Live Well, Be Well…
The health and wellbeing of The University of Missouri faculty and staff is vital to our mission of teaching, research, service and economic development. Healthy for Life: The T.E. Atkins UM Wellness Program is here to help. With a variety of programs and resources, we encourage you to take charge of your health. Visit Healthy for Life’s website to find newsletters (current and past issues), success stories, upcoming events and information about all our programs.
Employee Wellness Fair Exhibitors and Raffle Items Needed
We need your help to make the fall 2009 Wellness Fairs successful! We are using our internal resources for prizes and promoting all departments who donate services/items in our advertising. If you would like to donate a raffle prize, or become an exhibitor contact Jenny Workman, workmanjl@umsystem.edu, through email or campus mail to 205 Heinkel. All donations need to be turned in by 9/9/09.
• MUHS- University Hospital; Thursday, Oct. 22nd, 8 a.m.– 3 p.m.
• MU- Reynolds Alumni Center; Thursday, Oct. 29th, 8 a.m.– 3 p.m.
NEW! Ride to Wellness Odometer Program
Healthy for Life is eager to announce its newest program—Ride to Wellness, an odometer program that encourages movement for those riding bicycles or those using wheelchairs. For $20 participants can enroll and receive an odometer and log book. When you reach 500 miles, turn in the booklet for a prize. There will be prizes for each 500-mile marker up to 2,500 miles. Like the pedometer program, there is no time limit and immediate family members are urged to join. If you want to sign up, send a $20 check for the cost of the odometer (made payable to Healthy for Life) to the wellness office or visit our office at 205 Heinkel Building.
Million Steps Pedometer Program
Challenge yourself to increase the activity in your day by signing up for this program. You will buy a $15 pedometer and upon completion of 1 million steps, you’ll get a $15 refund, along with a T-shirt and certificate. Go at your own pace – no time limit applies. Simple as that! You can send a check (made payable to Healthy for Life) through campus mail to the wellness program or visit our office at 205 Heinkel Building. If you’re already a part of the program, then challenge yourself to keep going. There are prizes for every millionth step up to 5 million!
2009 Upcoming Flu Season Information
There are many questions about flu shots for this year and complete definitive information is not yet available. The seasonal flu shot will not protect against the novel H1N1, at least according to information we have at this time. Trials are currently being conducted with a vaccine for the novel H1N1 flu. It is not known whether this can be combined with the seasonal flu shot (probably not). Likewise, there have been reports that the H1N1 flu vaccine will require two shots, but that, too, is not known at this time. Last, and perhaps most importantly, is when the H1N1 flu shot will be available. That is not known, but is expected to be in the October/November timeframe. Concerned individuals should monitor the news and consult their personal physician. MU will issue guidance on the availability and cost, if any, of the H1N1 flu vaccine when such information is available. Peter Ashbrook, Director of Environmental Health & Safety and Dr. Susan Even, Director of the MU Student Heath Center encourage employees to visit the Environmental Health & Safety website and click on “ASK Dr. C” link to our own Dr. Cooperstock. They also encourage you to visit the CDC’s site as well.
“We continue to recommend that individuals follow the health guidelines that have been publicized earlier to avoid the spread of respiratory illness,” said Dr. Even.
Those recommendations include:
• Practice good hand hygiene, including washing hands and using hand sanitizers.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue and place it in the trash, or cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
• Stay home until fever is clear 24 hours and symptoms resolve.
• Seek medical attention only as symptoms warrant.
Seasonal flu shots will be provided by the UM Faculty and Staff Benefits Office at no cost to faculty, staff and dependents enrolled in the UM Choice Health Care Program, and a $26 fee will be charged for those not enrolled. The seasonal flu shot will be available at the MU Employee Wellness Fair on October 29th as well as other clinic dates, which will be published in October. University Hospital Staff Health will provide free flu shots at the MUHS Employee Wellness Fair on October 22nd for MUHS employees. Faculty and staff also have the option of obtaining flu shots from their personal physician or at a public clinic; however, if they do so, there will likely be a charge.
September is Way to Go to Work Month
GetAbout Columbia will be providing a FREE brown bag lunch presentation about the benefits of active transportation, bicycle and gear selection, and safety. The presentation will be Sept. 29 from 12-1 p.m. in Memorial Union’s Stotler Lounge. Click here for a flier. GetAbout Columbia encourages you to walk or bike to work in September as a celebration of its Way to Go To Work program. The group will provide reminder cards that help you set goals of active commuting. You can turn in the card to the GetAbout office and receive a pedometer or a pants protector and become eligible for an active commuting grand prize. Along with words of encouragement and incentive gifts, Get About Columbia is also including activities for those who want a little more than a friendly boost. There are guided bike rides that will tour current and completed GetAbout infrastructure projects and offer information about these. For more information, please call 442-7189 or visit The GetAbout Columbia website.
Get Up and GO Green
Take a break from your desk, move your body, and help the environment. MU Recycles over 1800 tons of waste per year – a savings of $95,548. Volunteer for the Mizzou Sustainability recycling program by contacting Steve Burdic, burdics@missouri.edu, at 882-7287 or visit the Mizzou Sustainability website for more information.
Columbia Parks and Recreation
Get involved in your community! Columbia Parks and Recreation has many great opportunities to offer
you and your family. Take advantage of discounts at the Activity and Recreation Center, sports leagues,
classes, maps to parks and trails, and other special events. For more information or to view the monthly
newsletter, please visit the Columbia Parks and Rec website.
The flu shot information above was taken from the September issue of Healthy for Life newsletter. That information is out of date:
The H1N1 shot cannot be combined into one shot with the seasonal flu shot according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency responded that factors weighing against inclusion were lack of clinical trials for tetravalent vaccines, different high-risk populations for seasonal and pandemic flu, production timing, and ease of safety
tracking.
People who receive the H1N1 vaccine will receive two shots a minimum of 28 days apart.
The seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 vaccines may be administered on the same day.
The media has been saying that we should expect shortages of the H1N1 vaccine. It is actually too early to tell if there will be any sort of shortage.
If you think you or your family member has the H1N1 virus, it is important to call your doctor first and find out what you should do.