Category Archives: On Campus

See what’s new from the Health Promotion and Wellness department within University Health Services at Penn State University Park.

Wellness Retreats

It’s important to take care of yourself. This semester make your well-being a priority and treat yourself to a day of relaxation and healthy activities! Spaces are filling up for the next Wellness Retreat. Email promotinghealth@psu.edu or call 814.863.0461 to reserve your spot for the October 20th retreat.  To learn more about free wellness activities, visit https://healthypennstate.psu.edu/fall-2018-wellness-activities/

Creating a Positive Nutrition Space

Your social network and schedule play a big role in the choices you make when it comes to nutrition. These choices can look different for everyone.  Do your friends and family prefer to dine out or cook?  Do you add meal times to your schedule or do you hope to get a meal in between other activities?

Dining out can be a great way to catch up with friends and family.  However, the dining environment doesn’t always lend itself to healthy choices.  Restaurants are notorious for serving large portions, heavily salted foods and high saturated fat content (1). Cooking at home can be a healthier alternative because you can control the ingredients including seasoning foods with spices other than salt and utilizing healthy fats such as olive oil or avocado oil.  Plus, cooking for yourself is less expensive than dining out.  Having friends and family support these choices can create a positive wellness environment.

Just as you schedule time for classes and meetings, scheduling time for meals is important to creating healthy living strategies.  Food fuels your body and more specifically your brain.  Taking the time to eat balanced and consistent meals and snacks can benefit your overall well-being.  One study showed a significant association between happiness and consuming breakfast (2).

Creating a space to make healthy nutrition choices is important for overall wellness.  Take a moment to think about whether your environment supports eating healthy.  If you feel that it doesn’t and need help making changes schedule an appointment with a dietitian in Health Promotion and Wellness.  Appointments are free and can be made on myUHS or by calling 814-863-0461.

  1. American Heart Association. Eat Fast Food. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/DiningOut/Eating-Fast-Food_UCM_301473_Article.jsp#.W3W7iIWcGUk. Accessed August 16, 2018.
  2. Lesani, A., Mohammadpoorasl, A., Javadi, M., Esfeh, J., Fakhari, A. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. Dec. 2016: 21(4) 645-651.

Meditation Series 

Mark Agrusti of the Dharma Lions at Penn State, will lead four meditation sessions to help students learn stress management strategies. The sessions are independent of each other and students are not required to attend all four sessions. Sessions will be held from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. in the Wellness Suite, 20 Intramural Building. Dates and topics include:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 11 – Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Techniques
  • Thursday, Oct. 8 – Learn to Meditate
  • Tuesday, Nov. 6 – Calming the Mind with Meditation
  • Tuesday, Dec. 4 – Relaxation Meditation

Become a Healthy Penn State Ambassador!

Are you passionate about health and wellness? Maybe you’ve recently decided to make your health a priority and are amazed at how much your life has improved. Maybe you want to encourage other students to be healthy. Wherever you are in your health journey, consider applying to become a Healthy Penn State Ambassador!

Healthy Penn State Ambassadors serve as role models for healthy behaviors on campus. They participate in outreach events for Health Promotion and Wellness (HPW) as well as promote health through social media and informal interactions with other students. Ambassadors also speak to groups, clubs, and student organizations about the HPW Wellness Services and how students can use the services to improve their health.

As a Healthy Penn State Ambassador, you will work with health promotion staff while developing your leadership skills and enhancing your resume. You will build valuable friendships and expand your professional network, all while making a difference in the health of Penn State students.

Training to become an ambassador will take place in Fall 2018. The training consists of 8 hours and will be held at times that are most convenient for the selected students. Students will learn healthy skills, health promotion strategies and motivational interviewing.

You must be able to commit to at least one semester to be a Healthy Penn State Ambassador. Requirements include attending the mandatory 8-hour training, 1 hour bi-weekly meetings and volunteering 1 to 3 hours per week (at most) to Healthy Penn State activities.

To apply, complete the application at here. The deadline to apply is August 31. If you have questions, stop by Health Promotion and Wellness in 20 Intramural Building or call (814)-863-0461. You may also contact us by e-mail at promotinghealth@psu.edu.

 

A Peer Educator’s Perspective on Financial Wellness

As a peer educator for HealthWorks, people often assume I have it all figured out. In reality, I am just as eager to learn about our services as I am to facilitate them. Our Financial Wellness service in particular has taught me so many valuable lessons that I have been able to integrate into my daily life.

