Dimensions of Wellness – UNC Healthy Heels

Take a Break! Hey, Take 10

April 29, 2016April 8, 2016uncchsmediaLeave a comment

This blog post was originally published on July 7, 2015.

Tar Heels, if you’re still hanging around the general vicinity of North Carolina this summer, you don’t need me to tell you it’s hot, but…OMG it’s sooooo hot! If you’re anything like me, a long string of hot days might make you complain a lot and think less clearly than you might otherwise.

Also, while the pictures on my Facebook feed tell me that this is vacation time for a lot of people…it might not feel like vacation time for all of us. Yes, NECESSITY, as well as our culture that socializes us to ideals of BUSY! and ACHIEVEMENTS!, can chase us down even into these summer months.

So, please allow me to be your Captain Obvious right now and give you a loving reminder:

Here is a comfy pink chair in the forest a person might sit in if they were taking a break.

Take a break.

Take a break! There are many ways to take a break today, this week, this month, this summer, even if you’re jamming out in Summer Session II and can’t afford a beach condo for the next decade. Here are some ideas to get your creative break-making juices flowing:

Finish reading this blog post and then turn off whatever screen you’re looking at for at least 5 minutes. Feeling brave? Do it in silence. Feeling tense? Think about relaxing each part of your body, starting with the toes and working your way up. It’s just 5 minutes. You can do it. Too easy? Make a summer resolution to do this every day and see what happens.
Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time and catch up.
Commit to listening to an entire album you haven’t heard ever or haven’t heard in a long time. Do it in one sitting. Invite some buddies over for a listening party.
Find a path you’ve never walked and walk it. (If you’re in Chapel Hill, consider these!) Find some flowers and sniff them.
Take a social media hiatus. Y’all. I haven’t been on Facebook for 3 days and I feel like a new person right now.
Drink some water. It’s hot.
Do something you haven’t done since you were a kid. Is there a swing set at your apartment complex? Can you get your hands on a pool noodle? Are there old board games for sale at PTA Thrift Shop? Where are those crayons your roommate was waving around? Can you YouTube your favorite old cartoon?
Plan a day trip to a swimming hole or a waterfall.
Cook something for dinner tonight that you’ve never cooked before. Never cooked at all? Then this assignment has NO LIMITS!
Read a book…for fun. When was the last time you read a book for fun??

Other ideas? Do share in the comments!

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: 8 Dimensions of Wellness Portrayed by Animals!

August 21, 2015August 21, 2015uncchsmediaLeave a comment

UNC Student Wellness believes that student and community health choices involve the integration of eight dimensions of wellness. To illustrate these dimensions, the staff at Student Wellness looked to our pets to bring you examples of how they embody each dimension of wellness.

Cultural wellness. Pictured: Mary’s cats Buffy and Giles helping to create a safe, inclusive space for LGBTQ beings of all species.
Emotional wellness. Pictured: Diana’s dog Bea liking (and licking) what she sees in the mirror, demonstrating her fabulous body image and self-acceptance.
Physical wellness. Pictured: Kate’s dog CJ getting her jump/fly/swim on at Uwharrie National Forest. Pictured: two litters of puppies napping together for their physical wellness.
Environmental wellness. Pictured: Diana’s dog Bea out for a fun day of sailing on Jordan Lake. Here, she’s taking in the splendor of the lake and thinking very thoughtfully about air quality. Pictured: Kelli’s former foster dog Kori rolling around in the grass to scratch her back.
Intellectual wellness. Pictured: Kate’s dog CJ demonstrating an important part of intellectual wellness: sometimes you need a study break! Pictured: Mary’s cat Giles learning how to play a new game and demonstrating that intellectual wellness can be fun and social! Pictured: Kate’s dog CJ catching up on this week’s biggest news stories.
Financial wellness. Pictured: Diana’s dog Bea managing her personal finances; setting finance goals for the upcoming year.
Social wellness. Pictured: Part of social wellness is also knowing when not to be social by finding time for yourself. Here is Brittany’s cat Noble in a box, finding some time and space to be alone. Or nap. Both are important for maintaining social wellness. Pictured: Mary’s cats Buffy and Giles spending time together and bonding over looking at some birds outside. Pictured: Natalie’s adopted kittens demonstrating some solid peer support — an essential component of social wellness.
Spiritual wellness. Pictured: This is Brittany’s cat Barnes. He like to take time for self reflection every day. Usually while using his tail as a pillow. Pictured: Pedro, a recently adopted dog with Triangle Beagle Rescue, looks up at the heavens and smiles.

This blog was originally posted on November 18, 2014, and was written by the Student Wellness staff!

Take a Break! Hey, Take 10

July 7, 2015August 6, 2015shdonnellLeave a comment

So, please allow me to be your Captain Obvious right now and give you a loving reminder:

Take a break.

Finish reading this blog post and then turn off whatever screen you’re looking at for at least 5 minutes. Feeling brave? Do it in silence. Feeling tense? Think about relaxing each part of your body, starting with the toes and working your way up. It’s just 5 minutes. You can do it. Too easy? Make a summer resolution to do this every day and see what happens.
Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time and catch up.
Commit to listening to an entire album you haven’t heard ever or haven’t heard in a long time. Do it in one sitting. Invite some buddies over for a listening party.
Find a path you’ve never walked and walk it. (If you’re in Chapel Hill, consider these!) Find some flowers and sniff them.
Take a social media hiatus. Y’all. I haven’t been on Facebook for 3 days and I feel like a new person right now.
Drink some water. It’s hot.
Do something you haven’t done since you were a kid. Is there a swing set at your apartment complex? Can you get your hands on a pool noodle? Are there old board games for sale at PTA Thrift Shop? Where are those crayons your roommate was waving around? Can you YouTube your favorite old cartoon?
Plan a day trip to a swimming hole or a waterfall.
Cook something for dinner tonight that you’ve never cooked before. Never cooked at all? Then this assignment has NO LIMITS!
Read a book…for fun. When was the last time you read a book for fun??

Other ideas? Do share in the comments!

NC-Based Spring Break Trips!

March 3, 2015February 27, 2015Will McInerneyLeave a comment

After an unusually snowy and icy winter, spring is finally around the corner. Spring break is a much-needed pause from academics and an opportunity to rest, travel, or spend some quality time at home.

Some members of the Carolina family will travel around the country, or even the world, over break, but many students, faculty, and staff will stay planted in and around North Carolina.

Lucky for us, NC offers a rare and beautiful combination of mountains and beaches that make for amazing, quick, simple, and affordable spring break trips.

Below are a couple suggestions you should check out if you are in NC this spring break and looking for something fun and active to do outdoors.

Pisgah National Forest

Nestled in the Western Carolina Mountains near Asheville, Pisgah National Forest is a beautiful 500,000-acre collection of mountains, streams, forests, and waterfalls. Pisgah is a great place for both day hikes and extended camping stays. Available activities include varying difficulties for biking and hiking, as well as camping, climbing, fishing, horseback riding, outdoor learning, and scenic driving amongst many others! If you are looking for a spot to retreat into nature and enjoy the warmer weather, Pisgah is for you!

Looking glass rock surrounded by forests. — “Looking Glass Rock” by Valeri. Flickr Creative Commons.

Hanging Rock State Park

If you are looking for a fun place closer to the Triangle, check out Hanging Rock State Park, north of Greensboro. Hanging Rock offers a collection of exciting trails that wind to the top of the “hanging rock.” The views from the peak are truly breathtaking and are a can’t miss for any North Carolinian. Hanging rock also offers cabins for rent, for those looking to stay a few nights in the woods!

Green Swamp Preserve

Down towards the coast in Brunswick County, you can find a serene spot unlike any other in North Carolina. The Green Swamp Preserve is a collection of winding trails in gorgeous swamp and forest lands. The preserve is home to 14 types of insectivorous plants including Venus flytraps and pitcher plants. In addition, the swamp is home to an array of beautiful orchids and even a population of American Alligators. The Green Swamp Preserve is a memorable stop on any trip to the beach in NC!

Outer Banks

No list of outdoor NC attractions is complete without the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks are a 200-mile strip of barrier islands off the NC coast. Home to the Wright brothers’ first flight, the Roanoke Colony, and vast graveyard of sunken ships in the Atlantic, the Outer Banks is a historical treasure map waiting to be explored. Beautiful beaches and lighthouses span the shores and present countless opportunities for a relaxing and fun spring break. If you go to school or work at UNC and haven’t visited the world famous NC Outer Banks yet, this needs to be on the top of your list!

