CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote

February 27, 2024 / Get Well

How can your Virginia State Employee Wellness Program help? The CommonHealth programs and campaigns cover a variety of health topics and are available in a range of formats to meet the needs of different workplaces. Highly skilled wellness consultants provide the latest on stress, sleep, nutrition, exercise and more for faculty/staff meetings, special events, conferences, benefit fairs, safety meetings, lunch and learns, etc. They provide traditional, in-person presentations and displays as well as virtual presentations, on-demand videos and seasonal health-related challenges that are fun and engaging. Visit the website to see how CommonHealth can help you. If you’re looking to book an event in March, April or May, connect sooner rather than later to ensure you get a date that works for you. 

Check out this week’s updates from CommonHealth.

  • Make and enjoy this delicious apple pie and other heart-healthy dishes from CommonHealth wellness partner WeightWatchers (WW).
  • Attend WeightWatchers’ free nutrition webinar:
    • On Thursday, February 29, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., join WW for a free webinar to learn a new way to think about making changes. Focus on building momentum instead of relying on motivation. Reserve your spot today!
    • Registrants, if you are unable to attend the live event, you will receive a link to the recording via email.
  • See this one-pager from Sentara on staying healthy in the new year.
  • As Heart Health Month comes to a close, here are a few steps you can take to boost your cardiac health: 

1. Choose healthy foods and drinks.

    • Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
    • Try to eat fewer pre-packaged, processed foods.
    • Eat more foods that are naturally high in fiber.
    • Try to eat fewer foods that are high in saturated and trans fats.
    • Read food labels so you can choose foods with less salt (sodium) and sugar.

  1. Choose to move more with regular physical activity.

    • Regular exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight.
    • Regular exercise may help lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

  1. Try to quit using tobacco.

    • Smoking significantly increases your risk for heart disease. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
    • If you do smoke, know that quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your healthcare provider can suggest ways to help you quit.
    • Your Commonwealth of Virginia Health Plans also offer tobacco cessation benefits:
      • COVA Care and COVA HDHP — Anthem
        •  A wellbeing coach can help you quit using tobacco.
        • Call 844-507-8472 to enroll.
      • COVA HealthAware — Aetna
        • Log into your member website at aetna.com and click “Stay Healthy.”
        • Or call at 1-866-533-1410 (TTY: 711).

If you have questions about any of our insurance plans, please visit the Health Benefits section of the DHRM website and click on “Plan Choices.”  

Additional Heart-Healthy Resource Links:

Title panel spanning the top: "CommonHealth Weekly Wellnote" with rainbow swoop. URL: Commonhealth dot Virginia dot gov Main section: APPLE PIE RECIPE (with stock photo of a slice of apple pie on a plate): Part pie, part cobbler — this dish is a MUST for fall and winter get-togethers. While the recipe calls for making the crust from scratch, using a store-bought crust is an excellent option if you’re pressed for time. The filling is a delicious combination of apples, sugar, and ground cinnamon, and the hearty topping features old-fashioned oats, flour, sugar, and margarine. It all comes together quickly, but be sure to let the pie cool for a full 30 minutes so it has time to set. It’ll be worth the wait! Three shorter columns below: COMMONHEALTH CAN CLEAR IT UP! (with image of a pile of white sugar against a blue background with the word "sugar" spelled out): Surprised to see added sugar as an ingredient in the featured apple pie recipe? Don’t be! Added sugar has its place in a healthy diet, too! Let CommonHealth help clear up any lingering confusion about added sugar by requesting a Sweet Surrender presentation for your team. Contact your CommonHealth agency coordinator (or HR benefits administrator) to schedule Sweet Surrender or any other available campaign. Show Your Heart Some Love (against background of small pink hearts): Small steps can make a big difference for heart health! Join WeightWatchers to get on a roll with building healthy habits. As a member, you’ll tap into ways to nurture your heart, such as delicious and healthy recipes, tools for tracking exercise and sleep, meditations to help ease stress, and a 24/7 support squad to share the love! All benefits-eligible employees, plus their spouses and adult dependents, get an exclusive discount of 50% off the retail price and can join WW now for as low as $9.75 per month. Sign up at WW dot com forward slash CommonHealth. A Little Bit Healthier This Week (with cartoon drawings of medical providers at bottom right): Low health literacy (ability to access, understand, and use info to protect our health) is associated with risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, obesity, and diabetes. We can increase our health literacy and lower our risk for heart disease by seeing a primary care physician (PCP) for preventive screenings. See the attachment from Sentara for more info on screenings you may need, then schedule an appointment with your PCP or check with your health insurance plan to locate one if needed. At bottom: GET IN TOUCH WITH US WELLNESS AT DHRM dot VIRGINIA dot GOV

Submitted by: 
Dahlia Henry-Tett, Chief Wellness Officer (CWO), employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu