Where do foods fit on Mypyramid?

Most everyone has seen Mypyramid from the USDA. If you haven't, check out http://mypyramid.gov. Sometimes it can be difficult to figure out which food group a certain food fits. The website Food-a-pedia can help you determine which food group they will fall into and it's very user-friendly, http://www.myfoodapedia.gov/Default.aspx.

Laughter

You can get more out of everyday and improve your emotional wellness with laughter. If you can't laugh, fake it!

• Start with a big smile on your face. Say, "he he he, ho ho ho, ha ha ha" and keep repeating until you start to giggle. Have others join you.
• Don't be afraid to look or act silly. It will put a smile on your face.
• When you are in a stressful situation, fake a laugh. This instantly improves your mood. -
• Make someone else laugh or smile, this act is contagious and will make yourself or others smile.
• A pretend giggle can usually turn into a laugh.
• Give it a try, you don't have anything to lose!

Physical Activity

How much and how often should you be physically active? Check out the physical activity pyramid, created by our colleagues on campus at MU Extension, to find out the recommendations.

http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=N388

Intellectual wellness

While working for MU Extension, we are constantly learning new things, sharing information with others, and staying up-to-date in our area of expertise. These are all helping to improve our intellectual wellness. Here is a fun website with quizzes and games that may also help improve your intellectual wellness. Have a look at http://www.sporcle.com/ and try out some of the "mentally stimulating diversions."

Additional winner

Diane Kandel, from Camden County, placed 2nd in the individual point totals in the spring 2009 wellness competition and wins an Eat This, Not That book. She had 311 points in the competition. Great job Diane!

Prize winners

Congratulations to the prize winners for the spring 2009 wellness competition!



Top finishing team:

Apple Dumplin' Gang from Oregon County: Nichole Harms (captain), Gary Cross, Becky Bassett, and Kathy Loth. Their total average points were 260. The prizes for this team are an Eat This, Not That book, an Eat This, Not That Supermarket Survival Guide, or 2 CalorieKing Calorie, Fat, and Carbohydrate Counter books.



Top finishing individual:

Cammie Younger, Fab Five from Shannon/Texas County. Her total points were 336 for the 5 weeks with an average of 67.2.She wins a Meals in Minutes cookbook from the American Heart Association.




Great job to the winners!


Results from the 2009 spring wellness competition:


Grape Country Gals from Gasconade County (Donna Clavin-Mistler, Virginia Buschmeyer - captain, and Debbie Raaf) - 221 total average points





Camden Cruisers from Camden County (Diane Kandel - captain, Larry Roberts, Andrea Hawkins, Jackie Rasmussen, and Michele Kroll) - 254 total average points





Fab Five from Shannon/Texas County (Kelly Younger -captain, Cammie Younger, Dana McGuire, Terri Fossett, and Chi Holder) - 202 total average points





Howell County Hoofers from Howell County (Jenny Flatt - captain, Pam Powell, Bill Doig, and Tammy Woodworth) - 218 total average points





Laclede County Fruity Four from Laclede County (Kim Lambeth - captain, Jim Thompson, Doralee Ely, and Becky Morgan) - 163 total average points





Pulaski County (Sarah Traub - captain, Bonnie Drury, Melissa Conrad, Lavina Wilson, and Waita Karcher) - 218 total average points





Christi Crisp from Wright County - 198 total average points





Crawford County (Christa Spindler - captain, Karen Branstetter, Presha Earney, and Susan Smail) - 228 total average points








Don't forget to fill out the feedback survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=VktxnZBcc8iXZMABr5zKBA_3d_3d by July 10, 2009.

6/18/2009

Welcome to the South Central regional wellness blog. I will be updating this with articles and information about wellness. If you have articles to share, please email them to Melissa at bessmm@missouri.edu. I would also like to highlight any of our SC colleagues who are doing sensational things to improve their wellness. If one of your colleagues is doing something great to improve their wellness, please let me know! Enjoy!