Black and white Bodie Island Lighthouse during a sunset. — “Bodie Island Lighthouse | Outer Banks, NC” by Zach Frailey. Flickr Creative Commons.

Stay active and enjoy the warmer weather over Spring Break! Post any other NC outdoor attractions you know and love in the comments section and we will be sure to add them to our growing list!

References:

1 http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48114

2 http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/main.php

3 http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/northcarolina/placesweprotect/green-swamp-preserve.xml#thingsToDo

4 http://www.outerbanks.com/

You Hear That? That’s Your Body Speaking…

January 27, 2015June 4, 2015CaressedLeave a comment

“You can do it…push yourself…keep going…DIG DEEP!” says the super pumped professional fitness class instructor, as I vigorously take breaths to sooth the discomfort that my chest is in from working out. I hear him telling me to ‘keep going’, even though my legs are ready to buckle from exhaustion and constant beads of sweat find their way into my eyeballs causing more discomfort. I am fatigued and my body is aching and all I can think to myself is, “No, Super-Pumped-Professional-Fitness-Class-Instructor—I cannot keep going…aaaand because you are going to keep my $10 for this class, I am just going to leave now.”

This, my friends, is a prime example of me listening to my body. I could have ‘dug deep’ and continue to push my body, but it was clear that my body was telling me to stop. Listening to your body, pretty much means being aware and in tune with how your body is feeling and reacting (usually physical, but not all the time). How did I know my body was screaming at me to stop? Or that doing an extra rep could cause me injury? Welp, not being able to breathe was one sign.

Joe Vennare, from Greatist.com , lists some common warning signs to ‘listen’ for to prevent three problematic conditions that occur often while working out:

Overtraining: Take time for your body to rest and recover!
Injury: Be sure to stretch, take breaks, and get doctor check-ups often!
Disordered sleep: There is nothing wrong with an ‘adult bedtime’. Good sleep is needed to function!

Yes, physical wellness is important to consider when thinking about positive health and wellness. Yes, we know that there are things in life that have to be done like….right now, but just pause for a second! Let your body in on the conversation and listen to what it is saying to you.

CMMR♥

Being Uncomfortable Can be Good for You

January 12, 2015jedediahwood1 Comment

Photo: Into the White by Corey Templeton, Flickr Creative Commons

As I walked to work last Thursday on a breezy, brisk (one might say down right cold) 12 degree morning, I noticed the slow onset of pain in my fingers, as the blood left them and moved towards the center of my body. This is an amazing evolutionary adaptation which basically keeps our most important organs functioning in really cold weather, but anyways. The wind bit my face and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. It was cold, and I am guessing like many others, I found myself thinking, I wish it would warm up a little.

Along the same lines, I also often find myself longing for changes in the weather during summers in the Triangle. For me, they are too hot and humid. I don’t like 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity. When I am out working in that kind of weather, and instantaneously the sweat starts beading up on my forehead and rolling down my back, I just want to get out of it, into the comfort of my air conditioned house. But in moments like both of these (hot and cold) I often have to tell myself to stop, and instead I try to be mindful and present with the discomfort, and I have realized that being uncomfortable is a really good thing.

It seems like the majority of engineering, innovation, and technology today is geared towards making things easier or making people more comfortable: lotion and baby wipe warmers, driver and passenger side climate control in cars, heated floors, the newest fastest computer and cell phone, and of course all the grab and go, disposable EVERTHING! They all seem really nice and why shouldn’t we buy, use, and throw away all these comforts? We shouldn’t because too much comfort is not good for any part of our health, even our mental health. According to brain scientist Gregory Berns of Emory University School of Medicine, “The two key factors in long-term life satisfaction are novelty and challenge,” and being too comfortable does not allow for either of these. Additionally, it is also not good for the health of the environment, the workers who make these cheap disposable products, and it is not even good for you in the long run.

Photo by Live Life Happy, Flickr Creative Commons

In order to learn, we have to step out of our comfort zone, and in order to appreciate the good we have to experience a little bit of the bad. I hope that you understand that I am not promoting constant discomfort, pain, or suffering. I cannot tell you where that line is for you, and it is different for everybody. I am simply saying that resilience, growth, and mental and physical health are often born from a small bit of discomfort. Exercising often hurts, but it makes you stronger and healthier. Eating healthy food is not always fun, but it allows you to really appreciate the “comfort foods” when you have them once in a while. Resilience and positive ways of dealing with stress are often achieved in the presence of adversity. And to bring me back to where I started, in order to appreciate that perfect 75-80 degree, sunny, low humidity day and really be mindful of how great it is, sometimes you need to sweat and sometimes you need to freeze (a little). If you live your life in a climate controlled world, with every want and need met, and no discomfort, you never grow.

