The Great American Smoke Out 2019

About the Great American Smokeout

The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout® is an annual event that encourages and offers support to smokers to make a plan to quit smoking or to quit smoking on the day of the event – the third Thursday in November each year. By quitting – even for one day – smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their cancer risk.

The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout® takes place on the third Thursday in November – November 21, 2019.

To learn more about the Great American Smokeout campaign and to explore event tools, resources, and where to get help to quit smoking, please visit: 

https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/great-american-smokeout.html.

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Therapy Dogs for LITS Staff!

Meaghan O’Riordan, LITS Wellness Committee Chair, with Zuko

On Wednesday, May 29, 2019, the LITS Wellness Committee hosted a therapy dog event for LITS staff with a lot of help from Erin Mooney, who runs the therapy dog event for students every December. We decided to host this event because every December, staff ask why there is only one of these events each year and no event just for staff! Part of being well is mental and emotional well-being, and I love dogs, so as your chair, I took it upon myself to make this happen! Running this event comes at no financial cost to the committee, so we will be making a donation to Pet Partners, and we encourage staff who enjoyed the event to do the same as they are able.

Beth Shoemaker with Honey Duke (owner Elayne on the left)

From 10:00-12:00 we had Zuko with owner Mallory, GeGi with owner Donna, and Honey Duke with owner Elayne. All three of them work through Pet Partners. From 12:00-1:00 we had Barley (#barleykeith on Instagram) with owner Susan and Junebug with owner Alice, also with Pet Partners. We also had the pleasure of hosting Emory’s very own therapy dogs, Beowulf and Finn. Check out this great article about them from the Emory report, and their official landing page via Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) is here.

Beowulf, Emory therapy dog

Around sixty staff participated and enjoyed time with these wonderful dogs. Staff were very glad to take a few minutes out of their days to enjoy some therapeutic cuddles and learn more about the quirks of each dog. They also commented on getting to see several different kinds of dogs from the tiny 3.5lbs Zuko to the big 80-95lbs Beo and Finn. Please enjoy a few photos from the event and let us know if this is something you would like the committee to do again!

Jamie Weems with Zuko

Junebug

Dawn Francis-Chewning with GeGi (left) and Zuko

Eileen Rubnitz and Simon O’Riordan with Finn

Kelly Duquette with Barley (owner Susan on right)

Patrick Buckley’s daughter, Ariel, with Junebug

Kyle Fenton and Beth Shoemaker with Honey Duke

Pat Culpepper with GeGi

Simon O’Riordan with Beowulf

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LITS Winkship 5K Team T-Shirt Design Competition

This year, the LITS Wellness Committee is hosting a t-shirt design competition for the t-shirts that the LITS team will wear at the Winship 5K (being held on October 5, 2019). This annual race supports the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. In 2018, the event raised more than $783,000 with over 3,200 participants. On the day of the event, runners and walkers tackle the Peachtree Road Race qualifying course that starts and ends on the Emory campus and winds it way through the surrounding Druid Hills area.

Who can submit?

Any LITS employee can submit, even if they do not plan to participate in the race.

What are the rules for submission?

  • The Emory LITS logo will be on the front of the t-shirt in either Emory blue, black, or white. The winning design will be printed on the back of the t-shirt.
  • The color of the design must match the color of the logo, so the color of the design must be in Emory blue, black, or white. One color only.
  • Note: We have fourteen colors to choose from for the t-shirt itself, so the color of your design is not dependent on the color of the t-shirt. If you are the winner, we will work with you to choose a t-shirt in a complementary color to your design.
  • The name of the LITS Winship 5K team must be represented in some way, though it can be represented in images as opposed to text. Make sure the representation is clear in your design, however you decide to showcase it. The name is: LITS Byte Cancer!

How do I submit? 

  1. Drop your submission into this Google Drive folder.
  2. Title your submission with a number starting with 1 and then proceeding with whichever number is next in sequence when you visit the folder to upload.
  3. Email Meaghan O’Riordan directly (meaghan [dot] oriordan [at] emory [dot] edu) once you have submitted to let her know which number is yours. This will keep submissions anonymous while also making it possible to contact the winner.

How will a winner be chosen? 

A group (membership TBD) will be assembled to vote on the submissions. This group will have representatives from across LITS. Meaghan will not be voting, thus keeping your submissions anonymous. There will be a prize, which is a $150 Visa gift card.* Additionally, if the winner decides not to participate in the Winship 5K, they will still be given a t-shirt to show off their winning design! (Participants on the LITS team for the Winship 5K will all receive a free t-shirt, courtesy of the LITS Wellness Committee.)

What is the timeline?

Contest opens: Monday, June 3, 2019
Submissions due: Friday, July 26, 2019
Voting: July 29, 2019 – August 2, 2019
Winner announced: Monday, August 5, 2019

Any other questions? 

Send Meaghan an email!

*Per Emory Policy 2.18, gift cards of any amount are subject to taxation and will show on the pay stub as a non-cash award.

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Turn 2 Massage Chair Massage Event Recap!

On Friday, April 12, 2019, the LITS Wellness Committee hosted Turn 2 Massage for a chair massage event for staff. We had 80 10-minute time slots available beginning at 1:00 PM with the last appointment at 4:30 PM and four different massage therapists. 58 of the slots ended up being filled and completed, with some staff members using more than one slot, especially once they experienced the magic! Overall, the event was very successful, so I hope that the committee will be able to host it again in the future. Leslie Wingate said, “I loved every second of it.” Jon Coulis commented that it was a great start to his weekend. A few staff members feeling stressed and overwhelmed from a busy week stopped by to grab an open time slot and felt better and ready to finish out the week when they left. Many staff let me know they wish they could have an event like this quarterly, monthly, or even every Friday! While I can’t promise anything, I heard you, and I do hope we will at least bring this back next year.

Thanks to Maria Flowers for coming to help me get ready for the event. I was responsible for getting everyone checked in for their appointments. I would like to say how lovely it was to see all of you and meet many folks I’ve not met in person before. I was so pleased to hear the positive feedback about the event, and I felt very proud of being able to provide this for staff. Not to worry – I got a massage right at the end, and y’all weren’t kidding! It was incredible. 

Michelle DiGaetano, who was one of our therapists for the day, is the owner of Turn 2 Massage, a mobile massage company. Their services include corporate massage, massage at events, and residential massage services. They have a team of licensed massage therapists who have a passion for helping people and aim to reduce stress and improve overall health. Chair massage at work boosts morale and increases productivity. Our other therapists on the day were Tyler, Tiffany, and Jebel, and we thank them all deeply for their services. You can book massage therapists through Turn 2 Massage for individual appointments as well – they’ll come to you! Be sure to check out their website and be in touch with Michelle to book your next massage.

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Workplace Burnout: What it is and how to deal with it

Ever feel overwhelmed and exhausted by work? How about a state of stress that involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity?

Check out this TED talk by Dr. Geri Puleo, Presdent/CEO of Change Management Solutions and creator of the Burnout During Organizational Change (B-DOC) Model:

To hear more, listen to a podcast interview with Dr. Puleo from The Better Achiever Sessions.

Thanks so much to Digital Content Strategist for Exhibitions, Gretchen Warner, for sending these resources our way and opening this conversation.

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Be Healthy, Get Some Sleep

If you’ve ever experienced a few nights of poor sleep, you’ll know what an impact it can have on your day-to-day wellbeing. Just missing a few hours of sleep can cause moodiness and irritability, a lack of concentration, and absent-mindedness. As adults, it’s tempting to think we can get by on less sleep and, in doing so, squeeze a few more hours into our busy days. But watch an exhausted toddler wail for a few minutes and you’ll get a sense of the profound physical affects that too little sleep can have upon our bodies and wellbeing. Some of these are short-term effects, like irritability, and can easily be reversed once you’ve caught up on some shut-eye, but getting less sleep than you need on a regular basis can have a long-term impact on your health.

Harvard Health reports that one in five American adults get less than six hours of sleep a night, which, over time, can have serious consequences.[1] The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute links sleep deprivation to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression.[2] On the flip side, consistently getting a good night’s sleep promotes a strong immune system and supports healthy brain function.[3] For most adults, a good night’s sleep means between seven and eight hours a night (your children and teenagers—and, I would argue, me—need more). If you regularly get less than that, and if you find yourself dozing off in front of the television or struggling to keep your eyes open in meetings, while reading, or during other quiet moments in the day, you may be experiencing sleep deficiency.

