Health and Human Services Professional Development

  Live a Healthier and Longer Life—Physical Activity Dydra Arnold  Physical activity is important in so many ways to the health of human beings. Physical activity can help with many things. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), physical activity can help you function better, feel better, and sleep better. It also can help with anxiety, improves overall health, and reduces the risks of various diseases. Let’s dive into more of the specifics! Why Does Physical Activity Matter? The CDC emphasizes many different reasons as to why getting an adequate amount of physical activity is extremely important. Some of these include: It saves lives and protects health Getting enough physical activity can prevent 1 in 10 premature deaths. It can also prevent: 1 in 8 cases of breast cancer 1 in 8 cases of colorectal cancer 1 in 12 cases of diabetes 1 in 15 cases of heart disease Not getting enough physical activity costs money $117 billion in annual health care...

Stress Management by   Jill Bowers   on   June 3, 2013 Although stress can be a normal part of life, especially for those of you who are on the job market and experiencing additional demands and pressures to succeed.  At the same time, too much or frequent stress can negatively influence your physical health (e.g., headaches or weakened immune system), mental health (e.g., mood swings, irritability, or depression), and relationship health (e.g., finding with friends, family, or romantic partners). Although everyone handles and reacts to stress differently, it is best to avoid being overly stressed. See tips for  stress management  and  how to fight stress with healthy habits  here. Source:  http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-management-topic-overview  and http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/StressManagement/FightStressWithHealthyHabits/Fight-Stress-with-Healthy-Habits_UCM_307992_Article.jsp Additi...

Me+Stress=BFFs by   Mikki Sherwood   on   March 30, 2014   Ted Talks video reviewed by: Michelle Crary, Graduate Student EIU In this Ted Talks video,  “How to Make Stress Your Friend,”  Psychologist Kelly McGonigal explains that she spent many years telling her patients that stress was making them sick. In fact, she even thought that stress shortened the lifespan. However, Dr. McGonigal has now changed her mind. Current research has led her to believe that you can change the way you think about stress, which then changes its impact on your body. Dr. McGonigal shares research that found that people that look at stress as a helpful part of life are much less anxious. For instance, stress makes the heart beat faster, which can lead to feelings of panic. However, what if you think of that quickening heart rate as your body readying itself for a challenge! When your heart rate goes up you tend to breathe more deeply, transferring more oxygen to the ...