IN THIS ISSUE WINTER ● 2014-15 Healthy Habits for a Healthy Body........ P. 1 Staff Profiles .......................................... P. 2 Can Your Organizaon Use Coaching? . P. 3 On-line Contact ..................................... P. 4 Innovative Solutions for Progressive Organizations To contact your Employee Assistance Program, call: 1-800-825-5327 EAP Locaons: Altoona Downtown Pisburgh Greensburg Grove City Monroeville New Kensington Robinson Township/Airport Area Shadyside Upper St. Clair Wexford Healthy Habits for a Healthy Body By Jonathan Simmen and Amanda Stumme At mes your body can betray you and cause daily life to be a chore. Healthy habits can become difficult to engage in, calming yourself down can seem impossible and you may not be sure how to fix it. Taking steps in the right direcon can improve both your mental health and daily funconing. One step is to get an adequate amount of sleep. To achieve an adequate amount of sleep there are some habits that need to be avoided, such as taking smulants, such as nicone or caffein, in the evening before rest. Another suggeson is to use your bed only for sleep, because associang it with acvies you carry out during the day while you are alert, can prevent you from feeling red. This means that you should try to avoid working, eang, or reading (that is not for enjoyment) while in bed. Finally, in order get a good night of sleep you need to challenge the thoughts keeping you awake, like tomorrow’s acvies or why you are not able to sleep. Some helpful suggesons are using “self talk” that focuses on results rather than hours achieved. Write down the thoughts that you cannot dismiss. To- do lists can be helpful to get your thoughts and what needs to be done down on paper so that you are not repeatedly running though your tasks in your head. Another step you can take is to improve your diet and exercise habits. Improving your diet can have direct benefits to increasing your mood. One of the ways this can be achieved is to remove refined foods, breads, pastas, and sugary drinks from your diet. These types of food lead to (Continued on page 2) The Newsleer of 21st Century Employee Assistance Partners Newsleer Editor: Bob Mason, LCSW, CEAP, Director of EAP Services
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IN THIS ISSUE
WINTER ● 2014-15
Healthy Habits for a Healthy Body ........ P. 1
Staff Profiles .......................................... P. 2
Can Your Organization Use Coaching? . P. 3
On-line Contact ..................................... P. 4
Innovative Solutions
for Progressive
Organizations
To contact your
Employee Assistance Program, call:
1-800-825-5327
EAP Locations: Altoona
Downtown Pittsburgh Greensburg Grove City
Monroeville New Kensington
Robinson Township/Airport Area Shadyside
Upper St. Clair Wexford
Healthy Habits for a Healthy Body By Jonathan Simmen and Amanda Stumme
At times your body can betray you and
cause daily life to be a chore. Healthy
habits can become difficult to engage
in, calming yourself down can seem
impossible and you may not be sure
how to fix it. Taking steps in the right
direction can improve both your
mental health and daily functioning.
One step is to get an adequate amount
of sleep. To achieve an adequate
amount of sleep there are some habits
that need to be avoided, such as taking
stimulants, such as nicotine or caffein,
in the evening before rest. Another
suggestion is to use your bed only for
sleep, because associating it with
activities you carry out during the day
while you are alert, can prevent you
from feeling tired. This means that you
should try to avoid working, eating, or
reading (that is not for enjoyment)
while in bed. Finally, in order get a
good night of sleep you need to
challenge the thoughts keeping you
awake, like tomorrow’s activities or
why you are not able to sleep. Some
helpful suggestions are using “self
talk” that focuses on results rather
than hours achieved. Write down the
thoughts that you cannot dismiss. To-
do lists can be helpful to get your
thoughts and what needs to be done
down on paper so that you are not
repeatedly running though your tasks
in your head.
Another step you can take is to
improve your diet and exercise habits.
Improving your diet can have direct
benefits to increasing your mood.
One of the ways this can be achieved
is to remove refined foods, breads,
pastas, and sugary drinks from your
diet. These types of food lead to
(Continued on page 2)
The Newsletter of 21st Century Employee Assistance Partners
Newsletter Editor: Bob Mason, LCSW, CEAP, Director of EAP Services
blood sugar swings which makes it
seem like your mood has improved,
but the effects are short lived and it
leaves you feeling fatigued and irritable
in just a few hours after eating. You
can tackle this problem by balancing
blood sugars. Eat small portions of
protein frequently throughout the day
along side some root vegetables for a
period of seven to ten days. Making
these changes will lessen your cravings
for the refined foods, which will allow
healthy alternatives, such as fruits and
whole grains, to be added gradually.
Daily functioning can also be improved
by healthy exercise habits. Engaging in
aerobic exercise over the course of at
least ten weeks can really enhance
your mood. An individual should
complete three to five sessions each
week which should last between 45
and 60 minutes. It is recommended
that after each session, you take a
moment to reflect how you are feeling
to recognize the benefits. Of course,
consult your doctor before starting a
vigorous exercise plan. Your doctor
may recommend a more gradual
approach.
Finally learn how to manage stress.
Stress activates our fight, freeze, or
flight response and can come from
virtually anything we perceive as being
threatening. The stress we carry with
us each day can come from a variety of
(Continued from page 1) sources and include typical stressors
like work, family conflicts, financial
worries, or traumatic experiences.
Regardless of where the stress comes
from steps can be taken to counteract
the negative side effects of stress. One
helpful suggestion is to write down
your positive thoughts or
accomplishments at the end of each
day. Thinking about the positive things
before going to bed allows you to
relieve the tension of stress and to
calm down. Another method that can
reduce stress is learning how to relax
through deep breathing exercises. To
practice deep breathing, inhale slowly
through your nose and exhale through
your mouth, while relaxing your belly.
Practicing deep breathing allows more
oxygen to reach the brain and body
cells, causing the vagus nerve to be
activated. The vagus nerve runs from
our brain to our gut. The nerve is used
to regulate your heart beat and the
muscles used to control breathing.
Breathing exercises bring your body
relaxation and can calm the tension
you feel when experiencing fight,
freeze or flight.
EAP counselors are available to help
you develop and to support you in
sticking with a wellness plan. Call 1-
800-825-5327 or contact us through a
secure link on the website,
www.21stcenturyeap.com.
It seems, in fact, as though the second
half of a man's life is made up of
nothing, but the habits he has
accumulated during the first half.
...Dostoyevsky
Staff Profiles
We have been delighted to have three bright, mature, and talented interns as part
of the 21st Century EAP team for several months. Toni Antonucci, is a Bachelor of
Social Work student at Seton Hill University and will be entering the Graduate
School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall. Jonathan Simmen
and Amanda Stumme are on track to receive their Bachelor Degrees in Psychology
from Penn State University in December. Both will continue with us as part time