State of Maryland Wellness Newsletter

July Wellness Newsletter:
More Maryland Summer Tips!

 Have you made it to the Eastern Shore beaches or the mountains in Western Maryland yet this summer? What about day trips to some of the many beautiful Maryland State Parks? The fun never stops in Maryland as great summer events are plentiful. The Maryland Department of Tourism has a complete guide to fun-filled summer and year-round events, festivals, and more - visit here to view the events calendar!

End Summer on a Fun and Healthy Note - join the August NOURISH Challenge! 

August is a most wonderful time for Maryland's produce bounty - sweet corn, luscious cantaloupe, refreshing watermelon, crisp cucumbers, plump eggplant, the 3 p's (peaches, plums, peppers), squash, tomatoes, a variety of herbs, and much more! Join the NOURISH challenge and grow virtual veggies and fruits such as these when you participate in fun health activities- no need for a green thumb! Learn more about NOURISH in this short video. Registration opens 8/1 - 8/18. Logging begins 8/7. Look for the registration link in the August newsletter and share this information with friends and family so they can join, too. The more, the healthier!

 

Want to enjoy the summer fun - and summer's fun foods - while managing your health and weight? Our health benefits providers have just the programs for you - at no cost to their members! Read below to learn more:

Carefirst  NOOM

As part of the State of Maryland Carefirst health plan benefits, Noom now is offered to Carefirst eligible* members at no cost!  Ready to get started? Log in to http://carefirst.com/wellbeing. Once logged in, select You followed by Benefits. Next, click Health & Fitness and then Noom.. 

*Must be 18 years or older with a BMI of 25 or greater, having been identified as prediabetes or at risk for developing diabetes.

United Healthcare  

As part of the State of Maryland United Healthcare plan benefits, Real Appeal is offered to United Healthcare eligible* members at no cost! Ready to get started? Click here  

*Must be 18 years or older with a BMI of 23 or greater.

Coming Soon - Kaiser Permanente 

Kaiser Permanente members are invited to register for Omada, a no cost weight management program that helps eligible* members get results without cutting out favorite foods or counting calories. Watch for the Omada invitation in your email box starting 7/6!

*Must be 18 years or older with a BMI of 25 or greater, having been identified as prediabetes or at risk for developing diabetes.

 

July Mindful Monday Series: Boost Your Summer Emotional Wellbeing

Summertime - a time for relaxation, a slower pace, and less stress. What happens when life has other plans? Join July's Mindful Monday series to find the right balance between life and summer. 

Register for July Mindful Monday Series Sessions here

Monday, July 24, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Boost Your Happy Heart

Your heart and your emotions are interconnected - when we experience heart-felt emotions like love, appreciation, and compassion, the heart produces a smooth pattern that tells the brain that the heart feels good. Learn how to increase heart-felt emotions for a happy heart and brain.

Monday, July31, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Emotions and Your Heart

As a follow up to Boost Your Happy Heart, learn how stress and negative emotions compromise heart health along with strategies to manage and release the pressure of these emotions.

July Healthy U Wednesdays: Summer Healthy Eating

Maryland's Summer Produce Makes Healthy Eating Easy!

Register for the July Healthy U Series Sessions here

Wednesday, July 26, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Curb Your Summer Cravings
Summer is the season for "nostalgic eating" - hot days in a park have you yearning to visit the ice cream truck, baseball games have you craving a hot dog, and a walk on the boardwalk finds you in line at Thrasher's fries. Learn more about summer cravings and easy strategies to manage them.

 Health Promotion Thursdays: Summer Safety

Join us for live wellness webinars on summer safety for the whole family - including pets!

Register for 7/20, 7/27 Summer Safety Sessions here

Thursday, 7/20, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: How to Stay Cool in Summer
Heat is a given in July and August so it is important to know how to prevent, identify, and manage heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Remember, heat-related illnesses can affect everyone and every age, so this information is important for the whole family (including pets)! 

Thursday, 7/27, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Love the Summer Skin You're In
Summer means fresh air and SUNSHINE! Sun exposure is the best way to boost vitamin D levels because few foods contain significant amounts of vitamin D. This webinar will address how to protect your skin while getting enough sun exposure to boost and maintain vitamin D levels safely and what happens to your skin (and how to repair it) if you get too much sun.

 

Friday Unwind Time Summer Series: Get Away Meditations for Mini-Vacations!

Take a 15-minute minute mini-vacations each Friday

Register for Friday Unwind Time sessions here

Friday, 7/21, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: The Healing Fountain
Visit this fountain of crystal clear healing water and immerse yourself in it.

Friday, 7/28, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: The 4 Elements of Earth, Air, Water, Heat
Experience how the 4 elements of earth, air, water, and heat work together to support and fuel your body.