upcoming events

2008 Employee Wellness Fair

This year's Fair will be held on Thursday, May 29, 2008, from 11am - 2pm, Sullivan Fitness Complex, Portland Campus.

Click here to learn more and to register!

Buying Food for Thrifty Small Families

Thrifty tips to keep your shopping skills sharp, from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, www.umext.maine.edu

The Farmer's Market Returns
to the Portland Campus

Mr. Meservy is back to offer the Farmer's Market again this year. He will be at the Portland Campus parking lot every Friday starting May 9th, from 11:30am-1:30pm. Plan to make it a weekly habit to buy fresh flowers, seedlings, and produce in season.

Get in Shape with Lifeline!

All USM faculty/staff can take part in Lifeline’s professionally guided exercise programs with a non-credit tuition waiver. The only cost is your gym usage fee (which can be payroll deducted), and the one-time fitness evaluation cost of $30 for men under 45 years and women under 55 years old, or $65 for men over 45 and women over 55 (physician stress test included) for a 1 year program. Please click on this link to learn more about the programs.

Looking for More Articles?

Then visit our Site Index, which has all of our previous articles, resources and recipes, arranged by topic.

Move and Improve into Spring!

This year's program is already underway. Registered participants can click here to login.

Monthly Quiz

quiz

Find out last month's winner!

National Health Observances

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

May is "National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month." It's a peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers, and a perfect time to educate your patients, family, friends, co-workers and others about these diseases. Contact the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to learn more, 1-800-7-ASTHMA or www.aafa.org

National Stroke Awareness Month

Understanding what you can do to reduce your risk can decrease your chances of having a stroke. But it is still important to know the warning signs of stroke and how to respond to them. Learn all you can today, time lost is brain lost. Click here to download PDF file that will help you quickly identifiy the symptoms of a stroke. Or visit the Stroke Association at www.strokeassociation.org

Food Allergy Awareness Week

May 11 - 17, 2008 is Food Allergy Awareness Week. A food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Click here for more information.

Arbor Week in Maine: May 19-23, 2008

The third full week in May is Arbor Week, a time to reflect upon the enormous resource we have here in the State of Maine, our trees! They provide us with a plethora of environmental, economic, and aesthetic benefits. To celebrate this resource many Arbor activities are held throughout the state during Arbor Week. Click here to learn more.

More Features

Asthma and Excercise

For some 25 million Americans, a brisk walk or any strenuous exercise is the primary trigger of an asthma attack: wheezing, coughing and severe shortness of breath. Many people with allergies, such as hay fever, also suffer exercise-induced asthma. Click here for more information.

Home Composting

Composting is the most practical and convenient way to handle your yard wastes. It can be easier and cheaper than bagging these wastes or taking them to the landfill or transfer station. Compost also improves your soil and the plants growing in it. If you have a garden, a lawn, trees, shrubs or even planter boxes, you have a use for compost. Click here to learn the essentials of composting food and yard wastes.

Recipes of the Month

This month we have two seasonal recipes for spring: Spring Vegetable Pasta Salad and Sesame Broccoli Salad.

Square Foot Gardening

Would you like a garden that is filled with tasty vegetables, savory herbs and beautiful flowers, but no weeds or hard work? Then this course is for you. Offered by the Cumberland County office of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, this $40 course will help you learn how to install a beautiful and productive garden that will save time, water, work and money. Click here for more details about this event or to register.

Women's Ride for Heart Health

Women -- mark your calendars! Sorry guys, this event isn't for you. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM) is sponsoring the 7th annual Women's Ride for Heart Health, on Sunday, June 1st at 9am in Freeport. Click here to learn more.

Employee Assistance Program

USM, along with all campuses in the University of Maine System, has contracted with CIGNA Behavioral Health to provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available to all employees. Services include free counseling sessions and 24-hour crisis intervention. You can reach CIGNA 24 hours a day, seven days a week by making a confidential, toll free call. Call 1-877-622-4327 or access the CIGNA Web site at cignabehavioral.com. If you would like further information about the program please contact our Benefits Office at 780-5218, 780-5653, or call Suzanne Roy, Health Promotion Manager, at 228-8151.

Trying to Quit Smoking?

Are you trying to quit smoking, or thinking about quitting? Perhaps you tried to quit, but found it hard to not smoke? Quitting can be difficult, but every time you try, you will be closer to living without tobacco. The Center for Tobacco Independence and the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine can help you. Healthy USM offers free smoking cessation kits and coaching for USM employees and their family members and retirees. Contact Suzanne Roy at 228-8151 for more information.

Let's Go!

Let’s Go! is a community-based initiative to promote healthy lifestyle choices for children, youth and families in 12 Greater Portland communities. Their goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating of children and youth - from birth to 18. In each of the participating communities, Let’s Go! would like to partner with interested community members to work on ways to increase physical activity and healthy eating. For more information, visit their website at www.letsgo.org