This service taught me how to make and actually KEEP a budget. Rather than making one and forgetting about it, my budget is now something I refer to regularly. I learned effective strategies for saving money.  I also learned the importance of starting to build credit during my time in college. The financial wellness service dives into how to build credit responsibly and positively so that I can benefit in the future.

Finally, I learned how to manage my student loans and plan for repayment. This was a huge weight off of my shoulders, because it’s something that was always in the back of my mind. Now, I am aware of where I stand in terms of repayment and I don’t feel as overwhelmed.

If you’re struggling with saving money, sticking to a budget, or just curious about financial wellness, this service is definitely for you. I thought I had a decent handle on my finances before participating in this service, but there is always more to learn, and this service will help.

Don’t wait! Get on your way to building financial wellness today. Book an appointment at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/medical-services/myuhs or call 814.863.0461.

Written by Caitlyn Lazorka, HealthWorks member

 

 

Reduce Stress with Physical Activity

College can be stressful. Stress will always be part of life, so the key question is: how will you respond to it? Researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) studied one strategy to help you handle stress during college: physical activity (1). The researchers conducted a 3-day program called “Fitness4Finals” (F4F), which focused on increasing the physical activity of college students during final exams. The goal of the program was to reduce stress levels associated with final exams.

The program included light, moderate, and high intensity exercises. The light intensity exercises included yoga, Pilates, Thai-chi (50 minute duration). Moderate intensity exercises included 50 minute fitness walking, 10-30 minute stair climb, and 4 minute Flash mob. High intensity exercises included 50 minute boot-camp, 50 minute cardio-boxing, and 1.5-5 minute obstacle course. The students participated in at least one of these exercises every day for 3 days.

Researchers examined the change in perceived psychological stress (PPS) of students before and after F4F events. The results revealed that the program was effective in lowering perceived stress of participants. However, physiological measures of stress were not significantly different.

At the end of the program, students said:

  • “I was able to clear my mind and [physical activity] helped me focus more when I did have to sit down and study [for finals].”
  • “[Physical activity] gave me an active outlet and break from schoolwork.”
  • “I felt compelled to relax my mind.”
  • “I felt mentally relaxed after yoga and meditation.”

Being active can be beneficial on many levels, including improving academic performance (2), mental health, social health and physical health (3). You can receive these benefits from any type of physical activity, including fitness walking, jogging, stair climbing, boxing, Pilates, Thai-chi, swimming, and playing basketball, tennis, football. You can make physical activity fun by discovering the exercises you enjoy the most!

College can be stressful, especially during finals. One way to manage stress is by being active. As one of the participants of F4F stated, physical activity can give you an opportunity to clear your mind and relax, which will help you concentrate better during studying. Next time you feel stressed, take a walk or play basketball!

Sources

  1. Koschel, Tessa L., John C. Young, and James W. Navalta. “Examining the Impact of a University-driven Exercise Programming Event on End-of-semester Stress in Students.” International journal of exercise science 10.5 (2017): 754.
  2. Salas CR, Minakata K, Kelemen WL. Walking before study enhances free recall but not judgement-of-learning magnitude. J Cognitive Psychol. 2011;23(4):507–513.
  3. de Vries JD, van Hooff MM, Geurts SE, Kompier MJ. Exercise as an intervention to reduce study-related fatigue among university students: a two-arm Parallel randomized controlled trial. Plos ONE. 2016;11(3):1–21.

Written by HealthWorks member, Deniz Siso

Sexual Violence Awareness Month

April is National Sexual Violence Awareness Month.   The goal of the month is to increase awareness about sexual violence in the US and on college campuses.  The National Sexual Violence Resource Center defines sexual violence is “any type of unwanted sexual contact” (1).  The Gender Equity Center is working with several departments to sponsor a range of great events this month.  The events are designed to raise awareness, educate, and help prevent sexual assault.

What Were You Wearing? Survivor art installation, April 2 – April 410 AM to 2 PM, 134 HUB

Men Against Violence Walk April 9, 2:30pm, Heritage Hall, HUB

Honoring Survival: Transforming the Spirit April 9, 6:30pm, Memorial Lounge, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center

Wade Davis: Won’t you celebrate with me April 10, 6:30pm, Freeman Auditorium, HUB

Stevie Tran: She’s Still My Fraternity Brother April 18, 7pm, 233B HUB

For more information about these events, visit studentaffairs.psu.edu/genderequity or contact the Gender Equity Center at 814-863-2027 or genderequity@psu.edu.

The University and State College community offer a variety of resources to support victims of sexual violence (2).

