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GVSU Health & Wellness

This fall is full of ways to stay stress free and healthy. Be sure to review all of the details about open enrollment 2012, be inspired by our success story, Pete Agnello and take time to focus on good mental health. Enjoy the season and all it has to offer!

Open Enrollment 2012

The 2012 annual benefits open enrollment is your opportunity to take a closer look at your benefit options so please take some time to follow these:
Five easy steps
1. Visit www.gvsu.edu/healthwellness and click on “2012 Open Enrollment.”
2. Review detailed information.
3. Learn about new plan options and select the right one for your unique situation.
4. Complete the online enrollment October 25–November 9.
5. Print your detailed confirmation statement.

Confirm your elections
To receive your total compensation/confirmation statement, each benefit eligible faculty or staff member must complete an online enrollment and update/verify benefit elections including:
• Home address for W-2 purposes
• Coordination of benefits information
• Beneficiary designation
• IRS re-election requirement for Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts

For more information or to requested printed copies, please contact us at 331.2220 or healthandwellness@gvsu.edu. 

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Healthy Choices 3rd Quarter Winners!

Congratulations to our winners for participating in the Healthy Choices program! Each winner received $100 for successfully tracking two wellness activities during the third quarter (July-September). 

Tamara John
Roxanne Mol
Yvonne Bird

It's not too late to join and qualify for prizes for the final quarter (October-November)! Register now.

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Success Story: Pete Agnello

Pete Agnello, custodian at GVSU, has many reasons to stay healthy. However, it wasn't until his 30’s did he see the need to become healthier when he was diagnosed with diabetes. For the first time, he decided that he had no choice but to start making changes. Working on becoming a healthier person was never on Pete’s agenda but after his diagnosis, he says he had to make it a priority to maintain a healthy blood level.

It has been a long road, but now Pete is healthier than ever. He has lost  55 pounds and has not had to rely on insulin for his diabetes! The biggest accomplishment for him was that he was able to maintain his weight loss. “I wanted to win, be done with it, and have no struggles,” stated Pete. However, nothing ever comes easy. He slowly made the improvements he needed to achieve his goals.

With some guidance from one of UMR's health coaches and his own determination, Pete started making small changes like adjusting ingredients in preparing his food. For example, avoiding sugar in his coffee and limiting his salt intake. Little by little, Pete eliminated artificial flavors from his food. It wasn’t easy going from pizza to fish for dinner, but according to Pete, “the good foods eventually took over the bad when I implemented the idea in my mind”.

Pete's biggest approach to managing his new lifestyle is to maintain, to try and avoid the setbacks as much as possible.   Pete emphasizes the need for changing one’s own thoughts, in order to be successful at becoming healthier. Adjustments need to be made physically but emotionally as well to move forward in reaching one's goals. The best thing about the process,he jokes, is that he’s no longer everyone’s big teddy bear. 

Do you know a GVSU faculty or staff member who serves as a role model for others living a healthy lifestyle? Nominate your co worker for our next newsletter!

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NEW! CHS Fitness Stairwell

The CHS Fitness Stairwell is NOW OPEN! Located in the building's southeast stairwell, it provides a space for faculty and staff to work out inside. The stairwell is ready to go just in time for the colder weather.  Want to learn how to use the space? An orientation session is scheduled for 

Thursday, October 6: 5:15-5:45pm

Register online under the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness header.

If you are unable to make the orientation, a guide to the stairwell is available online for review. If you or your department would like to schedule an orientation for your group please contact the Health and Wellness Coordinator. 

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Sustainable Health and Vitality Tips & Tricks

Are you tired of being tired? What you need is more vitality to meet today’s physical and emotional demands, whether it is work related or personal.
Vitality could be defined as:
- Growing and thriving in the face of life’s challenges
- Feeling satisfaction, passionate, and in control of your choices and lifestyle
- Overall leading to more energy, personal and professional success.
Please join us on October 11th, KC2266, noon – 1:00 pm and on October 18th, DEV302E to find out simple techniques to maintain physical and mental vitality through healthy lifestyle changes. 
To register please visit www.gvsu.edu/seminar.

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Not All Wounds Are Physical!

What if you're feeling sad, stressed, or worried? Or are constantly at war with yourself? Well it's time that everyone, if anyone, know that YOU'RE NOT ALONE.  

National Depression Screening Day, on October 6th, is held annually during Mental Illness Awareness Week in October.  This is a nationwide effort to raise awareness and screen people for depression and related mood or anxiety disorders.

The Counseling and Career Development Center will participate in National Depression Screening Day on Thursday, October 6, at various sites on campus. Counselors will be available for confidential screenings in multiple locations. Details are available online at www.gvsu.edu/counsel.

GVSU's Encompass counseling service can also help you through difficult emotional times. There are various resources available to help those manage their stress and other emotional health challenges. Call 616-459-9180 for a free appointment. Also, visit www.gvsu.edu/healthwellness and click on Work Life Services Be sure to view Work Life Connection’s new video on emotional health available mid-October.

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Don't Have the Time to Make A Health Session?

Encompass provides various tools and resources to help people through their tough times. They also provide Webinars as easier convenience for everyone. If you can't make it out to an in-person health session, you can sit in and listen to these provided webinars. Learn more, and join up soon for the October webinar. Also be aware that you can archive the webinars for up to one year!

Directions to the webinar:
-Go to the Encompass Website 
-Put in “GVSU” for the password 
-Scroll down to the botton right of the main page
-In the corner should be the list of webinars

 

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