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Vol. 17, No. 3	Sept. 18, 1997

What in the world is Wellness?

Wellness is a term that encompasses so many ideas that sometimes it can be confusing, according to Michael Peterson, director. Even health professionals can't agree on a definition, since all have their own specialized and professional biases toward the subject. With that in mind, here a few ideas about wellness that were presented at this year's National Wellness Conference.

Wellness is a mindset, a lifestyle approach to the highest states of health and life satisfaction that one can obtain within reason. It is about personal effectiveness, not about being an advanced mediator, vegetarian or a marathon runner.

Wellness is a holistic concept. It is looking at the whole person, not just their blood pressure, body fat, exercise behavior or what a person had for lunch. It involves physical, social, emotional, occupational, spiritual and intellectual dimensions.

If one imagines each aspect as a spoke on a wheel, Wellness helps a person extend the physical, social, occupational and intellectual aspects out as far as they can be developed and practiced. Therefore, a Wellness mindset seeks to grow in each dimension, not just one, so that the wheel rolls smoothly.

Wellness is not a lot of things:

It is not about perfection. Extreme perfectionism is a shame-based process that feeds a negative view, and workaholism, anorexia and other addictive behaviors can be the result.
Wellness does not mean swearing off hot fudge sundaes, but it does mean learning about a healthy diet and how to eat and behave to maximize one's health and quality of life.
It is not about fearing disease. Wellness is about thinking for yourself and recognizing how to profit from taking responsibility rather than deflecting it to someone else.

Wellness means having a conducive environment for optimal health, satisfying relationships and a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Wellness can be improved through education on Wellness issues, becoming more aware of one's strengths and areas for improvement and by adopting behaviors and cognitive strategies that promote overall well-being.

Through coordinated strategies and integrated packages, the Employee Wellness Program provides resources and services to educate and support employees in their effort to improve their own wellness.

For information, please call 831-8388.

UD schedules first Wellness 'Triathlon/Pentathlon'

Join in the first annual Wellness "Triathlon/Pentathlon." Registration begins Sept. 22 and is ongoing throughout the academic year. The Triathlon involves participation during the upcoming year in three activities in three different Wellness categories, while the Pentathlon involves participation in 5 activities in five different Wellness categories. Participants may choose activities from the following categories:

Wellness screening,
health education,
fitness,
nutrition and
personal Wellness.

Registration is free.

The triathlon/pentathlon is in effect until May 30, allowing a year to achieve personal goals in wellness. Prizes are awarded to all participants who complete the Triathlon or Pentathlon in recognition of their commitment to a wellness lifestyle.

For more information, call the Employee Wellness Center at 831-8388.

Have you had your 5 today?

What's one of the most important choices you can make to help maintain your health?

Avoiding something? Giving up something you enjoy? No! It's eating MORE of something--fruits and vegetables.

Your mother was right. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is good for you. Higher levels of fruits and vegetables have been linked with a lower risk for a variety of cancers. In addition, fruits and vegetables are low in calories, and cholesterol-free, and they contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. All that and they taste good, too!

In 1991, the National Cancer Institute initiated the national "5-A-Day for Better Health" program to encourage Americans to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Posters in grocery stores, advertisements and educational materials have been used to encourage Americans to eat more produce.

How are Delawareans doing?

Unfortunately, not too well.

According to the 1996 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance study, only 16 percent of Delawareans eat five or more servings per day of fruits and vegetables.

The Employee Wellness Center will offer a number of programs and contests throughout the upcoming year to spread the word about 5-A-Day. Following the kickoff in September, Wellness staff will be visiting departmental meetings to inform employees about the benefits of 5-A-Day.

In addition, a number of contests are planned throughout the year, including "How Did you Get Your 5 Today? and a poster contest for children of employees.

The Employee Wellness Center wants to assist employees with suggestions for ways to eat more fruits and vegetables, so employees can meet the 5-A-Day goal and improve their health.

Fruits and vegetables can be fast, easy and tasty. For a fact sheet entitled "25 Ways To Get Your 5 (or more) A Day," call the Employee Wellness Center at 831-8388.

Upcoming Events

September

16 5-a-Day kickoff

22 Fitness assessments/personnel training begin. Both are ongoing programs.

22 UD's "Triathlon/Pentathlon" registration begins.

23 Fitness program registration begins at 7 a.m. at the Carpenter Sports Building.

25 Fitness classes begin.

October

13 Smoking-cessation program begins. Call the Employee Wellness Program for more information.

20 Apple-A-Day program

27 Mammography Mobile on campus from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 1-800-694-0606 to schedule an appointment.

27 Flu vaccine administration from noon-6 p.m. Call 831-8388 to schedule an appointment.

29 Flu vaccine administration from noon-6 p.m. Call 831-8388 to schedule an appointment.

November

17 Weigh-to-Go! program begins, concluding on Jan. 8.

20 Great American Smoke-Out

December

2 Holiday survival (nutrition)

8 Holiday survival (stress management)

10 Exercise on the go or at home