Employee Wellness Newsletter
Support the Spread of Wellness
April 2023
Mental and Emotional Health
Practice Peace or Practice Stress
Stop, Breathe, Think: A Meditation for Anxiety
“The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness. But if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions.” —Kelsang Gyatso
Source: wired for happy
Physical Health
Move More Together
Find Your Fierce in Movement for Better Mental Health
Being active is a great way to maintain our physical and mental health – What's good for your mind and body is good for your heart. That's why the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good™ promotes a holistic well-being approach, with simple resources that make it easier for you to nourish your mind, heart and body, one step at a time. Healthy for Good is backed by the science you can trust and provides tools you can actually use
Source: American Heart Association
Nutritional Health
Eat This, Not That
5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook for Under $5, Says Dietitian
Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Pancakes
Chock-full of fiber, this hearty breakfast option will keep you full for hours and reheat for the rest of the week. Whole wheat flour and apples are the star of the show providing two good sources of fiber to start off your day.
Packed with gut health-boosting black beans, this alternative take on an omelet recipe will keep you full on a budget. We know that a high-protein breakfast keeps blood sugar stable and may reduce hunger later in the day. With 330 calories per serving, you won't even realize that this breakfast is low calorie because it is so filling.
A tropical parfait might be the closest we can get to feeling like we are on vacation in the mornings before work. This protein-packed recipe works great for the whole family as both a breakfast option or an after-school snack.
We love a low-budget pasta dish, and this red pepper fettuccine Alfredo seriously delivers. With 390 cal per serving, this is an authentic fettuccine dish to feel good about. If you have some extra veggies on hand, you could beef this recipe up with broccoli or spinach tossed in for additional fiber and nutrients.
Meal prep your lunches or dinners for the week with this plant-forward veggie-fried rice that will keep you full for hours and won't break the bank. Even better, you can buy a pack of mixed vegetables frozen to dump into this recipe, and save even more money by preventing veggie waste from the crisper drawer graveyard.
Source: Eat This, Not That
Financial Health
Education - Coaching - Online Tools
How We Help
Our Mission
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focusing on economic justice for every community by providing quality financial guidance and equitable access to economic solutions for every employee who wants it.
Our Vision
Every working person in the United States has the support they need to make the best financial decisions possible to support themselves and those they care for so that their families and their communities are healthier and more secure.
Source: Foundation99
Hot Topic
Man Therapy
Men's Mental Health
Mental Health Support and Resources for Men
Depression
Male depression often goes undiagnosed. Men are more likely to report fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work or hobbies, rather than feelings of sadness or worthlessness.
Anxiety
A common mental health challenge among men is anxiety, which may cause panic disorder, agoraphobia, or any other phobia.
Bipolar Disorder
An equal amount of men and women develop this illness. The age of onset for men is between 16 and 25 years of age.
Psychosis and Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is one of the leading causes of disability. 90% of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia by the age of 30 are men.
Eating Disorders
Males account for an estimated 10% of patients with anorexia or bulimia and an estimated 35% of those with binge-eating disorder. Men with eating disorders are less likely to seek professional help than women.
Source: GoodRx Health
There is help for men looking for answers for mental health challenges
and for those who care about them.
Men's Health Websites:
Tips and tools to help men manage depression, including a self-check depression screening tool.
Harvard Health Publishing – Men’s Health
The average man pays less attention to his health than the average woman. Compared to women, men are more likely to drink alcohol and use tobacco, make risky choices, not see a doctor for regular checkups.
Gives men the support they need to face depression, take control of their recovery and get their lives back.
A toolkit put together by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to promote mental health for Black men.
Links to additional mental health resources, tips for dealing with stress, and answers to questions like, “Shouldn’t men keep their feelings to themselves?”
Apps:
Crisis Resources:
988 Suicide & Crisis - Call 988
National Alliance of Mental Illness - Call 800-950-6264
Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas - Call 214-828-1000
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these resources do not necessarily reflect the views or position of Irving ISD.
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
Newsletter
Questions, Suggestions, Comments
Contact
Jose Villasenor
972-600-5217 O | 469-781-1843 M
