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Start. Quit. Start. Quit. Start. Quit!

Jun 11, 2024

min read

(This is an example of the weekly newsletters that go out to all users of The EdLogics Platform, a gamified space that improves employee engagement and health literacy. Contact us to learn how to get access for your organization.)

Smokin'

I quit smoking. For good now.

It’s an odd feeling. This has happened a few times:

“I thought you quit?” my friend would say as I reached, again, for my NYC-priced Camel Blues (at that time, $15 a pack 😱).

“Sure,” I’d say. “I quit lots of times.”

Undermining, of course, the whole notion of quitting. That’s the nature of bad habits.

You know smoking’s not good for you. It hurts others. It’s expensive. And that’s nothing compared to the cancer, COPD, asthma, or heart disease you’ll almost certainly get. Diseases you can easily avoid by not smoking.

But you do it anyway.

Believe me. I feel for you. More than once, I’ve decided, triumphantly, to finally quit smoking — and then reached for the next one within the same 30-second span.

It’s humbling. And it’s made it easier to empathize with, rather than judge, those who suffer from addiction.

I haven’t smoked for over 9 years now. Haven’t even wanted to. How’d I do it?

Everyone who quits will do it their own way. In my case, I took up yoga.

For someone who smoked, it was miserable at first. I was gasping for breath, dizzy, and inflexible. But that post-yoga feeling was unlike anything I’d ever experienced — wrung out, calm, happy, at peace — and I didn’t want to trade it for anything.

Not even cigarettes.

That’s the true power of habit — on both sides of the coin. Sure, it’s easy to slip into bad habits, to talk yourself into self-indulgence. But it’s also easy to develop, and stick to, good habits.

Once you get in the habit. 😉

Replace bad habits with good ones.

It doesn’t have to be hot yoga (but try it!) — just anything that gets the monkey off your back. Get your mind off cigarette cravings with a quick walk. Ten push-ups. A game on your phone. A phone call to friends or family. A carrot. A handstand. A song and dance. Whatever it takes

The sooner you quit, the lower your risk for painful disease, hospital bills, and bitter regrets.

Log in now. Peruse our new slideshow: “What Happens When You Quit Smoking Tobacco.” The health benefits start within minutes — and will last you the rest of your (now longer) life.

Check back soon to see more updates on the Smoking Cessation learning page!

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Need a Hand? Smoking Cessation Meds Can Help

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‍E-Cigarettes: Fatal Fad?

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Teens & Vaping: Is it Safe?

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Play HealthMatch:
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Newsletters

Turn That Frown Upside-Down

May 1, 2024

min read

“Cheer up!”

Few comments are more grating — except maybe “Awww, somebody’s got a case of the Mondays!” — especially if you are in a bad mood.

“I’ll show you how to cheer up ...” [brandishes fist].

Grumpy, blue, stressed, mopey, sulky — whatever your brand of bad mood is, you probably do need to cheer up if it’s that noticeable.

But that, like so much else, is easier said than done.

“Case of the Mondays? ... Some days, I swear ...”

If you find yourself muttering under your breath more often than you’d like, remember that moods change. Feelings are fickle things.

The same circumstances that make you tear your hair out today might not even phase you tomorrow.

And you have a lot more control over your moods than you might think. Moods often have more to do with what’s going on inside your body than what’s happening out in the world.

It’s not about just looking on the bright side. Or ignoring the sadness, or explaining it away. You don’t have to see the silver lining for every cloud, or deny how overwhelming and exhausting life can be. We all have a right to our feelings. But you have to admit, it all seems even worse when you’re in a bad mood.

And you can take concrete steps to feel better than you do now.

Next time you’re down in the dumps, ask yourself these questions before you react to your coworkers, send that snide email, yell at your kids, or make any important decisions.

How to Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

👉 Did you sleep well last night?

Just try feeling good when you get up early for work after a late night of Netflix and noshing nachos. Just try maintaining a positive mental attitude when your 6 am alarm drags you kicking and screaming into hateful wakefulness. Even if the adrenaline and caffeine get you through the morning, the afternoon slump is gonna getcha. And when your weary brain is making you overreact to some mundane challenge, the last thing you need is for a coworker to snark, “Looks like somebody needs a nap ...”

👉 When’s the last time you ate (and what was it?)

Just as with sleep, what and when you eat has a huge impact on how you feel. Anyone with kids sees the direct relationship between junk food and temper tantrums, let alone inconsistent bedtimes (see above).

But the same is true for adults operating on too little sleep and unhealthy breakfasts come mid-afternoon. By the time we try to combat fatigue and low blood sugar with a sugary snack and extra coffee, the result is often irritability — or even an embarrassing tantrum — over little things.

Woe to the unfortunate soul who gets in the way of a hangry, over-caffeinated office worker.

👉 Have you been exercising? Like, at all?

When you move, sweat, and get your heart rate up, your body makes these feel-good chemicals called endorphins all by itself. It’s amazing! No other drug — not alcohol, caffeine, prescription meds, or herbal supplements — comes close to that natural high. There’s no shortcut. No substitute. You can’t fake it! You have to move. The bonus is that regular exercise helps you sleep better and feel more motivated to choose healthy foods, which in turn can help you avoid bad moods.

Move your body. There’s no better way to feel better.

👉 Are you taking care of yourself in other ways?

Find a daily practice that helps you keep things in perspective, regardless of your current mood. This can be your exercise — yoga, walking, hiking, yardwork, whatever you like. Or maybe it’s doing the day’s crossword, reading a novel at the coffeeshop, journaling, or playing a game. Or woodworking, building model airplanes, making art, or cooking delicious food. Or just sitting and meditating. Whatever gets you out of your own head and into that flow state, when you’re in the zone and fully focused on what you’re doing right now.