How to Get the Most of Your Winter Break

December 11, 2014December 11, 2014Charity S. WatkinsLeave a comment

“Spring is Here” credited to LadyDragonFlyCC, Creative Commons

Study for exams. Check. Finish finals. Check. Pack up to leave campus for a month. Check! After a long semester of papers, presentations, and tests, you have been waiting for the moment when you can walk off of this campus, suitcase in tow, for a month-long vacation. You are ready to catch up on sleep, Netflix, and quality time with loved ones, but as we all know, break is over in a blink of an eye. Before you know it, you have to buy your books, re-pack your suitcase (maybe more crammed now than before), and prepare to say goodbye again to family and friends. Spring semester has sprung up on you and now you face the dreaded question: how am I going to get back into the swing of things? Well, there’s a way; actually several ways to avoid this semester shock as well as get the most of your winter break. Here’s a few things you can do right now to be a proactive winter breaker: Continue reading →

8 Dimensions of Wellness Portrayed by Animals!

November 18, 2014uncchsmediaLeave a comment

Cultural wellness. Pictured: Mary’s cats Buffy and Giles helping to create a safe, inclusive space for LGBTQ beings of all species.
Emotional wellness. Pictured: Diana’s dog Bea liking (and licking) what she sees in the mirror, demonstrating her fabulous body image and self-acceptance.
Physical wellness. Pictured: Kate’s dog CJ getting her jump/fly/swim on at Uwharrie National Forest. Pictured: two litters of puppies napping together for their physical wellness.
Environmental wellness. Pictured: Diana’s dog Bea out for a fun day of sailing on Jordan Lake. Here, she’s taking in the splendor of the lake and thinking very thoughtfully about air quality. Pictured: Kelli’s former foster dog Kori rolling around in the grass to scratch her back.
Intellectual wellness. Pictured: Kate’s dog CJ demonstrating an important part of intellectual wellness: sometimes you need a study break! Pictured: Mary’s cat Giles learning how to play a new game and demonstrating that intellectual wellness can be fun and social! Pictured: Kate’s dog CJ catching up on this week’s biggest news stories.
Financial wellness. Pictured: Diana’s dog Bea managing her personal finances; setting finance goals for the upcoming year.
Social wellness. Pictured: Part of social wellness is also knowing when not to be social by finding time for yourself. Here is Brittany’s cat Noble in a box, finding some time and space to be alone. Or nap. Both are important for maintaining social wellness. Pictured: Mary’s cats Buffy and Giles spending time together and bonding over looking at some birds outside. Pictured: Natalie’s adopted kittens demonstrating some solid peer support — an essential component of social wellness.
Spiritual wellness. Pictured: This is Brittany’s cat Barnes. He like to take time for self reflection every day. Usually while using his tail as a pillow. Pictured: Pedro, a recently adopted dog with Triangle Beagle Rescue, looks up at the heavens and smiles.

How is Your Intellectual Health?

September 19, 2014September 19, 2014jedediahwoodLeave a comment

This year at Student Wellness we are shifting our focus from addressing specific health issues to understanding how health issues and behaviors impact the different Dimensions of Wellness. These include Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Social, Environmental, Financial, Cultural, and Intellectual.

Historically, many of us may have thought about health as the absence of disease. If you ask a 4-year-old if they are healthy, they would probably respond yes, as long as they did not have a cold, the flu, a broken arm, or are confined to a hospital bed. However, we now recognize that being healthy is more than just not being sick, and it is also more than having chiseled abs and eating spinach with every meal.

Photo (The Disappearing Intellectual) by (Truthout.org) , Flickr Creative Commons

This month we are focusing on intellectual health and it really got me to thinking: what the heck is intellectual health, and am I intellectually healthy? My initial reaction is, “Of course I am intellectually healthy. I am ‘open minded.’ I try to stay up to date on current affairs and think globally. I must be doing great, right?”

Well…not necessarily. These could be part of intellectual health, but it is more than this.