Centre County Women’s Resource Center –  140 W. Nittany Avenue, State College, PA. Hours vary. Phone: 814-238-7066 and 24 hour crisis hotline: 1-877-234-5050

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) – 501 Student Health Center. Open Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm. Phone: 814-863-0395. Penn State Crisis Hotline 1-877-229-6400. Crisis Text Line: Text “LIONS” to 741741

Gender Equity Center – 204 Boucke Building, Open Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm,

University Health Services – Student Health CenterHours vary, click the link for details: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/medical-services/pharmacy/hours-parking  Call 814-863-4463 to speak with an advice nurse 24/7

Sources:

  1. National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2018). About Sexual Assault.  Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/about-sexual-assault-friends-family
  2. Penn State Student Affairs. (2018). Confidential Support. Retrieved from https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/victim-survivor-support-advocacy/confidential-support

De-Stress at the Wellness Suite

Enjoy end-of-semester activities at the new Wellness Suite. Visit 20 Intramural Building for stress reduction activities in March and April. Bring your friends and enjoy an hour of fun. All activities are 5-6pm in 20IM.

During the month of March, there will be two fun and engaging activities. On Thursday, March 22nd enjoy making your very own overnight oats and trail mix! On March 29th come practice meditation with the Dharma Lions! Something we could all use as finals approach.

If you cannot make any of the March activities, no worries! April also has two dates filled with fun and relaxation. On Thursday, April 5th come try out Pilates! On Thursday, April 12th experience how art can help with mindfulness. Create your own face mask and enjoy the comfort of the suite!

Remember to check back in for more updates about activities happening in the wellness suite.

Welcome to the Wellness Suite

What is the Wellness Suite?
The Wellness Suite is located in 020 IM and offers a variety of services and houses both the Center for Fitness and Wellness (CFW) and Health Promotion and Wellness (HPW).

What services are offered at the Wellness Suite?
The suite is divided into two areas. HPW (part of Student Affairs) offers wellness services and the nutrition clinic in this section of its space. Students from the peer education program, HealthWorks, conduct the free wellness services. As a student you can sign up for services on these topics: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, Sleep, Stress, Healthy Relationships/Sexual Health, and Financial Wellness. Each service consists of three, one-hour session over a three week period. These services are open to all Penn State students and are a great opportunity to take a step towards making healthy lifestyle changes! You can also schedule a nutrition clinic appointment with a registered dietitian. The suite includes a relaxation room with adult coloring books, biofeedback software, and other calming features such as zen gardens and relaxation soundtracks. During the gray winter months, you can use a light therapy box in the relaxation room. All are welcome to come unwind! Wellness services and nutrition clinic appointments are free.

The CFW is part of Kinesiology and offers fitness testing. The CFW peer interns conduct fitness assessments and blood lipid/glucose testing. The fitness assessment consists of body composition, VO2 max bike test, push-up, curl-up, and flexibility tests. Several of the Kinesiology fitness classes (e.g. 061, 093, 201) require students to complete fitness and blood testing, but any student is welcome to make an appointment! The fitness assessment takes ~45 minutes and costs $13.27 and the blood testing is $29.76.

How do I sign up for HPW Wellness Services?
Phone: 814-863-0461
Web: Schedule using https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/free-wellness-services 
Click “schedule online”
Choose a service that interests you!
Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

How do I sign up for fitness testing with the CFW?
Phone: 814-865-4488
Web: https://sites.psu.edu/kinescfw/schedule-your-assessment/ 
Hours: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm

4th Annual Winter Thaw 5K

For the last 4 years, Health Promotion and Wellness has teamed up with Club Cross Country to hold the Winter Thaw 5K. The 5K provides an opportunity to spend time with friends on the weekend while getting fit! Despite the chilly rain, lots of students and community members participated!

Seventy-seven runners and walkers gathered at 10:00 a.m. on west campus on Saturday, February 24. All participants received a pair of running gloves and a bag filled with Healthy Penn State swag. At the finish, KIND bars were handed out to everyone who crossed the line. The top male and female finishers received a 1-month supply of KIND snacks! The top 5 male and top 5 female runners received a gift card for Rapid Transit Sports. The top 5 men were Ray Friend, Matthew Pennock, Matthew Beyerle, Ben Hietsch, and Mark Puleo. Ray Friend finished with a time of 15:54. The top 5 women were Baylee Robey, Grace McStravock, Megan Ellery, Rachael Wittmer, and Kelly Dworak. Baylee Robey finished with a time of 18:50. The full results, including times, can be found here http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing/results/3667-4th-annual-thaw-5k

A big thank you from HealthWorks and Club Cross Country to all 77 participants and our sponsors for participating and thawing out with us!