Staying Physically Active During the Holidays

Sometimes a “regular” 30-minute workout isn't conducive to your hectic holiday schedule, so getting extra activity in when and wherever you can will help keep your weight in check. Use these tips (which I’m sure you've heard before, but its always a good reminder) to help you out.

• Add It In Before Getting Places: Whether is parking in the last row of the parking lot at work or the grocery store or taking a lap around the mall before staring shopping, those extra steps will add up. Bonus exercise if you’re carrying heavy bags or pushing a loaded cart. Just watch out for icy patching in the parking lot.

• Take the Stairs: Elevators were invented to make our lives easier, but that convenience has added pounds to our bodies. Take the stairs always, or whenever possible.

• Play Like a Kid Again: At a holiday get together, dust off your snowpants and swap sitting inside watching that made-for-TV movie for a fun time sledding or ice skating or have a snowball fight. There’s usually lots of kids that will want you to join their fun, and if not, feel free to be the big kid at heart. PS sledding (walking up those hills) burns about 240 calories in a half hour.

• Make Physical Activity a New Family Tradition: Before the big meal, take a walk with your whole family or hold a dance party it holiday tunes n the living room. Get creative!

• Sign Up For (and do) a 5K: There are plenty to pick from and you can run or walk. The money raised usually goes to a great cause too! Get a group to do one together. Kids can usually do a 5k too. For a list of events around here, visit runningintheusa.com

• Try Winter Biking: Yes, you CAN ride your bicycle in the winter! Be cautious of snow/sand on the sides of the roads and/or icy spots. Wear layers and warm head gear and hand covers (lobster mittens, handlebar mittens, etc). Don't forget a front and rear light! It gets dark early in the winter.

How to enjoy the holidays when you or a loved one struggles with mental wellness

The holiday season is supposed to be about family and friends, gatherings, festivities, and cheer. There are ads on the TV showing smiling, happy families together for meals, playing in the snow, and getting brand new cars as presents. Stores in the mall boast that their deals will make your holiday perfect. However, what if you can’t even bear to get yourself out of bed to see all of the smiling faces of your family? Or an intense anxiety rolls over you with just the thought of having to socialize and pretend that you’re “normal”? 

For one in four Americans, this time of year may be especially difficult given their current struggles with their mental wellness and the stigma of mental illness that is present in much of their lives. However, we all have mental health, and mental illness can happen to anybody regardless of age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status, or location. So what can we do to enjoy the holidays if we or a loved one has a mental illness?

Tips for those struggling with mental illness or wellness (which could be all of us at some point!)

• Know that whatever you’re feeling at this moment, it’s right for you. Take care of yourself and remember to take a breather sometimes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, it’s alright to excuse yourself and take some time away. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself and make sure to replenish yourself every once and a while. Find what works best for you to de-stress. For example, try these ideas on how to take a break:

Remember that your health (and yes, health includes mental health!) comes first!

• Stay connected and reach out. Sometimes it might feel tempting to isolate yourself and not socialize if it’s not what you want to do. But sometimes isolating yourself could make it worse. Even if it’s just calling up a friend or family member or even volunteering, you may feel better afterward. Just find the right level for you and challenge yourself to stay engaged. You might be surprised by the results!

• Live in the moment! It’s definitely easy sometimes to dwell on past regrets or setbacks, but if we focus on what we’re doing right now and look for something positive, it can lighten our mood and help us to enjoy our time. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or bogged down by negative thoughts, try simplifying things and focus just on your breathing. Then, slowly, focus on the positives, like watching snowflakes fall or the twinkle of lights! Take it one step at a time and try not to get frustrated if you end up back at your negative thoughts. Living in the moment takes practice!

• Don’t abandon your healthy routine. For many people who struggle with mental illness, daily routines are crucial to providing stability and consistency. It can be especially tempting during the holidays to overindulge, but try to keep some stability in your activities. Make sure to get plenty of sleep, get regular physical activity each day, and avoid excessive amounts of alcohol since alcohol may increase stress and interact with medication.

• Know when you need to seek professional help. It’s a sign of strength and self-awareness to ask for help when you need it. Please do not hesitate to reach out and ask for help if you feel like you need it.
• If you or someone you know is considering suicide or is in emotional distress, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) (en Espanol, 1-888-628-9454). There are trained crisis workers available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and all of the calls are confidential and toll-free. There is also a live online chat at: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx

• If you are located in Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Manitowoc, Marquette, Outagamie, Sheboygan, Waushara, Waupaca or Winnebago counties in Northeast Wisconsin, you can also call United Way's 2-1-1 to get information on mental health resources and help in your area.

• To get general information on mental health and locate treatment services in your area, call the SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline at 1‑877‑SAMHSA7 (1‑877‑726‑4727) Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm CST.

Tips for family and friends of someone with a mental illness (and how to support those with mental illness in general):

• Be aware of how you talk and think about mental illness. What if a family member came to you and revealed that they have diabetes? How would you react? Like most people, you would probably express sympathy and concern and try to offer support. You would probably also believe that your family member’s condition will improve with treatment. However, what if a family member told you that they have a mental illness? How would your response be different? Unfortunately, for many of us, we separate mental illness from “physical” illnesses and respond differently. Let’s change that! Also, don’t label people with words like “crazy,” “wacko,” or “loony,” or define them by their diagnosis. Instead of saying someone is “a schizophrenic,” say she or he “has schizophrenia”. Instead of saying “a schizophrenic person,” say “a person with schizophrenia.” This person-first language helps reduce the stigma associated with these labels.

The comic below shows how uncomfortable it is when we talk about physical illnesses the same way we do as mental illnesses.

Comic courtesy of Robot Hugs

Instead of expressing the comments in the comic above, if someone tells you that they are experiencing a mental illness, try doing these:

• Express your concern and sympathy.
• Ask for more details about how he or she is managing. Really listen to the answers and continue the conversation. Make sure your friend understands that you honestly care.
• Ask what you can do to help. 
• Reassure your friend that you still care about him or her and be sure to include them in your plans.
• Remind your friend that mental illness is treatable. Ask if they're receiving the care they need and want. If not, offer helping them identify and get the right kind of care.

• Plan ahead and discuss plans in advance. Make sure that your loved one knows when celebrations will be, who will be there, and what to expect. Also make sure that others who are attending gatherings of family and friends are aware of the situation. This is a great opportunity to help those who are uncertain about mental illness or may feel uncomfortable to learn the facts about mental health and break the stigma.

• Keep it simple. Some people with mental illness may get easily overwhelmed or stressed with too many celebrations or events. Try to keep family get-togethers clear and simple and explain what to expect.

• Avoid assuming how individuals feel or what activities family members want to be a part of. Respect and support each family member’s choices regarding participation in family activities.

• Ignore what you cannot change. Let some things slide. Don’t waste energy arguing, threatening, or pleading. This can only raise tensions and hurt both yourself and your loved one. However, don’t ignore violence.

• Find creative ways of reducing your own stress. If you find yourself getting upset by something your loved one did or said, try to separate what has made you upset or angry from the person who did it. Remember that taking care of yourself first may help you better take care of your loved ones.

• Acknowledge the small steps! Helping someone with a mental illness to get better doesn't happen overnight. Help your family member make changes gradually. Be patient with them as they learn from the consequences of their behavior. Celebrating the small steps can improve both of your outlooks on their progress and can positively reinforce the changes they're making.

• Give yourself time and space for your own improvement. It takes time and practice to consistently use these approaches in order to help someone with a mental illness. The road to mental wellness for everyone can be long and winding, but you’ll get there with patience and persistence! Be kind to yourself and remember that everyone has their own battles they’re fighting!

Throughout this holiday season, keep in mind that everyone has mental health and everyone can strive for better mental wellness. We are all affected by mental illness in some shape or form, whether we know it or not. We need to support each other and ourselves so that we can all enjoy the holidays in the healthiest ways possible.

Dangerous farming equipment, extreme temperatures, exposure to toxic chemicals and pesticides, very low pay, young kids working 12+ hour days. Sounds like the description of cheap labor on foreign farms that produce as much as they can at the lowest possible cost- despite the impact on the employees.

That is exactly what is happening, only it's NOT foreign.

It's happening right here in the United States.

In Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia U.S. tobacco farms are employing children as young as 12 years old to work on tobacco farms. And all the big tobacco manufacturers and merchants are benefiting from buying the product. Alliance One, Altria (Philip Morris), British American Tobacco, China National Tobacco, Japan Tobacco Group, Lorillard, Philip Morris International, Reynolds American, Universal Corporation.

In an 8-minute documentary by Human Rights Watch (video below) called: US: Child Workers in Danger on Tobacco Farms, the harsh conditions and workers on these tobacco farms are shown.

With good intentions the "made in the U.S.A." movement spreading throughout the country is partially focused on stopping child labor. Instead of buying from other countries, we look for products made in the U.S.A. with a focus on supporting American jobs, the American economy, and saying no to foreign child labor. Unfortunately, exploiting children isn't exclusive to other countries. It's happening right here in the U.S.A.

So what can we do? How can we help?

Watch the documentary. Share the story. Talk with family and friends about the importance of kids being in school. Keep working to reduce tobacco use throughout the U.S.A. and the world. If the demand for tobacco goes away, there will be no need for the supply. Which in turn means there will be no need for cheap labor to produce it (ie. kids).

For more information on the topic take a look at the Human Rights Watch article,

US: Child Workers in Danger on Tobacco Farms | Human Rights Watch. (2014, May 14).

***This post is re-blogged from http://rethinklakeshore.blogspot.com***

Oaklawn Elementary students crunch into locally grown apples to support Farm to School Month!

Get ready. Get Set. Crunch.  re:TH!NK Farm to School and Oaklawn Elementary joined students of all ages, from preschool to college, along with individuals across the Great Lakes Region states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio in celebrating  National Farm to School Month and Food Day by participating in a very exciting event called the first annual “Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch”, on October 23^rd.

Just like “Earth Day”, Food Day is on it’s way to becoming a national holiday. Food Day is typically celebrated October 24^th with a message to inspire Americans to change their diets and food policies. October is also National Farm to School month and is the perfect time to introduce nutritious local foods in schools. The first annual Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch is a great way to celebrate Food Day and National Farm to School Month. This collective crunch encourages healthy eating and supports Farm to School and other local food purchasing initiatives throughout the region. 

 

Joined by Todd Hanson, the owner of Apple Blossom Orchard and Market, and Alice in Dairyland, the most recognizable spokesperson of Wisconsin agriculture, approximately 130 4^th and 5^th grade students bit into a locally grown apple after a countdown by the farmer. Todd spoke about his farm and the apples, while Alice discussed Wisconsin agriculture and why we celebrate Farm to School Month.  Everyone who participated in the event, including the food service director Peggy West, and Scott Johanknecht, thought the Honeycrisp apples were delicious. One student claimed, “this apple tastes better than my cookie”. Another student said, “this apple is a lot better than the usual snack apples I eat”. The students had a lot of fun with this event as they not only enjoyed the apples, but learned a lot about Wisconsin agriculture and how apples grow.

 

 

 

 

Why celebrate Food Day? America’s food system contributes to childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease, other health related problems and promotes environmental degradation, unfair working conditions, and animal cruelty. With America’s resources, there’s no excuse for hunger, diet-related diseases, low wages for food and farm workers, or inhumane condition for farm animals.

 

Join the Movement! All of us are united by a vision of food that is healthy, affordable, and produced with care for the environment, farm animals, and the people who grow, harvest, and serve it. We envision a just food system for all and want to celebrate it when it works and help fix it when it’s broken.


 

 

For more information on Farm to School or the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch click here.

Want to know more about Food Day? click here.

 

BWell2Excel: Using “Wellness Screen” to address high school students’ emotional wellness

High school can be a stressful, yet exciting time for many students. From homework, 8+ hours with peers and teachers, exams, and extracurricular activities, there are many opportunities for students to feel overwhelmed or stressed with having to juggle so many things, not to mention trying to figure out who they are as individuals! This fall, re:TH!NK and the Winnebago County Health Department are excited to support Samaritan Counseling Center in their implementation of the Connected Community Wellness Screen in Oshkosh West and Oshkosh North high schools. In collaboration with re:TH!NK’s Healthy Lifestyles committee, the Connected Community Wellness Screen is a free and voluntary resource for students who want to have a mental health “check-in” and is a great program to ensure mental well-being for students.

How does the Connected Community Wellness Screen work? 

Parental Consent & Sign-Up

The Wellness Screen is targeted toward ninth grade students but is available to all high school students through referral and parental and student consent. Parents at Oshkosh West and North schools received information about the Wellness Screen in their registration packets and can sign a permission slip to have their student screened. Throughout fall 2014, two counselors from Samaritan Counseling Center will be at Oshkosh North and West one day a week to screen students whose parents have signed them up.

The Day of the Screening

Students are called down to the screening room and go through a consent process with a counselor. The student learns about what the screening is and can decide whether or not they’d like to participate. If the student declines the screening, the student is sent back to their class and the parent will be notified that their student did not participate. If the student assents to the screening, they begin a short 10-minute computerized questionnaire that asks about vision, hearing, and dental problems, symptoms of depression and anxiety, suicidal thinking and behavior, attentional problems and disruptive behavior, and any use of drugs and alcohol. After the questionnaire, the students meet one-on-one with a counselor to go over their responses and any concerns the student may have. If the student does not show any signs of needing help, they meet briefly with a counselor to debrief. If the student does show signs of needing help, they will meet with a trained mental health professional in private to determine if further evaluation would be helpful. 

Follow-Up

A case manager of the screening will only contact parents if further evaluation is recommended for their student and parents can decide if they want to obtain additional services. All results of the screening are confidential and will not be stored with students’ academic records. 

Hannah Episcopo, a counselor from Samaritan Counseling, speaking about Wellness Screen and stress and coping skills during a freshman health class at Oshkosh West High School.

Feedback from Students

So far, we’ve screened eight students at Oshkosh West and six at Oshkosh North high schools, though we have many more to do. From the students I’ve seen at Oshkosh West, the overall response has been really positive. Since I’m an AmeriCorps member with re:TH!NK and the Winnebago County Health Department, and not a licensed counselor, my role in the screening process has been to make sure it all goes smoothly. I make sure the students know where to go when they’re called down to the screening room and walk them through the consent process and answer any questions. A few students didn’t know that their parents signed them up for the screening, but after learning more about it and asking questions, they all seemed eager to take it and interested in the results. All of the students seemed comfortable talking to the counselors and students who brought up any struggles they were having seemed relieved after “venting”. The two counselors who are at Oshkosh West and North have been really great with the students and they always seem to get the students laughing and comfortable. The counselors really try to get to know the students and let them know that there is help available if they want it. From my perspective, the Wellness Screen seems like a great opportunity for students to talk about what they’re going through and relieve some of the pressure they feel.

Why is Wellness Screen so important in Winnebago County?

In a perfect world, everyone could get yearly (or more frequently) mental health “check-ups”, just as we should for the rest of our bodies. If the approach to physical health included mental health, I believe that we would live in a much healthier and happier community. Unfortunately, there often seems to be a disconnect in addressing what goes on in our brains compared to the rest of our bodies and many people’s mental illnesses go unchecked. That’s why I believe the Wellness Screen is so important in our schools. Students, with parental permission, can access a free, voluntary, and confidential mental health check-up just to make sure things are going ok for them in their transition to high school and adulthood. Teens encounter so many stressors and pressures throughout their days, and having Wellness Screen as a check-in can be so beneficial.

Without checking in on our mental health, many individuals may experience mental illness without ever seeking out treatment. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four adults, about 61.5 million Americans, experience mental illness in a given year. However, only one-third of those adults with a mental illness will seek professional help (NIH & NIMH). While there can be multiple reasons behind not seeking out mental health care, from financial inability, lack of access, stigma, or denial, 2/3 of people with a diagnosable mental illness are not receiving care. Can you imagine if 2/3 of people diagnosed with cancer did not seek out care? Or 2/3 of people with broken bones did not receive care? I think it’s time we start seeing mental health as important to our overall health just as we do with our physical health.

The Wellness Screen also addresses a very real risk in teen’s lives: suicide. The Wellness Screen can identify early indicators of risk of suicide and can provide intervention to teens going through tough emotional times. And unfortunately, we are all too familiar with the toll suicide has on our communities. According to the Burden of Suicide in Wisconsin Report published in 2014, there were 106 deaths by suicide between 2007-2011 in Winnebago County, a rate of about 14.5%.  Specifically for teens, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 15-24 in Wisconsin. Additionally, 90% of youth who died by suicide also suffered from a treatable mental illness. Our hope is that we can begin to support these teens who are dealing with a mental illness before they make a permanent life decision.

“No health without mental health” may be a catchy slogan, but it is so true. There are so many ways that our mental well-being affects our physical health and vice versa. If students are unable to deal with all the stress and pressure they have, it will begin to take a toll on their bodies. Our hope is that Wellness Screen will get students talking about their stresses and mental health struggles in order to get them on a path toward being healthy. By giving students a chance to “vent” and talk about their problems, we might be able to better address what their needs are. With Wellness Screen, we are one step closer toward being a community that believes that suicide is preventable and that overall health includes mental health.

For more information about the impact of stress and mental health issues on students' academic performance, see http://www.samaritan-counseling.com/pdf/Mental-Health-and-Academic-Achievement.pdf