LiveWell Balance Test

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Are you living well?

There is an easy, quick survey that you can take to determine which dimensions of wellness you are doing well in and which need more attention.

Here's some sample questions from the LiveWell Balance Test. (The entire test can be found online at http://wellness.ucsd.edu/survey/)

1. Never
2. Seldom/ Occasionally
3. Sometimes
4. Frequently
5. Always or Almost Always

Physical:
  • I maintain healthy eating patterns.
  • I eat at leat 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day.

Spiritual:

  • I have a sense of purpose in my life.
  • I spend time reflecting or meditating.

Social:

  • I am involved in at least one university or community group.
  • I have at least one meaningful relationship.

Emotional:

  • I find healthy ways to cope with stress (exercise, relaxation, social support).
  • I am able to cope with feelings of sadness and worry.

Intellectual:

  • I find my academic life fulfilling.
  • I know how to access academic resources when necessary.

Occupational:

  • I manage my time effectively.
  • I have confidence in my job searching skills (resume writing, interviewing, etc.).

Environmental:

  • I spend time outdoors enjoying nature.
  • I have adopted water saving habits.

Financial:

  • I budget my funds so that I don't run out of money.
  • I am never late on my credit card, tuition/ fees, other payments.


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Easy Yoga Poses You Can Do In Your Dorm!

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Taking the time to relax and breath before and during Finals Week is a great way to lower stress levels.

Try these 3 easy yoga poses as a 10 minute study break that you can do in your room (or even better, OUTSIDE!)

Uttanasana- Forward Bend (Regulates Blood Pressure)


Stand with legs hip width apart about 8-10 inches away from the wall. Lean back to the wall. Bring arms over head, take a breath in. As you exhale bend forward and let your arms hang down. Keep hips on wall, relax arms, shoulder and neck. Stay for 3-5 breaths and roll back up the wall with an exhalation.

Balasana-- Child's Pose (Stretches the Spine)


Come to floor on hands and knees and relax toes. Sit back on heels and keep arms extended on the floor. Open knees a little wider than your feet and relax forehead to ground. Either keep your arms extended or relax arms to your sides, hands by your feet.
Stay for 3-5 breaths.


Viparita Karani – Inverted Lake Pose (Relieves stress-related headaches)


Sit down close to the wall, with one hip touching the wall. Move legs up the wall while simultaneously lying down on your back. Move hips as close to the wall as comfortable and relax arms to your sides. Stay for 3-5 breaths.



Want to see more Yoga poses?
Check out LiveWell UC San Diego's Flickr page:http://www.flickr.com/photos/livewellucsd/sets/72157618050721966/
Or, join a yoga class through recreation.

Yoga is for all body types and ability levels.


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LiveWell Vegan Recipe

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Interested in a healthy and environmentally friendly meal? Check out this healthy recipe that's high in fiber and a great source of vegetarian protein.

This LiveWell recipe has been featured this quarter at Canyon Vista in Warren College and is scheduled to be at all of the dining halls in Fall of 2009. Keep an eye out!--- Becky McDivitt, UC San Diego Housing*Dining*Hospitality Registered Dietitian

Malaysian Quinoa [courtesy of Allrecipes.com]


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups water, divided
1/2 cup dried soy chunks (textured vegetable protein)
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon canned cream of coconut
1/2 bird's eye chile, seeded and minced
1/2 green onion, diced
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
salt and pepper to taste

Boil 1/2 cup water, and pour into a bowl. Mix in soy chunks. Blend in peanut butter, cream of coconut, chile, green onion, and cilantro. Keep warm while the quinoa cooks.
Bring quinoa and remaining 1 cup water to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, until quinoa is fluffy. Stir in the soy chunks and peanut butter sauce, and season with salt and pepper to serve.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

Servings Per Recipe: 2

Calories: 326

Total Fat: 9.3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 534mg
Total Carbs: 35.1g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Protein: 30.8g



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De-Stress @ Stress Free Zone

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LiveWell UC San Diego, CAPS, and The Wellness Peers are proud to present...

STRESS-FREE ZONE

June 3 from 10am to 2pm on Library Walk.

Come by to get free snacks and goodies!
  • stress balls and palm twisters
  • biofeedback demonstrations
  • bubbles
  • hi-lighters
  • healthy snacks
  • massages
  • arts & crafts
  • music & dancing



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Ross Szabo: A Student Perspective

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This spring, Ross Szabo spoke to student, staff, and faculty at UC San Diego. He approached the difficult topic of mental health and illness. Wellness Intern Sarah Stewart documented her experience at the presentation and the important messages she gleaned from Szabo's presentation:

At age 16, Szabo, a football star and highly involved teenager was diagnosed as “bipolar with anger control problems and psychotic features.” Since mental illness was taboo, Szabo kept his internal struggles from friends and family until he attempted to take his own life.
Today, Szabo has accepted the challenge of breaking down the stereotypes that deter people from reaching out and getting help.

“When I speak, I am not speaking only about me - I am speaking about a generation. The older generation was quiet about mental illness. It is time for us to stop losing to old ways of dealing with mental health issues and start winning the battle.” 

Szabo’s challenge to students is to take away the stigma. This starts by changing how we define ourselves and the culture we live in.  Maintaining the illusion of normality is what prevents us from reaching out. “No one is normal. What we have made normal is not talking about being different.”

To read more about Ross Szabo and his presentation, visit: http://wellness.ucsd.edu/RossSzabostudent.shtml

May 31st: World No Tobacco Day

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Tobacco causes mouth diseases.

The World Health Organization each year hosts the World No Tobacco Day on May 31st.

"Tobacco companies use pretty packaging to make their products seem cool. In truth, tobacco kills and sickens. Picture warnings convince people to quit. Don't just tell the truth. Show it!"

www.who.int/tobacco

Do you want to quit? Campus support resources include Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Student Health Service (SHS).

1-800-No-Butts is a UCSD/ VA Medical Center project.  1-800-No-Butts and tobaccofreeca.com are additional resources that provide free, convenient, confidential counseling and a 'quit kit.'

Wednesday Workshops for Grad Students

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Wednesday Awareness Workshops for Graduate and Professional Students

Wednesdays, 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Mandeville East/Box Office (behind Art of Espresso)

This lunch series will provide information on campus resources and offer workshops to support the mental, physical and social aspects of the graduate and professional student experience. Sandwiches and drinks from Art of Espresso will be sponsored by the Office of Graduate Studies. Schedule subject to change. Check the calendar for updated info.

Week 8 Topic: Balance
Join Reina Juarez, from Counseling and Psychological Services, to learn how to maintain balance in your hectic life. Yes, you can have a life outside your lab or office!

Week 9 Topic: TBA. Check the Grad Life @ UCSD website for updated information. http://gradlife.ucsd.edu/events/wednesday-workshops/

Fair Trade Food Items

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Fair Trade Coffee


One of the terms we often hear associated with coffee is “Fair Trade.” What does it mean? In very basic terms, here’s what it’s all about:

  • Paying farmers a living wage for their harvest.
  • Creating direct trade links to farmers and their cooperatives.
  • Providing access to affordable credit, helping farmers stay out of debt to local middlemen.
  • Promoting sustainable practices, such as organic and shade-grown farming, that help protect the environment.
Fair Trade coffee comes from farmers who have been certified and receive a minimum price for their harvest. Currently this minimum price is approximately 3 times the average market price for green coffee. 

Certified farmers are usually part of a grower's cooperative and meet certain quality and socioeconomic standards set by Transfair USA, the leading nonprofit agency providing independent, third-party certification of Fair Trade products in the U.S. This Fair Trade price for green coffee supports a higher standard of living for the farmer's family as well as provides an incentive for maintaining processing operations that result in a higher quality coffee.

Dining Services is committed to offering a Fair Trade option. Beginning in spring 2008, you will find Peet's Fair Trade Coffee at all DS restaurant locations.

Buying  Fair Trade food items is a way to show that you care about environmental wellness.

Check out the One Earth, One Justice UCSD Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Earth-One-Justice/65049806311



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LiveWell Foods

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Want to try and eat more healthy in the dining halls?
LiveWell UC San Diego and UC San Diego Housing, Dining, Hospitality have teamed up to provide you with highlighted healthy meals... everyday!

At selected dining halls, everyday, there is a LiveWell meal. These meals are low in calories, high in goodness, and bursting with flavor!

Go to the HDH page for an updated list of meals at each of the dining halls:

http://hdh.ucsd.edu/diningservices/menu/dailyspecials.aspx

Check out the HDH nutrition page and the comments by HDH Registered Dietician, Becky McDivitt.

http://hdh.ucsd.edu/diningservices/nutrition.asp

Learn more about physical wellness on the Wellness Center website:

http://wellness.ucsd.edu/LiveWell-PhysicalWellness.shtml




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Swine Flu

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There's a lot of talk on the news of the swine flu. From all the press it's been getting, one might think that it is easier to catch and worse than the 'regular' flu. It's not: it is just a new strain of the flu. Here's some information on the flu that doesn't necessarily make the news...



How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

Can I get infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.


Information from: http://www.aaigg.com/category/Health/questions--answers-h1n1-flu--h1n1-flu-and-you--swine-flu-virus--influenza--2009/



For more information on how UC San Diego is dealing with the swine flu, check out the homepage of wellness.ucsd.edu


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Free Rec. Classes

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Need a study break during 10th week?
Sign up for a FREE LiveWell Recreation Class.


Yoga Boot Camp
Pump It Up!
Spin & Stretch
Core Plus
Kick Box & Core



Pre-registration required: sign up at wellness.ucsd.edu

Locations of the classes vary, so check the schedule for dates, times, and location.

This is a LiveWell UC San Diego program sponsored by the UC San Diego Wellness Center and Recreation.