CommonHealth Wellnote

December 18, 2024 / Get Well

How can your Virginia State Employee Wellness Program help? CommonHealth’s 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 January, connect sooner rather than later to ensure you get a date that works for you. Click here to view this week’s CommonHealth Wellnote. Check out this week’s highlights below.

Amy’s NOVA Presentation is Today at 11am!
Register today for Take 10 For You. Prioritize Your Wellbeing Before the Holiday Rush. The Zoom session from CommonHealth will take place today, Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 11 a.m. Click here for the Daily Flyer article to learn more.  


Other Items of Note…

Spotlight on Healthy Holidays: Mindful Eating
The holidays are often filled with joy and togetherness. This means more gatherings, office parties, sweet treats, and delicious meals. In the moments of togetherness, we may find it a little more challenging to maintain a more nutritious diet. However, we can enjoy our favorite holiday meals and treats while also being mindful of our wellness. CommonHealth has a few tips to help: 

  • Enjoy your meals by making it an experience. When we take the time to see our holiday favorites as a once-a-year favorite, we can enjoy our meals by eating more slowly, savoring the flavors, and appreciating the joy of our holiday favorites. 
  • Be aware of cues from your body. It can be easy to overindulge due to the many options, excitement, and distracted eating. Listen to your body to know when it’s satisfied and avoid feeling overly full. 
  • Recognize your emotions. The holidays can bring big feelings. Try to ensure that you aren’t using your holiday favorites to cope with the added stress of the holidays. Physical activity can help us cope in a healthier way. See the attachment for ways to stay active during the busy holiday season. 
  • Plan your meals. Having a plan and eating on schedule helps prevent mindless snacking and overeating. Creating a plan or schedule will help you to enjoy your holiday meals or snacks without overindulging.

Try It This Week: Healthy Holiday Tips
In addition to being mindful about holiday eating, we want to extend that mindfulness to our financial budgets and food safety when preparing meals. Help reduce stress this holiday season with healthy holiday tips from the US Dept of Agriculture (USDA). 

Visit nutrition.gov/healthy-holidays for tips on how to stay on track with health goals, plan budget-friendly meals, accommodate guest’s dietary restrictions, and maintain safe food handling. 

Need more strategies to help you stay on track? 

TimelyCare offers Health Coaching to ALL employees! Develop healthy lifestyle behaviors, including nutrition, sleep habits, time management and mindfulness. Scheduled unlimited virtual visits to develop or improve healthy lifestyle behaviors. More information for TimelyCare for Employees can be found on NOVAnet. Health Insurance Providers like Anthem and Aetna also offer health coaching to eligible full-time state employees.

Benefits Buzz:  Curb Holiday Spending
Even your best budgeting intentions can break down under the pressure to spend during the holidays. To avoid racking up debt that will haunt you in the New Year, explore the tools and resources available from the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), such as the tips included in the ’Tis the Season…To Think about Curbing Holiday Spending article. 

Just log in to your myVRS account, select Financial Wellness, and search for “curb holiday spending.”

Want More Offerings?  
Click here for financial wellness resources curated by NOVA’s Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW).

For questions regarding this week’s communication or the CommonHealth program, please reach out to your respective campus coordinator below:

Bright blue swirl background with Snowflakes in various sizes. Band at the bottom with text: CommonHealth Wellnote

 

Submitted by:
Faith Redd-Walker, Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing, employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu