Wellness Wednesday

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood, essential for building cells, hormones, and vitamins. There are two types of cholesterol.

The Risks of High Cholesterol

High LDL cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, where plaques form in your arteries, restricting blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. According to the CDC, individuals with high cholesterol are twice as likely to develop heart disease.

Causes of High Cholesterol

Unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption, are

Do not disregard basic safety rules when it comes to firing up the grill. Here are 2 short safety videos from the National Fire Protection Agency when it comes to using the barbecue grill. There are also some safety facts and resources: Grilling Safety Facts & Resources.

​Unroll the mat, unroll the mind, unroll your worries.​
 

Yoga is popular for a good reason: there are some scientific based benefits of yoga

1. short article from John Hopkins: 9 benefits of yoga​
2. short article from Healthline: 16 benefits of yoga​
3. video from Medical Centric: 3 minute video of yoga benefits

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. Ralph Waldo Emerso

August 8th is National Happiness Happens Day. (This is good advice for every day of the year, in fact.)

What is Happiness Happens Day?

• It promotes the idea of spreading joy and positivity.
• The day encourages people to embrace happiness and share it with others.
• It's an opportunity to focus on the little things that bring happiness to our lives.
• Join the movement to create a happier world by spreading smiles and positive vibes!

Looking for some ideas on how to Foster Happiness in Your Life. This article has 14 tips, all simple ideas to incorporate.

"But lurking behind every summer was a fall just waiting to happen.” -- Aaron Dries
 

How do you prepare to get back into the routine of the school year? These 6 tips can help you: How to Get Back Into The Working Mode. You can tweak these ideas to fit your job assignment.

Here's a little something comical to prepare you for The 5 Stages of End of Summer Break.

Since we remain busy with work and family for most of the year, everyone needs a vacation to relieve themselves from the daily stress of life. Adventure and travel encourage creativity, endurance, fun, and play. Travel is great for your mental health.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca

1. A different environment may help you relax enough to be able to fall asleep, stay asleep and feel rested upon waking.
2. Travel reduces job burnout.
3. An escape from tedious or mundane routines allows you to see new sights, hear new sounds, experience the new to stimulate different parts of your brain and boost your mood.
4. Research supports the link between travel and happiness, by providing a mood lift.

Need some ideas for a close-to-home American Adventure?

1. Huron Clinton Metroparks
2. 103 State Parks in Michigan
3. Fairs & Festivals in August in Michigan
4. Publications such as Little Guide Detroit, Metro Parent, Detroit Metro Times, BLAC Detroit

Why are these numbers important 7 and 24?  Make it a conscious effort to practice self-care. You're bound to find one idea from this list of 99 Inexpensive Self-Care Ideas. Self-care can be something to do at home, a hobby, taking care of your body and/or your mind.

“The opportunity to step away from everything and take a break is something that shouldn’t be squandered.” – Harper Reed

A major upside of teaching is the summer break - and we can utilize that time to reduce stress, increase our health and change some unhealthy habits we might have gained all while having some fun. This will first mean de-stressing yourself and here are some tips:

1. Wake up and take a walk first thing in the morning. Studies show that getting some sunlight first thing in the morning helps us maintain a good circadian rhythm and will increase sleep habits and reduce stress.

2. Read a book that has nothing to do with your teaching subject. Fiction can be great for this, and will help tap back into your creative side and get your mind going first thing in the morning.

3. Give gratitude every day. Recall our Wellness Wednesday about keeping a gratitude journal (https://dft231.mi.aft.org/resources/gratitude-journal-wellness-wednesday-november-8-2023)

4. Meditate, watch this one minute video that lists the benefits of doing this simple activity: 5 Amazing Benefits of Meditation

Chronic Disease Day spreads awareness to educate and advocate for people who live with a chronic health conditions. Many, but not all, chronic diseases can be prevented simply by practicing self-care. Improving and practicing a healthy lifestyle can likely reduce getting a chronic disease.

A chronic disease is a condition that lasts longer than one year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Seven out of 10 people suffer from a form of chronic disease.

What can you do to prevent getting a chronic disease?

• Eat a healthy diet. Eating the proper amount of fruits, veggies, grains, dairy and protein plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy weight. Limiting sugar and starch intake prevents obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
• Exercise. Increasing physical activity not only promotes physical health, it also helps balance mental health.
• Routine medical check-ups. Visiting your doctor regularly is important so there's early detection to address medical problems and finding a plan of action.
• Know your family medical history. Having a complete medical history of your family will help your doctor determine possible health problems you may develop.
• Rest. Getting adequate rest is a factor in how your body reacts to "life." Stress, depression and anxiety cause serious health problems, too.

Economically, chronic diseases have a significant impact financially in the United States. Because people with chronic disease illnesses live long lives, the cost to treat these illnesses becomes extremely expensive over the years.

Why does chronic disease cost so much?

• Patients require long-term treatment plans.
• People who suffer from chronic disease wait until "it's too late" to seek proper care.
• Personal health insurance lack policy guidelines to cover some chronic disease.
• Lack of education to prevent chronic disease is available.
• Preventative measures are not addressed by health care providers, leading to patients unable to address pre-existing based on medical history.

Here is a Public Service Announcement created by the Consumer Product Safety Commission which runs for just a minute and is perfect for sharing with family members: Don't Be a Dummy: Firework Safety.

Incidents involving fireworks are not limited to July 4th. Other key findings on injuries in the month surrounding the July 4th holiday in 2022:

• Adults 25 to 44 years of age experienced about 36 percent of the estimated injuries, and children younger than 15 years of age accounted for 28 percent of the estimated injuries.
   
• Where known, the fireworks types with the highest estimated emergency department-treated injuries in 2022 were firecrackers (1,300) followed by sparklers (600).
• Burns were the most frequently estimated type of injury, making up 38% of all emergency department-treated fireworks injuries.