Are you at risk for Prediabetes? Find out in this 4-minute virtual wellness class, you’ll learn what prediabetes is, if you’re at risk and what to do to reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Watch it HERE.

February is national age related macular degeneration (AMD) and low vision awareness month. AMD is the leading cause of low vision and blindness in Americans age 60 years and older and affects 1.6 million Americans. AMD is a progressive disease with no known cure. It slowly steals vision as it affects the retina, a paper-thin tissue lining the back of the eye, and causes the cells in the area to die. As a result, if you have AMD, you see blind spots, grayness and other distortions in the center frame of your vision.

Due to COVID-19, face masks have been a part of our lives for nearly two years. And, with the highly transmissible Omicron variant circulating widely, masks are just as important as ever.

In January, we switch to new calendars and embrace a new year. For many, it's a good time to evaluate your physical and mental health and reflect on the changes you want to make in the coming year.

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. More than 14,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year, but the disease is preventable with vaccination and appropriate screening. Take these steps and learn more at the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.

As we head into 2022, most of us begin turning our attention to ways we can improve our lives. While resolutions often center on developing new habits that will get us into better physical shape - eating better and getting more physically active - reducing stress and getting into better mental and emotional shape can provide huge rewards.

During the holidays, many tend to put on a few pounds. Act early this holiday season to avoid that holiday weight gain. Consider meeting with a Health Coach. Learn more HERE.

CONGRATULATIONS to Tye Baker and Charisse Simpson for being named the October and November Wellness Champions, respectively.

The holidays can bring joy, but it’s not uncommon to experience stress, depression and anxiety as well. The demands of the season — shopping and running errands while battling crowds, back-to-back holiday parties and social obligations, houseguests and relatives — are all potential stressors. Alongside this, feelings of loneliness and isolation are also common around the holiday.

We often wish people a happy, healthy holiday season, but rarely give gifts that support the sentiment. As the new year approaches and resolutions are made the following gift ideas will help recipients maintain those promises of developing healthier lifestyle habits.

National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. It is to remind individuals 6 months and older that there’s still time to get vaccinated against flu. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications, including people with certain chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. In fact, in past flu seasons, 9 out of 10 adults hospitalized for flu had at least one underlying medical condition.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jerry Sikes (left) and Dale Koch (right) for being named the August and September Wellness Champions, respectively. Jerry and Dale, who both hold the position of Technical Specialist IV were nominated by one of their coworkers for their efforts to be more active. Their departments posts a monthly activity board to keep track of days they meet 30 minutes or more of activity. Jerry and Dale completed this goal nearly every day in August. Bravo to Jerry, Dale, and their entire department for making physical activity a priority.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a time to heighten awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and show support for the more than 6.2 million Americans living with it.

It can be difficult to stay healthy during the holidays. Thanksgiving is typically celebrated by feasting, followed by seconds, maybe thirds, and topped off with desert. Then there's the post feast nap, a few hours of watching football, and then an additional leftover turkey sandwich and a slice of pumpkin pie. In many households, Thanksgiving is dedicated to either eating rich, unhealthy foods foods, sitting still, and usually doing both. However, there are ways to make Thanksgiving a little healthier. Give these ideas a good ole turkey try!