The trick is to make it a regular practice. Don’t wait till you feel like doing something — that moment might never come. Just do it because that’s what you do.

You might be surprised how a daily practice can recenter you and bring you back to a place of mindful self-awareness. It can help you keep things in context and take them in stride instead of overreacting because you’re feeling snappy.

Perspective is everything.

Not to sound callous, but sometimes you just have to get over yourself. The world is no worse of a place after 4 hours of sleep than it is after 8, but it can definitely feel that way. Recognize your own limits — and your own power — when it comes to letting your mood affect your day.

Before you try pinning the blame on work frustrations, personal problems, the state of the world, social injustice, climate change — or even the constant eye-rolling from your teen — cover the basics. Get your sleep. Eat good food. Get active. Don’t reach for booze or coffee or a doughnut every time you want to feel better.

It won’t solve all your problems. But it can make them feel a whole lot less daunting — and can do a lot to brighten a bad mood.

Log in now. Learn more about handling what gets you down — even if it’s your own state of mind.

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TAKE A BEAT

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Find Your Zen Again: Calming Countdown

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Easy Stress Busters: Simple Ways to Chill

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You Mad, Bro? Anger Management Basics

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Play Now! Stress: What Helps, What Hurts

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Events

Norfolk State University Holds First Annual Student Health Literacy Symposium

Apr 4, 2024

min read

n April 3rd, Norfolk State University hosted a gathering of students, faculty, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to delve into the crucial topic of enhancing health literacy — the ability to understand and act on basic health information — within college campuses and communities. The event was supported by NSU's Office of Health & Wellness and the Center for African American Public Policy in collaboration with EdLogics, a Virginia Beach-based company dedicated to improving health literacy. The symposium guests were welcomed by Student Affairs Vice President Leonard Brown, Ph.D.

Dr. Brown embraced the university’s efforts to reduce health disparities on the campus of NSU in communities of color. Greetings were provided by Mr. Gilbert Bland, President/CEO of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, and member of the NSU Board of Visitors who commended NSU for launching the Healthier757 initiative to improve the health of students, faculty, and administrators on the campus of NSU and throughout the Hampton Roads region.

The program featured a panel discussion moderated by Craig Loper, Sports Director at WAVY TV 10/WVBT Fox 43, and included:

Shaunice Johnson, NSU Student Health Ambassador
Milton Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Vice Dean of Research, Eastern Virginia Medical School
Cynthia B. Burwell, Ed.D., MCHES, Director, NSU Center of Excellence in Minority Health Disparities
Thomas M. Chamberlain, Pharm.D., Founder & CEO, EdLogics
Keith H. Newby, M.D., Market Director, Community Health Improvement & Engagement at Bon Secours Health
Sheila A. Ward, Ph.D., MPH, Project Director, NSU Health & Wellness Initiative for Women

Together, they addressed the significant health disparities prevalent in communities, particularly among people of color. The panel shed light on how the 757 region trails behind in health metrics related to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, infant mortality, and life expectancy, compared to the rest of Virginia and the US. They emphasized how low health literacy leads to unhealthy choices and poorer healthcare decisions — so the disparities continue.

Dr. Olusoji Akomolafe, Executive Director of the NSU Center for African American Public Policy introduced NSU President Javaune Adams-Gaston, Ph.D., and applauded her commitment to improving the health of NSU students and acknowledged her accomplishment of receiving NSU’s largest philanthropic gift of $40 million dollars from the Mckenzie Scott Foundation. During the event, President Javaune Adams-Gaston, Ph.D., read a health literacy proclamation underscoring the university's dedication to combating health disparities through research and innovative programs on the campus of NSU.

One such initiative is Healthier757, a regional effort focused on boosting the health literacy of Hampton Roads residents. The partnership between NSU and Healthier757 signifies a significant step toward addressing chronic health conditions and disparities in vulnerable communities.

NSU's collaboration with Healthier757 has enabled the university to pioneer the launch of Rewards for Healthy Living, making NSU the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the nation and the first university in Virginia to do so. The digital platform offers engaging games, videos, quizzes, and articles on hundreds of health topics — along with cash rewards — and is available free of charge to all NSU students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

A student raffle, facilitated by Alexus Ross, an EdLogics Community Coordinator and recent NSU graduate and Healthier757 intern, awarded four $25 gift cards to participating students.

Vanessa Jenkins, Ed.D., Executive Director, NSU Health & Wellness, closed the program by underscoring the importance of improving health literacy among NSU students, which in turn will empower them to make better informed healthcare decisions all their lives

Ben Geoghegan

About The Author

Ben Geoghegan

Categories

Tags

Smokin'

But you do it anyway.

Replace bad habits with good ones.

Need a Hand? Smoking Cessation Meds Can Help

‍E-Cigarettes: Fatal Fad?

Teens & Vaping: Is it Safe?

Play HealthMatch:Smoking Cessation

“Cheer up!”

“Case of the Mondays? ... Some days, I swear ...”

How to Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Perspective is everything.

TAKE A BEAT

Find Your Zen Again: Calming Countdown

Easy Stress Busters: Simple Ways to Chill

You Mad, Bro? Anger Management Basics

Play Now! Stress: What Helps, What Hurts

Sign Up for Our Amazing Newsletter!

Ben Geoghegan

About The Author

Ben Geoghegan

Categories

Tags

Newsletter

Play HealthMatch:
Smoking Cessation