October 7, 2008 balancing the emotional, intellectual, occupational, social & physical components of health

Health Tips

Take a Bite Out of Rising Food Prices the Healthy Way

1. Plan out meals ahead of time.

2. Make a grocery list – and stick to it.

3. Clip those coupons.

4. Stock up when family favorites are on sale.

5. Cook at home instead of going out to eat.

6. Brown bag it.

7. Serve more healthy fruits & veggies instead of higher priced meat.

Source: FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.gov

Dental Care

Take Advantage of Your Plan ... and Smile!

Did you know that the mouth is an early warning system? That's right. Problems in the mouth can signal trouble in other parts of the body, like osteoporosis.

As a benefits-eligible employee, the UW pays your dental plan premiums—a substantial benefit! Besides brushing and flossing regularly and avoiding sweet foods and drinks, you and your family members should get regular checkups. Under your dental plan, each of you are entitled to a preventive check up every six months. Call your dentist to schedule an appointment, or if you don't have a dentist, go to your plan's website to find one.

• Uniform Dental Plan
• DeltaCare
• Willamette Dental

October is National Dental Hygiene Month. Read about oral health topics that may affect you and your family.

Dawg Dash

Sunday, October 12

Join faculty, staff and students in a 10K run or a 5K run/walk through our scenic campus. A 23-year annual tradition, this event launches Homecoming and raises money for UW student scholarships. For more information, visit www.dawgdash.com.

October 12, 2008
Sunday
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
Husky Stadium
Register here

Veggie of the Month

Broccoli

Did you know? The name broccoli comes for the Latin word brachium, which means "branch," or "arm."

Selection:
Choose bunches that are dark green with firm stalks. Good color indicates high nutrient value. Florets that are dark green, purplish, or bluish green contain more beta-carotene and vitamin C than paler or yellowing ones. Avoid broccoli with open, flowering, discolored, or water-soaked bud clusters and tough, woody stems.

Storage:
Refrigerate for use within 3-5 days.

Nutrition Benefits:
Free of saturated fats; low sodium; cholesterol free; high in vitamin C; high in foliate; good source of dietary fiber; good source of potassium.

Recipes :
Broccoli Soup
Broccoli Frittata
Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Go to the Fruits & Veggies Database to find recipes for using broccoli in your everyday meals.

Sources:
FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.gov

The purpose of UWellness is to inspire healthier living among University of Washington faculty, staff and their families. It is published on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Comments and suggestions may addressed to the editor at: benefits@u.washington.edu

To see past issues, click here.

Flu Prevention

Stay Healthy—Get a Flu Shot

By far, the single best way you can prevent influenza (the flu) is to get a vaccination each fall. This especially applies to people at high risk for serious complications from the flu.

To locate a flu clinic near you, see:
- American Lung Association Flu Clinic Locator,
- Or visit www.getaflushot.com.
For more information about flu vaccinations:
- Call your health care provider or your local health department,
- Visit the Washington State Department of Health web site at www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/immunize
  or call toll-free 1-800-322-2588,
- Or read Key Facts about Flu Vaccine.
Uniform Medical Plan enrollees: please read the next article below.

In addition, here are some good health habits that can help prevent the flu:

Stay home when you're sick
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water (since the flu virus can survive on surfaces up to 8 hours!)

Source: Center for Disease Control

Attention—Uniform Medical Plan Enrollees

Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) covers flu vaccines under the preventive care benefit. There are three ways to get your flu shot, outlined below.

When you see a UMP network provider, flu vaccines are paid at 100%, aren't subject to the medical deductible, and the provider will bill UMP for you.

Your UMP network doctor's office might not have all immunizations in stock. So, you can also go to a Network Vaccination Pharmacy for your immunizations, and they'll bill UMP directly. See a list of Network Vaccination Pharmacies. Present your UMP ID card and ask if the pharmacy can bill UMP before receiving a vaccination from a network pharmacy.

UMP also pays for shots received at local public health departments, but you usually have to pay upfront and get reimbursed from UMP later by submitting a flu vaccine coupon to UMP.

Unless you see a provider who bills UMP directly, you must send in your receipt with a completed copy of the flu vaccine coupon, and UMP will mail you a check. Receive up to $30 reimbursement for each eligible family member and earn 10 points towards your Health Risk Assessment. Note that the "Flu Mist" is not covered. (Note that vaccines for the purposes of travel or employment are not covered by UMP).

Source: Uniform Medical Plan

Wellness Events

Free Lunchtime Blood Pressure Screenings

As a service to the UW community, the Employee Health Center is offering free blood pressure screenings to faculty and staff. This service is being offered in the Hall Health Center lobby on Thursdays (except Thanksgiving) between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. For more information, contact 206-685-1026.

Thursdays | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Hall Health Center lobby | No appointment needed

Laughter Yoga

Come and experience the health benefits of laughter and discover the truth in the old saying "laughter is the best medicine." Laughter improves immune system function, vibrates and massages internal organs, provides a good cardiovascular workout, and relieves stress and tension. It can also enhance your ability to stay in high spirits when life throws up challenges. If the smiles seem hard to find lately in your life, come to a session guaranteed to jump start your laugh muscles!

Tee Hee Hee Therapeutic Laughter Sessions

Welcome to the Harborview Laugh Club! For the past year, Harborview employees have been meeting briefly every Friday morning to laugh. The inventor of laugh clubs, Dr. Madan Kataria, an Indian physician, discovered that just the act of laughing enhances overall health.

Annual Benefits Fair

Explore your healthcare and insurance options, and other benefits available to you and your family. The Benefits Fair is especially useful to employees who are thinking of changing their medical or dental coverage for the 2009 plan year. Drop by for a free blood pressure screening too!

Learn more at the Benefits Fair and Open Enrollment websites.

Managing Stress

Faced with difficult events and people? Find yourself worrying, overreacting, or tense? If so, this session offers a fresh approach. Learn tips and techniques to handle things that go wrong, and learn to manage upsetting situations more calmly. A new way of thinking may reawaken your ability to accept, appreciate, and enjoy your everyday life.

Weight Watchers @ Work

Although fall is a season of change, don't let it change your weight loss resolve. Weight Watchers provides the tools and resources to help you learn how to eat right and live healthy so you can lose weight and keep it off. Read this fall tipsheet.

Tuesdays | Noon - 1 p.m. | Schmitz Hall | more details

Wellness Partner News

BecauseWeCare

Are you looking for inspiration for a healthier life—one that reduces your chances of getting cancer or helps you to cope? Our UWellness partner, the American Cancer Society (ACS), can help. ACS provides UW faculty and staff with helpful tools and resources including a monthly newsletter, BecauseWeCare. Get your free subscription to this newsletter at www.fightcancer.org. Enter "Husky" in the log-in box.

The October issue, which is available in English and Spanish, features:

Truly from the Heart
Portion Control for Your Kids' Halloween Candy
Stay Safe on Halloween
Is It Arthritis?
Battling Breast Cancer—One Step at a Time
The Mammogram: A Yearly Screening Test That Could Save Your Life
In Praise of Pumpkin
Pumpkin Oat Muffin recipe

Source: American Cancer Society

For back issues, see our archive.