Employee Wellness Newsletter
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PD Day Volleyball Party and Wellness Fair
If it's PD day, it must be time for another Dr. Mike challenge! This go around, we are honoring springtime with a beach ball volleyball tournament involving each of our school sites and district office staff. Look to your principals to coordinate your site team and explain the rules of play. For the Cliff Notes version, the only rule for SLUSD Beach Ball Volleyball is...there are no rules! Except the ball can't hit the ground on your team's side. Guess there is ONE rule. :)
SLUSD's Health and Wellness Committee will also host a Health & Wellness Fair for all district employees. The fair will be held during lunch in the FTK gym. Lunch will be provided and time has been extended for you to visit various vendors. Employees will be able to acquire information and resources related to various aspects of health and wellness.
Visit representatives from Back to Life Wellness, Cycles of Awakening, Zuk Financial, Valic, Kaiser Permanente, Delta Dental, Keenan, Pallen's Martial Arts, California Casualty, The Standard, and Oakland Community Acupuncture.
This event is open to all SLUSD employees, so if you are not scheduled to work on March 29, you are more than welcome to stop by to see what vendors have to offer and enter into a raffle. Wildly extravagant raffle prizes include:
- Cash gift cards, including one grand prize $100 card
- Movie passes
- Full length session at Cycle of Awakening
- And much, much more!
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3 SIMPLE WAYS TO EAT SMARTER
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Overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition and diet advice? The truth is, eating healthy isn’t hard — and you don’t have to live on salads, buy expensive supplements, or swear off snacks forever. Small healthy changes can make a big difference over time.
Eat in season
In-season fruits and veggies are at peak flavor, nutrition, and supply. Seasonal eating is typically more affordable and sustainable — and makes it easy and delicious to get more fresh produce onto your plate.
DIY
Cook at home to be the master of your own healthy destiny.
By controlling fat, sugar, and salt, home cooks tend to eat healthier than people who eat out more often — even when they’re not trying to change their eating habits.
Expand your horizons
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland. Experiment with herbs and spices for high-impact, low-calorie flavor. Or try nutritious twists on foods you love — like spaghetti with zucchini noodles, or taco lettuce wraps.
HUNGRY FOR MORE HEALTHY IDEAS?
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Whether we are just starting out in our career or near the end of it, looking forward to our golden years is something we all think about. Click on the following link to utilize some useful resources from TSA Consulting Group.
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The kitchen can be a very productive place to exercise. Just think how often you find yourself in the kitchen… waiting for something to boil or for the oven timer to go off. Instead of automatically reaching for your smartphone or the TV remote, why not use the time effectively?
This is a very simple bodyweight workout that can be squeezed into five minutes:
• 5 to 10 bodyweight squats. Whether your goal is to get stronger, tone up or lose weight, squats are one of the fastest ways to get there. They target every muscle in your body and do wonders at increasing flexibility. You’ll want to stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips with your toes pointed slightly out, keep your back straight and squat down as far as you feel comfortable. Aim to do about 5 – 10 each time. The key is to start small and build up.
• 5 to 10 calf raises. This exercise targets your calf muscles but works your entire body as you are using your whole body weight. You can do this on the kitchen floor or, even better, on the edge of a step. Lift as high as you can onto your toes and then lower your heels down as much as your ankles will allow. Try and push evenly through the entire width of your foot – you can hold onto the wall if you’re having trouble balancing. As a bonus, if you have stairs in your house, you could also add in 10 step ups on each leg at the base of your stairs.
• 5 to 10 press ups. An incredibly effective strength building exercise, press ups (or push ups) work both your chest and arm muscles. Place your hands approximately shoulder width apart and lower your chest down between them before pushing back up again. Start against a wall then, as you get stronger, against a kitchen worktop. Eventually you will be able to do them on the floor.
• 5 to 10 tricep dips. A fantastic way to really target the back of your arms, tricep dips can be done against the kitchen worktop or a stable kitchen chair. Position your hands shoulder-width apart on your chair or kitchen bench and move your bottom off the bench, extending your legs in front of you. Lower your body as low as you can go and then push back up until your arms are straight (try and keep a little bend in the elbows to keep your joints happy).
• 5 to 10 bodyweight lunges on each leg. Another excellent bodyweight exercise that works your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and core muscles. Try and keep your back straight as you go through the movement. Hold on for support as required. As you become stronger, you can add in a side rotation or lift bottles of olive oil above your head!
Courtesy of by Dr Rangan Chatterjee
https://drchatterjee.com/5min-kitchen-workout/
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Kaiser Members: Get up, Get out and THRIVE
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Your personal journey to good health may take you many places - a fitness class, your doctor’s office, a health food store, or a bike trail. Now, you can discover a new personalized path to feeling good, healthy, and strong. As a Kaiser Permanente member, you can access specialty health and fitness services through their
ChooseHealthy® Program
, provided by American Specialty Health Administrators, Inc. (ASH Administrators), to help you stay well and feel great.
The
ChooseHealthy Program
offers you reduced rates on:
• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Chiropractic care
• Membership at fitness facilities
You also get complimentary access to online wellness programs, trackers, and other tools, plus an online health and wellness library. For more information, click
here.
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The Happy Secret to Better Work
If you have a few minutes to spare towards the pursuit of happiness, this is a funny and thought provoking TED talk on the effect of mindset on everyday enjoyment.
From TED:
We believe we should work hard in order to be happy, but could we be thinking about things backwards? In this fast-moving and very funny talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.
Take a minute to learn more about the happiness advantage by clicking on the image above!
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Buffalo Chicken Skewers with
Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
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1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp
1 1/2 pound(s) boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (12 pieces)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 cup uncooked carrot(s)
1 cup uncooked celery
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DIP
1 cup plain fat free Greek yougurt
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chives
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Directions
- To make dip, combine dip ingredients (yogurt, blue cheese, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and chives) in a bowl; chill until ready to use.(Can be made up to 2 days before serving).
- Next, combine salt, garlic, chili powder, and paprika in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Thread each piece of chicken lengthwise onto a 6-inch skewer. (Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes before using to prevent burning.)
- Off heat, coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- When ready to serve, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (or in microwave); stir hot sauce into melted better. Brush cooked chicken evenly with butter mixture; drizzle any remaining butter mixture over top. Serve skewers and vegetables with dipping sauce.
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Ingredients
1 1/2 tsps Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Red Onion (finely diced)
4 Garlic (cloves, minced)
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 cup Cilantro (finely diced)
4 cups Organic Vegetable Broth
3 cups Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Dry Red Lentils
1 cup Organic Coconut Milk (canned, full-fat)
4 cups Kale Leaves (finely sliced)
Directions
- Heat coconut oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 4 minutes or until translucent. Add in the minced garlic. Saute for another minute.
- Add in the turmeric, garam masala and sea salt. Stir for a minute or until spices are well mixed. Add in the cilantro, vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Add in the dry lentils, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the lentils are cooked through, add in the coconut milk. Stir well to mix, then add in the kale. Stir again until the kale is wilted. Turn off the heat. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
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