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Wellness defined

The state of optimal well being, not simply the absence of illness, but an improved quality of life resulting from enhanced physical, mental, and spiritual health. -PHYSICAL: Taking care of your physical self through the practice of good health habits. This includes nutrition, exercise, hygiene, sleep, and illness prevention and management. -SOCIAL: Connecting meaningfully with others and sustaining close relationships with your family and friends (while still having some "me" or "alone" time when you need it). -EMOTIONAL: Feeling good about yourself and feeling positive about life. This does not mean that you are always upbeat--we all experience emotional difficulties at some point or another--but rather it means that you acknowledge your emotions as they arise and you cultivate good and nurturing feelings about yourself and your surroundings. -SPIRITUAL: Finding meaning and purpose in your life. For many people, this includes religion, but for many others, it is more individual. -ENVIRONMENTAL: Making sure the spaces you spend time in are conducive to comfort and productivity. This includes appropriate noise and light levels, minimal distractions, good ergonomics, and a sense of shared respect for community spaces. -VOCATIONAL: Feeling fulfilled in your work and community. This includes deriving satisfaction with your courses, your program of study, and your extracurricular activities and jobs. -INTELLECTUAL: Being involved in activities that you find mentally challenging and rewarding.

Resident Tutor

Your Kirkland House Wellness Tutor is Lydia Gardner. Please feel free to email Lydia with any ideas for events, questions about resources or anything else! There are a number of courses that can be offered to individual houses and if we have enough interest in them we will be happy to try to bring them into Kirkland. We are always happy to talk with you about how things are going, recommend a counselor at the B.S.C. or U.H.S., or hear your ideas about what kinds of events you would like to have at Kirkland – massage nights, classes, talks and lectures, or anything else. Please get in touch any time or stop by Lydia's room, H-31.

Your DAPA peer

Stella Barth: sbarth@fas.harvard.edu

Your CHI reps

Rashmi Jasrasaria: rjasras@fas.harvard.edu

Bryant Bonner: bbonner@fas.harvard.edu

Resources

Bureau of Study Counsel Is full of opportunities to learn skills that will help you at Harvard and beyond: http://bsc.harvard.edu/index.html This semester they are offering workshops which are interpersonally focused: http://bsc.harvard.edu/grpwrk.html Or, academically focused (the Harvard reading course): http://bsc.harvard.edu/rc.html#rcfaqs The reading course has two possible sessions in each semester this year: An excerpt from the Harvard Reading Course Website: The Harvard Course in Reading and Study Strategies is the longest continuously running course at Harvard. Taught since the 1940s with constant updating, the Reading Course is designed for people who need to read more, and more critically, than ever before and who, as a result, find themselves overwhelmed or disengaged. Based on the premise that our learning depends as much on how we read as on how much we read, the course helps students read strategically, selectively, and actively.

M.A.C. & Hemenway Schedule: http://www.gocrimson.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9000&ATCLID=644653

In-House Yoga As in previous years, we will be offering Yoga in the common room of Winthrop house. Yoga starts Tuesday, February 26 at 8:00pm. There will be 8 sessions and the cost is $8 for ALL 8 classes. Contact Lydia for more information.

Wellness Tips

* The average American consumes 53 pounds of bread a year, or about 2.7 slices a day. Unfortunately, most bread consumed is made from enriched white flour, which has been stripped of many essential nutrients. So choose whole wheat bread instead. Some breads that look like they're whole wheat are not, so always check that the first ingredient on the list is whole wheat flour. And remember, the shorter the ingredient list on the package, the more nutritious the bread (or any food for that matter) usually is.

* Did you know that even a measely 2% decrease in hydration can cause a 6-7% decrease in athletic performance? Or that a study found that mild dehydration decreases visual ability and short-term memory? So drink one cup (8 oz) of water or fresh juice for every sixteen pounds of body weight plus one and a half additional cups for every cup of beverage containing caffeine, carbonation or alcohol. Add an additional 1-3 cups of water or fresh juice a day if you are a moderate exerciser.

* Want healthier hair or a sharper mind? Bend down from the waist so that your head is below your heart, then massage your scalp for a few minutes. Start from the base of your neck and end at the top of your scalp. Then follow by brushing the natural hair oils throughout your hair. Besides feeling great, the massage exfoliates your scalp and increases circulation to your brain. * Although you may not always be able to change the situations that cause you stress, you can manage your stress in a positive manner. One method that can help remind you of this is the SBRC or Stop-Breathe-Reflect-Choose. Simply stop any negative thoughts you have about the situation, take in a few deep breaths, reflect on the most productive ways to handle the situation, and then choose how you will react in a positive manner. A full description of the SBRC technique can be found at: http://huhs.harvard.edu/HealthInformation/CWHCWellnessInformationStressM...

