Employee Wellness Newsletter
Support the Spread of Wellness
May 2023
Mental Health
Take Some Time to Look Around, Look Within
This Mental Health Month, challenge yourself to examine your world and how it can affect your overall health. Look around, look within – from your neighborhood to genetics, many factors come into play when it comes to your mental health. Our 2023 Mental Health Month toolkit includes information about how an individual’s environment impacts their mental health, suggestions for making changes to improve and maintain mental well-being, and how to seek help for mental health challenges.
Source: Mental Health America
Find Higher Levels of Well-being
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Alliance on Mental Illness Texas
National Institute of Mental Health
Texas Health and Human Resources
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - call 988
Crisis Texas Line – text 741741
Physical Health
The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a real difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to deal with mental health problems, improve your energy and outlook, and get more out of life.
Source: Helpguide.org
Nutritional Health
Therapy on a Plate:
How Your Diet Can Benefit Your Mental Health
You probably know that a good diet (less saturated fat, less sodium, more fruits and veggies) is important to heart health. But research is increasingly finding that eating the right foods can protect mental health, as well. A 2019 meta-analysis, the first study to evaluate the existing data on the effects of diet on depression and anxiety, found that diet may have a positive effect. For example, one study found that after three weeks on the Mediterranean diet, a group of young adults (ages 17–35) reported, on average, that their depression scores fell from moderate into the normal range. They also reported less anxiety. The control group, who continued to eat a typical diet low in fruits and veg and high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates, saw no reduction in depression scores.
A change in diet has also been shown to potentially reduce the risk of dementia. These findings have led to the development of the MIND diet, a mash-up of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, combining an emphasis on healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts along with dietary strategies to lower blood pressure.
Source: Discover
Financial Health
Financial Stress? How We Can Help.
Hot Topics
Mental Health Awareness
Join The #MoreThanEnough Campaign
This year, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month with the More Than Enough campaign!
It’s an opportunity for all of us to come together and remember the inherent value we each hold — no matter our diagnosis, appearance, socioeconomic status, background or ability. We want every person out there to know that if all you did was wake up today, that’s more than enough. No matter what, you are inherently worthy of more than enough life, love and healing. Showing up, just as you are, for yourself and the people around you is more than enough.
Throughout the month, we invite you to share with us on social media why you are more than enough by tagging us (@NAMICommunicate) and using our hashtag #MoreThanEnough.
"No matter what my depression tells me, I am worthy of love, I am worthy of acceptance, I am worthy of fulfillment. I Am #MoreThanEnough. @NAMICommunicate"
If someone you love is going through a hard time, you don’t need to have all the answers. Just being there is #MoreThanEnough. Learn more with @NAMICommunicate at nami.org/mhm
Irving ISD Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
New York Life Group Benefits Solutions
Check out our new EAP. The registration process will ask you for a Web ID. Please enter: NYLGBS.
You can also call 800-344-9752. When you call you will be speaking with a specialist who can help you find resources including counselors and therapists in your area, information on health care, child care, elder care, financial planning, legal advice, and other work/life services. The specialist will explain the details.
Support the Spread of Wellness
About Us
Our Employee Wellness and Support Services provides opportunities and resources for employees to develop and maintain healthy mental, emotional, physical, nutritional, and financial health through support and guidance, as well as promoting personal and professional productivity through educational engagement.
Reach out to us via email: iisdewsresources@irvingisd.net or by phone 972-600-5249
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Contact
Jose Villasenor
972-600-5217 O | 469-781-1843 M
