H E A LT H
& wellness
Bee Heart Smart Challenge set to begin BY SUZANNE MCINTOSH
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he Bee Heart Smart Physical Activity Challenge is a sure sign of spring, as much as the crocuses and daffodils blooming in my yard. This is the 8th annual edition of the Heart Smart Physical Activity Challenge and runs from May 1 through June 10. The goal of the challenge is to promote physical activity, improve health and offer a fun challenge to your co-workers. As per usual, there will be top performance and random draw prizes for participation. New to the challenge in 2012 is the ability of our website (heartsmart.ulethbridge.ca) to help you to register your activities, win beat points and register achievements for each weekly challenge.
Weekly Challenges
Week 1 – May 1-6 - Take the Stairs Week 2 – May 7-13 Stretching at your desk Week 3 – May 14-20 - Lunch and Fitness class Week 4 – May 21-27 Healthy Eating Week 5 – May 28 to June 3 Bike or walk to work Week 6 – June 4-10 - Walk in the Coulees
Employee Health and Wellness Survey
Thanks to all who took the time to complete the Employee Health and Wellness Survey. We had a total of 700 employees participate, which is an excellent return. The preliminary survey results and initial reports will be available the third week in May. The goal of this survey is to make our campus even healthier with your feedback and suggestions. Congratulations to those who won prizes for completing the survey. The Grand Prize winner of a Blackberry Playbook is Sheila Matson, and the half Wellness Day (half day off with pay, is Kelly Vaselenak. Draw prize winners included: Steve Fox (10 visit punch pass to Sport and Recreation Services); Linda Anderson (Thai Foot Massage); Renae Hougen (Fitness Class from SRS); Jill Payant (Car Care package); Lynette Lacroix ) Wayne Street Epicure Spice Package); Kyle Selke (Bookstore Gift Certificate).
Nutrition MYTH of the month: Avoid carbs if you want to lose weight.
The Truth: Want to lose weight? There’s no need to take carbohydrates off the menu.
It’s true that cutting carbs can help you lose weight in the short-term. But, it’s often because you eat more fat and protein. Both of these nutrients can make you feel fuller. This leads you to eat less than you normally would. Cutting carbs means you could miss out on nutrients. These nutrients are found in healthy choices from all four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide.
Carbs are found in many vegetables and fruit like pears, carrots and squash. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals. Carbs are also found in grain products. This includes foods such as whole grain breads and pastas. These foods have B vitamins, iron, zinc and fibre. Calcium and vitamin D rich milk and yogurt also contain carbs. Legumes, beans and lentils also contain carbs, along with fibre,
protein and iron. Diets that limit carbs can be hard to stick to for very long because so many foods are offlimits. To help lose weight and keep it off, have an eating plan that is realistic for you to follow and includes healthy foods. This will include foods that have carbohydrates. Limit sugary foods like candy, cookies and pop. These foods provide lots of sugar and contain little to no nutrients that support your best health. Weight loss plans help only when you stay on a plan. If you make a plan, ask yourself if it will be easy to fit into your life. Try to make small changes first. Look to Canada’s Food Guide to help plan a healthy diet. Include a variety of foods from each of the four food groups, in the amount of food that’s right for you! To get more information on nutrition and healthy lifestyles, call Building Healthy Lifestyles at 403-388-6675. (Article provided by Registered Dietitians of Alberta Health Services) As always, I look forward to any comments, suggestions or questions. Suzanne McIntosh is the University’s Wellness Co-ordinator.
FACULTY OF EDUCATION ALWAYS KEEN ON STRENGTHENING THE PROGRAM The University of Lethbridge Faculty of Education is embarking upon a unique partnership with students and alumni to better understand and further strengthen the Faculty’s academic program. “This teacher education program has always been successful,” says Dr. Thelma Gunn, assistant dean, Student Program Services. Why it has been successful, however, has never been formally researched. “We want to know specifically what components of the educational program had the most impact on pre-service teachers—and then how those components were eventually perceived out in the field.” Data collection will initially be survey-based, with interviews and possibly focus groups developing as the study progresses. “We’d like to start with individuals who would agree, even in ED 2500, to be tracked as they go into PSI, II, III, and then out into the profession.”
Dr. Thelma Gunn and her colleagues recognize the Faculty’s academic program cannot rest on its laurels.
A major facet of the initiative will be feedback from graduates. “We value what they know and understand about being a teacher. Now we want to find out more information about how our on-campus components contributed to their development as a teacher,” says Gunn.
“Alumni can provide at least two important ideas for us,” adds Dr. Craig Loewen. “One is reflection on what parts of their program had the greatest impact on their teaching career. The other is current experience in the field and advice on what new we might need to add.” Although the program has
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changed over time, the study isn’t limited to recent graduates. “It’s mostly the academic portion that’s changed, not necessarily the feeling,” says Gunn. “We don’t know specifically what people have valued. It might be the personal experiences they had here—the small groups, the collegiality, the
professors who were committed to developing teachers.” Veteran teachers often see trends that newer teachers can’t, she notes, and may have “something intriguing to state in terms of how the program could move forward.” “We’re interested in anyone who was a graduate of the faculty,” says Gunn, “even if they use their BEd in another capacity. Then there are people who’ve left the profession altogether. Why they left is equally interesting to us.” “We’re just really interested in what students and alumni have to say about the overall program. If there was something good we want to keep it, and if there was something they think could have been done differently, we want to know. We’re looking for genuine, authentic perceptions of the program.” For more information, visit: edu.sps@uleth.ca