Health and Human Services Professional Development

There’s an app for that 2: Apps that can help you be safe, healthy, and productive by   Jill Bowers   on   September 22, 2014   Get tired of calling your landlord when you’re locked out of your apartment? Wish you knew more about harmful chemicals that could be in your food or cleaning supplies? Don’t have time to read articles when you see them, but then struggle to find them later? There’s an app for that! In follow-up to the article,  “There’s an app for that….”  written by one of our guest authors, Kristen Davis, on healthy eating, I wanted to share some other apps that I learned about via Ted Blog,  25+ Aps that may your everyday life easier. Some of the apps recommended by Ted Staff that I thought seemed pretty great: KeyMe:  Scan your keys so you can easily get new ones made when in a pinch Think Dirty:  Learn about harmful chemicals in your food/cleaning supplies and receive suggestions for alternatives Pocket:  Save a...

Food and Mood: Evidence for Diet-Related Changes in Mental Health by   Jenna Carlson, Guest Author   on   September 27, 2014   Do you ever feel down in the dumps some days and cheery other days? It may be because there is a connection between diet and mental health. The food you eat plays an important role in every stage of your life. Your brain is sensitive to the foods that you eat, and to remain healthy your body needs nutrients like grains, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Foods that contain grains, specifically whole-grains like bread can help to stabilize mood and provide energy. Likewise, foods that contain omega-3 fats like fish can help to boost your mood and performance. Foods high in protein like peanut butter help to your brighten mood, and aid in sleep. Also, foods which are high in vitamins, like vitamin B can be found in cheese, which play a role in your concentration and energy. Foods that contain minerals, like iron, which can be ...

Constructing Food Choice Decisions by   Jenna Carlson, Guest Author   on   September 27, 2014   Have you ever thought about how many food choices you have to make in a day? Eating is something that is required for survival and health, and is an activity that is repeated when making food choice decisions. Each time you eat it requires decisions including: what, when, with whom, how long, how, and how much to eat. It is estimated that most people make over 220 food decisions a day (Sobal & Bisogni, 2009). The course of your life includes events and experiences that affect your food choices now and in the future when deciding what to eat. There are also many influences that determine your food choices such as your culture, your personal values, and your resources. The food choices you make occur frequently and are complex, due to the need for survival, and the changes that occur personally and historically, so next time you grab a bite to eat, ask yourself wha...

Top 5 Leadership Books for College Students by   David Rosch, PhD   on   September 30, 2014 You may be interested in reading books to learn how to develop leadership qualities. At the same time, if you put “leadership books” into a search engine, you will likely receive over 50 million results. Students frequently ask me for suggestions on leadership readings. Thus, I wanted to share my top 5 recommendations for leadership books for college students… 1) Exploring Leadership for College Students who Want to Make a Difference, 3rd ed  – Susan R. Komives, Nance Lucas, and Timothy R. McMahon If you are a college student interested in learning about leadership and how to practice it, this book is for you. The book details the five key attributes of successful leaders, and is filled with stories set on a college campus to help you learn what you need to know. 2) The Truth About Leadership: The No-Fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts you Need to Know  – James Kouz...

Working Hard or Hardly Working? by   Jinwen Ye   on   October 1, 2014   Hard work is valued in many cultures, and it often takes hard work and thoughtfulness to make sure you are productive in the various roles you serve. In the workplace, productivity is required for those that desire to keep their jobs.  For those of you that might be struggling with productivity at work (or home), here are four questions to ask yourself: 1. How’s your physical and emotional health?  Healthy people are more likely to enjoy their work and be more productive in their workplace. Adequate sleep, regular exercise, healthy diet, and positive emotions have all been linked to workplace productivity. 2. What’s your physical work environment like?  Air quality of your office, enough lighting, comfortable temperature, access to outside views and external space, and quiet working conditions are all factors of the physical work environment that have been found to impro...

Whole Fruits or Vegetables, or Juices: Which Packs the Most Punch? by   Guest Author, Jennifer Ashley   on   November 9, 2014   We all know that fruit and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet.  Government health recommendations state that most of us should be eating two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables each day.  But how many of you choose your servings of fruits and vegetables from juice drinks? While a cup of 100% juice counts as a serving the same as a cup of whole fruit or vegetables, research suggests that the juice isn’t as nutritious as its fresh counterparts. Scientists at the University of Alabama recently compared fresh fruit with 100% fruit juice to determine the amount of antioxidants each contained.  Antioxidants are a type of molecule that protect our cells from damage, and they are one of the reasons why fruit and vegetables are so healthy for our bodies.  The researchers found that a serving o...

Career Exploration by   Jill Bowers   on   November 9, 2014 After meeting with several students over the last few years about the same things, I’ve determined that “freaking out” about their career-related future is a completely normal experience (seems to be worst for sophomores and seniors). “I don’t know if I chose the right major.” “Should I switch majors?” “How do I know what I’m supposed to do for the rest of my life?” I’ve had at least 20 students in my office in the last few months (no exaggeration) asking me these very questions. This website is more about professional development, and we don’t generally focus on career exploration as a part of professional development. Yet, career exploration is certainly a part of the path. I’ve found that I keep giving students the same responses to each of these questions, so I wanted to share. First, opportunities are all around you, but you have to play an active role in seeking them.   This is true for profes...