A consistent sleep schedule can help. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, including weekends and holidays, supports your body clock’s natural sleep-wake rhythm. If you are having trouble sleeping, get outside during the day and add some physical exercise to your routine (although Harvard Health advises that you avoid exercising just before bedtime). Examine your diet and aim to cut out big meals before bed, and any foods and drinks that are high in caffeine. That nightcap might not be helping either; Harvard Health suggests that you avoid any alcoholic drinks for at least two hours before you head to bed. Lastly, create a space that encourages calm and sleep. Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark. The bright, artificial lights from TV, computer, and phone screens can be disruptive to sleep too, so resist the temptation to check email or Instagram in bed.

With the Move More Challenge just around the corner, this might be the perfect time to increase our daily physical exercise! But in addition to counting steps, many fitness devices will also track our sleep (and, if yours doesn’t, a pencil and paper on the nightstand will achieve the same result)—as Move More begins, I might also take this opportunity to evaluate my sleep patterns and get some extra zzzzzzzs. After all, it’s for my health.


If you are concerned that you may be suffering from a more serious sleep disorder, Emory Sleep Center may be able to provide treatment and care.


[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/sleep

[2] https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency

[3] https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health

 

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Winter “Meet Me @ the Tunnel” Walking Wrap-Up

Blog post contributed by Jessica Perlove, LITS Wellness Committee member and Privileges and Accounts Specialist for the Woodruff Library.

The winter Meet Me @ the Tunnel walks organized by Healthy Emory concluded with great success this past Wednesday! Five people walked over from the Woodruff Library. Walkers got our last Healthy Emory Connect voucher for 100 points to submit to the Virgin Pulse platform. The tunnels are a great option when the day is rainy and cool! These walks also encourage camaraderie –  the three women who were part of our group went to lunch afterwards in the medical school cafeteria together. Several participants shared how much they enjoyed these brief outings. The tunnels feature wall designs that offer a nice tour of Georgia history, recipes, quick workouts, and destinations within the state.

If anyone would like to continue walks like these informally, please feel free to contact Jessica.

The Move More Challenge is the next major offering by Health Emory. The challenge begins on March 25th. The LITS Wellness Committee will be offering two zoom webinars, one on March 12 at 9am and one on March 19th at 3pm. These webinars will answer questions about the Healthy Emory Connect app.

Walking enthusiasts can join two listservs for regular updates and information about walks happening on campus. For LITS-related walks, you can join LITS-WALKERS-L [at] listsev [dot] cc [dot] emory [dot] edu. For walks organized by Healthy Emory on the Clifton campus, such as these Meet Me @ the Tunnel walks (spring will be Meet Me @ Lullwater), you can join WALKING-EMORY-CLIFTON [at] listserv [dot] cc [dot] emory [dot] edu.

Happy walking!

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LITS Wellness Committee hosts a Stretch Break

The LITS Wellness Committee hosted its 2nd stretch break event on January 8th at the North Decatur Building in the High Falls classroom. Designed to increase strength, flexibility, and focus, the 30-minute stretch break session was led by a Blomeyer Health Fitness Center staff member. Some of the stretching exercises included torso twists, hand and finger extensions, leg hugs, and shoulder shrugs. The participants who attended the session really enjoyed it. “The stretching felt really good! I was stretching muscles I have not used in a long time,” said a LITS Business & Administration staff member. “The soothing classical music really help me to relax and connect with my inner peace,” said another participant.

LITS staff enjoying the Stretch Break

If you missed the opportunity to participate in the stretch break session, the LITS Wellness Committee will be hosting another one soon. Details regarding the next stretch break session will be mentioned in the biweekly wellness update email that is disseminated to LITS Staff on Mondays. However, don’t wait until the next stretch break session to stretch as regular stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy. Do some exercises at your desk. Click here to try these 1-2 or 5 minute stretching exercises that can be done while sitting or standing at your desk.

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LITS Wellness Profile: Amelia Frances

LITS Wellness profiles are a way for LITS employees to share their wellness activities with colleagues and create a knowledgebase and environment of support. If you’re interesting in contributing your wellness story to the LITS Wellness Committee blog, please fill out this form!

