Health*Matters

Programs for Fall 2008!

Contents:

• Leading a Healthy Lifestyle
• Eating Well
• Getting Active
• Breastfeeding Support Program
• Supervising Tools
• Contributing to a Healthier Cal Community
• Contact Information

Health*Matters is UC Berkeley's wellness program for faculty and staff. Working in partnership with several campus departments, Health*Matters' mission is to prevent work-related injury and illness, to provide tools and resources to improve the health and well-being of faculty, staff and their families, and to foster a healthy campus environment.

See campus programs supporting the UC Living Well initiative.

"Wellness is a way of living -- eating a healthy diet, being physically active everyday and managing your health."
UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

• Workshops on a variety of health issues are offered each semester. For the current schedule, check the workshop calendar or go to Interactive Course Enrollment (ICE).
• Healthier Habits at Work (pdf) is a mini-poster to use as a daily reminder to be active and eat well at work. Print and post it.
• Know Your Numbers health screening is offered in January and September. The fasting screening costs $10 and includes a full lipid panel (total cholesterol, HDL and LDL), blood sugar, blood pressure, BMI, body fat and waist circumference. See the schedule and register on ICE.
  Also see the UCOP Benefits Briefing: Campus Wellness Programs Could Be a Lifesaver.
• Stop smoking web page includes referrals to quit smoking programs (online programs, telephone counseling and local classes), program descriptions and links to the health plans and a free quit kit for faculty and staff.
• UC Berkeley Wellness Letter is available with a first-time subscriber discount for UC faculty and staff. This 8-page newsletter from UCB's School of Public Health translates leading-edge research into practical information for daily living. Special subscription rate for UC first time subscribers.
• The wellness programs from the UC medical plans include health assessment tools, interactive education, and may include incentive/reward programs. See the Berkeley campus UC Living Well webpage for links to the medical plans.

"The Eat Smart, Get Fit class is possibly one of the single most rewarding programs that the University has to offer its staff." Campus Supervisor

• Leading a Healthy Lifestyle is a 50-minute workshop on a heart healthy diet to lower your blood cholesterol through a healthy lifestyle. Learn simple but essential changes to incorporate the right mix of fats and fiber into your daily eating habits and food preparation. Enroll on ICE.
• Eat Smart, Get Fit is a behavior change class, taught by a registered dietitian and fitness instructor. Learn how to incorporate a healthy diet and physical activity into your life to lead a healthy lifestyle, maintain or manage your weight and/or address a medical condition requiring dietary change or exercise. Class includes a nutrition and fitness assessment. (Fee required.) Enroll on ICE.
• Nutrition resources includes an extensive referral list to nutrition websites addressing a healthy diet, weight maintenance and specific topics such as cholesterol, cancer, diabetes, vegetarianism and more.
  
  Also see the Healthy Meetings webpage for the UC Berkeley Guide to Healthy Meetings and Events, a tool for event planners to use with menu planning and resources on including activity breaks at meetings or events and a list of food banks or shelters for donating leftovers.
• The Local: Buy fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables on campus at The Local, a student-run stand, every Wednesday, 11-3, on Sproul Plaza in front of the MLK Student Union.

"Walking for 10-15 minutes during my afternoon break time recharges my energy just when I need it!" Computer Resource Specialist

Getting Active

• Health*Matters Walking Group is convenient, free and a simple way to fit 30-40 minutes of walking into your work day. Meets every MWF, 12:10 pm at the Campanile.
• Step Up to Fitness Pedometer Program
  Pedometers provide daily motivation to lead a more active lifestyle. Accusplit Eagle 120 XL pedometers are available at cost, $12 ($20 value) at the Step Up to Fitness workshop or by contacting Health*Matters.
• Step Up to Fitness is a 50-minute workshop to find out how you can fit fitness into your day by walking 10,000 steps wearing a pedomter. Also learn strength and stretching exercises to round out your fitness routine. Scheduled for the fourth Tuesday each month.
  Enroll on ICE. This full workshop or the 15-minute pedometer orientation are available for departments, work groups, or health and safety fairs.
• Recreational Sports offers exercise classes, personal trainers, massage services, low-cost memberships with access to campus facilities, and the WorkFIT Program, an on-site strength training and flexibility circuit training for departments. See the website to watch a 2-minute video about WorkFIT or call (510) 643-7158.
• Free 30 Day Trial Membership to Recreational Sports
  From group exercise, personal training, massage and lots more, explore all Cal Rec Sports has to offer with a free, 30-day trial membership for faculty and staff, available anytime in 2008 with one trial membership per person per year. Register at the Cal Rec Club membership desk at RSF with your Cal ID, campus email and phone number. Call or email for more information at 642.7796 or crcinfo@berkeley.edu. Offer available to new members only.
  
• Fitness resources include a campus exercise guide, tools for getting started and referrals to fitness websites with interactive tracking programs. Be sure to check if your health plan offers an incentive or reward program for fitness.
  

"I would like to say how supported I felt by the University, my supervisor and the entire office in 'expressing milk' after returning to work." Administrative Assistant

Breastfeeding Support Program

See Breastfeeding Support Program for information on:

• Breast pumps (Purely Yours personal electric pump) for sale at cost to faculty, staff and students and their spouses/domestic partners.
• Lactation rooms with hospital-grade electric breast pumps are available to faculty, staff and students needing a private space for pumping
• Breastfeeding Your Baby/Return to Work is a three-hour class taught by a lactation consultant. This class covers breastfeeding basics, problem solving and return-to-work planning. It is offered four times a year.
  

Health*Matters provides tools and resources to help managers and supervisors create a healthy work environment.

• Promoting a Safe and Healthy Work Environment for Managers and Supervisors is a 3-hour class co-facilitated by UHS and EH&S. It covers health and safety responsibilities for supervisors, campus resources and prevention planning. Enroll on ICE.
• Supporting Wellness at Work is a how-to guide for managers and supervisors who are uniquely positioned to help create a healthy work environment and to support staff in achieving and maintaining healthier lifestyles.
• Healthy Office Program provides tips for supervisors, fact sheets to share with staff and a campus resource guide on wellness, computer ergonomics, back health, stress, and personal safety.
• Department Training is available on exercise and fitness, health and safety for supervisors or other topics available from Faculty & Staff Services.

"Effective behavior change requires that we do our best as individuals, but also that we work together to create more healthful and supportive social environments."
S. Leonard Syme, Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley, School of Public Health

Health*Matters is working to foster a healthier work environment through policies, programs and advocacy. Some examples of initiatives include:

• The Campus Nutrition and Exercise Work Group is a collaborative effort of faculty, staff and students, initiated in 2004, to address policies, environmental improvements and advocacy on campus food and physical activity.
• Cal for the Cure includes an annual campus walk during October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month to honor and support campus members touched by breast cancer and website referrals to breast cancer resources and early detection education.
• Cal Works Well, a department wellness pilot program, fosters a culture of wellness and team building within departments through fitness and nutrition programs.