Intellectual health is not about “knowing lots,” or being able to quote Nietzsche and sound “wicked smart” (insert Boston accent). I looked up Intellectual Wellness on a number of different sites, including ours, and found one definition from The University of New Hampshire that I really liked (though I liked ours as well).

Intellectual wellness is being open to new ideas, thinking critically, and seeking out new challenges.

So what does this mean? When we say we are open-minded, are we really open to new ideas, or only things that we may not have known about or experienced but fit very nicely within our world view? Do we really think critically about our deep founded beliefs and question why we believe what we do? Do we challenge ourselves on a daily basis, and when I say challenge I don’t mean by overcoming our fear of heights or running a marathon, but I mean challenge ourselves intellectually and culturally?

I think a lot of us don’t, regardless of where we stand on the cultural or political spectrum. So as you begin this new school year, I challenge you, and I challenge myself to not only focus on our physical and emotional health but also on our intellectual health. Hang out with people who are different than you. Go someplace that you would not normally go where people think and act differently than you. Take a class that is totally outside of your comfort zone. You will be healthier for it.

Women in Wellness

March 7, 2014March 7, 2014Katelyn Bryant-ComstockLeave a comment

March is Women’s History Month, and March 8^th is International Women’s Day. In honor of the day, and the month, here’s a quick look at some famous women throughout time who embodied the eight dimensions of wellness. Enjoy!

Cultural– Virginia Dare– As a North Carolinian I feel obliged to write about North Carolina culture, and who’s one of the most famous women in NC culture? It’s got to be Virginia Dare! She was the first person born in the Americas to English parents. While this is note-worthy, what’s even more interesting is the story of what happened to her. To this day, no one knows what happened to the colony where Virginia was born, but there’s plenty of legend and lore surrounding The Lost Colony, and the mark it left on history.

Emotional– Rosalynn Carter– Rosalynn Carter is the wife of President Jimmy Carter, and a renowned advocate for mental health. Throughout her husband’s political career Rosalynn defied traditional first lady roles and fought to promote positive change, awareness, and stigma reduction in the mental health field. She created The Carter Center Mental Health Task Force and hosts the annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy.

Environmental– Wangari Maathai– A tireless fighter, Wangari Maathai was a prominent environmental activist from Kenya. Founder of The Green Belt Movement, Wangari advocated for poverty reduction and environmental conservation through tree planting. Wangari was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

Financial– Suze Orman– Tired of the stereotypes that women don’t know anything about finances and can’t handle their money? Enter Suze Orman. After barely graduating college, she was working as a waitress when she decided to open her own restaurant. After being swindled by a broker, Suze decided she could do the job just as well or better than the man who swindled her. She taught herself everything about finances, and is now one of the most successful financial advisors in the world.

Intellectual– Toni Morrison– One of the most influential American novelists of all time, Toni Morrison wrote several critically acclaimed novels and stories about the experience of black Americans. Included in her works are-The Bluest Eye, Tar Baby, Beloved, and Song of Solomon. In 1987 Toni became the first black woman writer to hold a chair at an Ivy League University (Princeton University), and in 1993 she became the first black American woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Physical– Kathrine Switzer– Ultimate bad ass. In the beginning days of the Boston Marathon no woman had ever run the race because the distance was believed to be too long for a woman’s body to handle. Kathrine read the rules, and seeing no rules against women entering, entered with her initials and started the race. Around mile 4, she was attacked by a race official who tried to take her number and eject her from the race. With the help of her training partners, Kathrine was able to finish the race and went on to become an international advocate for female runners.

Social– Erin Pizzey – Women have been providing each other shelter from domestic abuse since the beginning of time, but Erin Pizzey was the first person to start a formal organization to protect these women. Erin started what is now known as Refuge in 1971 in London as a place where abused women could and take shelter with their children. Despite facing death threats and intimidation, Erin continues to open shelters and advocate internationally for survivors of domestic violence.

Spiritual– Ingrid Mattson– Women historically have not been at the forefront of religious movements, but Ingrid has created waves of change within the Muslim community as a prominent religious leader and interfaith activist. After converting to Islam in her twenties, she went on to receive her doctorate at the University of Chicago, and has continued to teach and chair Islamic Studies programs at universities in both the U.S. and Canada. Ingrid continues to advocate for a greater dialogue between faiths as a way to increase partnerships and understanding.