Today’s LITS Wellness profile was completed by Amelia Frances, the Coordinator for the Computing Center at Cox Hall. Read on to learn about Amelia’s wellness life!

Describe yourself however you like. Some ideas: where you work in LITS and in what capacity, how long have you been at Emory, pets, hobbies, fun facts, etc.

I’m the Computing Center at Cox Hall Coordinator and have been working at Emory for almost a year and a half. I also attended Emory for my undergraduate degree. Outside of work, I spend most of my time crafting, mostly textiles like embroidery, weaving, and cross stitch. I have one cat named Callie. I don’t watch much TV, but I’ve watched Breaking Bad six times straight through.

What do you do (e.g., cook most of your meals, go for walks, meditate) to stay healthy and well and why?

I cook most of my dinners, and I keep breakfast and lunch simple. Shopping at Your Dekalb Farmer’s Market encourages me to make healthy choices since they have so much affordable produce to choose from. Every day I walk at least 30 minutes and do yoga before bed. I do this because I realize how much better it makes me feel. When I eat out a lot or eat processed food, I notice I feel more sluggish throughout the day, and my mood suffers.

How did you get started with developing healthy habits or starting activities that contribute to your well-being?

Amelia made this ramen with General Tso’s style seitan and reports that it was “so tasty.”

I really only started two years ago. Growing up, fast food and soda were dinnertime staples in my household. My breakfast used to be a gas station Fudge Round and a Pepsi Max. Because of this, I hated vegetables (minus potatoes of course – gotta have those french fries). But after talking to some friends a couple of years ago, I was convinced to become vegetarian. For about a month my meals were pasta, potatoes, and frozen meat substitutes, but I constantly felt tired and knew I needed a change. I decided I’d try a new vegetable every week with one rule: I couldn’t say I didn’t like something unless I’d tried it 3 times, 3 different ways. Some foods were easy (I liked Brussels sprouts right away!), but some foods took more time. Overall, my biggest lesson has been that seasoning really makes a difference!

What has most inspired you to pursue wellness?

Heart disease and diabetes are really common in my family – I’ve lost my grandfather, two great uncles, one great aunt, one uncle, and a cousin to related causes. I realized that I needed to make major life changes while I’m still young because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I’ve seen how challenging the battle against disease can be firsthand and didn’t want to continue that pattern onward.

What do you hope to gain from your wellness activities?

I hope to be able to live a long and full life. I know that we only have one body, and I want to nourish mine and treat it with the respect it deserves. I hope to have energy throughout my life to live the active lifestyle I want.

The information provided in this blog post reflects one person’s personal story of wellness. The views and opinions in this article are those of the authors and are not necessarily reflective of all LITS Wellness Committee members. This content is also not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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Healthy Emory Connect Information Session TODAY

Blog post contributed by Jessica Perlove, LITS Wellness Committee member and Privileges and Accounts Specialist for the Woodruff Library.

Come join the LITS Wellness Committee and Health Emory on Monday, December 17th, from 2:30-4:00 PM to hear more about and get instruction on using our Virgin Pulse app, Healthy Emory Connect!

This app will sync with devices that you use to track your physical activity. You can gain points by doing things like completing Healthy Habits challenges, tracking your steps and sleep, and participating in various workouts offered through programs like Fitbit Coach. There is a nutrition app that connects with HEC that offers healthy recipes. You earn points for browsing and “favoriting” the recipes. There is also the Whil app, which offers brief audio sessions on meditation, mindfulness, and being a better leader. Whil includes a yoga section. You can earn points for completing one session per day, as well as points for completing each program.

Accumulating points leads to set milestones in the Healthy Emory Connect Virgin Pulse app, and Emory gives financial rewards for those milestones! Benefits depend on whether you have an HSA account or an FSA account.

I will be starting Walking Groups again soon for the LITS Wellness Committee, and I’m hoping this will present a fun opportunity to accumulate points on the app together!

The Healthy Emory Connect app can seem confusing and daunting, but it is a lot of fun once you start seeing your points add up! So try it out and join us for this session to get set up and ask questions that pop up for you.

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