tuesday, March 29, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Steak Au Poivre
- Elegance meets simplicity with these showstopping flavors and fresh essence. This dish doesn't take long, and your family will be pining for a repeat performance! Register here
March Healthy U Wednesdays: Spring Clean Your Diet Series
Wednesday, March 9, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Easy Ways to Eat Healthy
- Eating healthy with a busy schedule and on a budget is easy with these tips and strategies!
Wednesday, March 16, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Don't Sugarcoat
- Spring cleaning your diet includes examining your sugar intake. In this presentation, you will get tips on choosing food and beverages with less sugar as you also learn the pros and cons of sugar substitution.
Wednesday, March 23, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: The Benefits of Antioxidants
- Antioxidants are molecules that render unstable molecules called free radicals harmless. Free radicals contribute to many chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers. A diet high in antioxidants can lower your risk of developing chronic diseases.
Wednesday, March 30, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Curb Your Cravings
- Do you crave chocolate when you're stressed? Maybe ice cream or potato chips? This is known as emotional eating. Learn how to recognize common triggers and how to manage emotional eating.
March Health Promotion Thursdays: Spring Clean Your Emotional Wellbeing with the "Power of" Series
Thursday, March 10, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: The Power of Taking Care of YourSELF (sleep, exercise, love, food)
- Improve health and wellbeing by practicing the simple strategies of taking care of yourSELF (sleep, exercise, love, food).
Thursday, March 17, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: The Power of Social Support
- It is well documented that having a social support system to turn to in times of need is very important for overall emotional and physical wellbeing. A social support system can help give you a broader focus, improve self-image, and enhance your quality of life. Learn more about benefits and how to build a social support system that is just right for you.
Thursday, March 24, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: The Power of Resilience
- Does it sometimes (or often) feel like you are in a meteor shower and dodging meteors left and right? Learn the power of resilience and gain the ability to achieve greater balance, confidence, and personal strength to handle any meteor coming your way!
Thursday, March 31, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: The Power of Talk Therapy
- Talk therapy involves talking to a trained mental health professional about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Describing what's going on in your mind and how this makes you feel with a trusted person such as a trained therapist can help you work through negative feelings and thoughts, which allows you and your therapist to have a dialogue about insights and helpful suggestions. Learn more of the benefits of talk therapy, how to find the right therapist, and resources available to you.
March Unwind Time Fridays: Spring Fresh Breaths
Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in your body. This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. Those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, decrease as you breathe deeply to relax. Join these breathing sessions and feel the difference!
Friday, March 11, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Affectionate Breathing
- Take 15 minutes to breathe as you hold affection for yourself and others. You'll emerge from this mediation with heightened joy and gratitude.
Friday, March 18, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Breathe Away Anxious Thoughts
- Learn and practice a breathing technique to use when anxious thoughts pop up.
Friday, March 25, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Whole Body Breathing
- We often live "from the neck up" and forget to check in with our bodies. This lack of connection leads to increased stress, both physically and mentally. Use whole body breathing to connect your mind and body, which will boost your mood and energy while reducing anxiety and pain.