* We all know the importance of sleep for wellness, but sometimes school work gets in the way, and so many of us reach for some caffeine. But don't down that cup of coffee all at once. Sleep researchers have found that people consuming smaller doses of caffeine every hour perform better on cognitive tests and are more alert than those who consume the same total amount of caffeine, but all at once. Tea is the best choice because it usually lower in caffeine and contains many anti-oxidants and other health-promoting compounds, but coffee and dark chocolate are decent choices as well. Avoid drinking sodas, though, as they are high in sugar and ultimately zap your energy.

* The relaxation response is a simple meditative technique that can be practiced in the comfort of your room. A full description of the technique can be found here http://www.ucop.edu/humres/eap/relaxationrespone.html. Medical research has shown that devoting only 10-20 minutes a day to relaxation reduces stress and performance anxiety, and improves immunity, physiological health, and mental wellness. If meditation is not your cup of tea, try deep breathing or performing a simple, calming, repetitive activity instead.

* You can do a few things to ease your stress through self-massage. Here are some tips: 1. Try rubbing the area between your thumb and first finger. 2. Often ignored but important - gently rub your ears, especially your ear lobes. 3. Softly pinch across your brow bone and eyebrows. 4. If you have a headache, try applying pressure to your chin. 5. Neck sore? Across the back of your neck, use your four fingers to press in a sweeping motion towards the front of your neck. 6. Your feet are very sensitive, so try making a fist and use your knuckles to press against the bottoms of your feet.

UHS Mental Health Services http://huhs.harvard.edu/Home.aspx

Peer Contraceptive Counselors (PCC) 617-495-7561 http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~pcc/ PCC is a group of male and female undergraduates trained to counsel students on issues of sexuality, relationships, STIs, AIDS/HIV, safe sex and contraception. The PCC office is open for both calls and drop-in visits, and provides free condoms, dental dams, lubricant, and a varied library of sexual health literature. PCC counselors are available every night from 7 PM to 12 AM on the 5th floor of HUHS.

Eating Concerns Hotline and Outreach (ECHO) Phone: 617-495-8200 http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~echo Hotline Hours: Every night, 8 pm to 8 am Drop-in Hours: Sunday through Wednesday, 8 pm to 11pm Location: Quincy House, F-entry Basement Eating Concerns Hotline and Outreach (ECHO) is committed to addressing the serious issue of problems with food, from anorexia and bulimia to body image. Echo recognizes how silence can contribute to isolation. The hotline is staffed every night. You can talk about anything you feel is relevant.

Response Phone: 617-495-9600 Hotline Hours: Every night, 9 pm to 7 am Drop-in Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9 pm to midnight Location: Lowell House Basement, E-013 Response is a group of undergraduate women who are concerned about physical and emotional violation. They are ready to listen, talk, and help on a variety of issues including, rape, incest, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and difficult relationships. The Response lending library includes information on rape, incest, battering, harassment, and women's health and sexuality.

Contact Phone: 617-495-8111 http://www.digitas.harvard.edu/~contact/ Hours: Thursday, Friday, Sunday, 8 pm to 1 am Location: Thayer Basement Contact is a group of undergraduate men and women who address the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students and promote understanding and respect for different lifestyles. Contact sponsors "coming out" groups where students can share their experiences of coming out to themselves, to their family and friends, and to the larger Harvard community. Contact also has a growing lending library of books, pamphlets, news clippings, and magazines on many subjects.

Room 13 Phone: 617-495-4969 http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~room13/ Hours: Every night, 7 pm to 7 am Location: Gray's Basement, Harvard Yard Room 13 is a confidential, peer counseling group staffed every night from 7 PM to 7 AM by both a male and female counselor. We are trained to discuss a range of issues, including general academic stress, sexuality questions, depression, eating concerns, relationships and sexual assault, and suicide. Most importantly, though, our counselors are available to listen and respond to any question or concern that a student might have. No reason is too big or too small to call or visit Room 13. You are always welcome for cookies, condoms, and conversation.

Office of Career Services: http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/

Harvard Chaplains: http://chaplains.harvard.edu/

Empowering You: http://empoweringyou.college.harvard.edu/

Other Resources: AAPEX (Athletic, Academic, and Personal Excellence): http://aapex.harvard.edu/

Fitness Websites: www.eatingforlife.com www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitbits_list.asp, www.fitday.com www.performbetter.com For the interactive, revised food pyramid (for serving recommendations) please visit the USDA