Month: March 2015

Combat Back Pain With a Healthy Spine

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Do you suffer from back pain? If so, you’re not alone. Statistically speaking, 85 to 90 percent of those reading this article have been or will be affected by back pain. You may have heard of disc degeneration or spinal arthritis. These ailments become more common as we age and can be attributed to the changes that the bones and discs in our spine experience. So, what can you do to avoid spinal pain and the resulting health implications?

General health and wellness contribute to overall spine health.
General health and wellness contribute to overall spinal health.
  • Exhibit good posture. Always sit up as straight as possible. (Yes, always.) When standing upright, bend your knees slightly to take pressure off of your lower back.
  • Avoid twisting your spine. Twisting your spine can lead to debilitating pain down the road.
  • Lift with your legs, not your back. Bend your knees and hips to squat down to what you are carrying. Keep your load close to your body and straighten your legs to lift.
  • Exercise your core. Your core is your lower back, abdomen, hips, and gluteal area. Focus on strengthening these parts to support your spine.

To view the entire article by Best Doctors, click here.

If you are experiencing back pain or are facing a medical decision, Best Doctors is here to help. Call 866.904.0910 or visit bestdoctors.com/members.

SPARTANS WILL. POWER Global Day of Service

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The third annual SPARTANS WILL. POWER Global Day of Service returns on Saturday, April 18, 2015, bringing together Spartan alumni, friends, students, faculty and staff from around the world to serve their local communities. In 2014, Spartans donated approximately 5,000 hours of service to their local communities through this initiative! Sign up for a volunteer opportunity on their website, which lists worldwide projects that are being hosted. The last day to register for the Global Day of Service is April 14. We hope that you’ll be part of this effort to magnify the power of the Spartan Nation for the benefit of our communities. Who will? SPARTANS WILL.Service Day Graphic

Promote the event using the hashtag #MSUServiceDay on social media!

Relaxing Under the Stars

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Recently I attended the “Relaxing Under the Stars” program and found it very beneficial and intriguing. Not only that, I was able to truly relax and gaze at the stars for some time, something we all probably haven’t done since summer or early fall of last year. I encourage all faculty, staff, graduate student employees, retirees and the spouses/partners of these groups to join Health4U and Abrams Planetarium for “Relaxing Under the Stars” to re-capture that feeling of relaxation and wonderment of the Universe.

Abrams Planetarium
Abrams Planetarium’s entrance brings you right into the world of astronomy.

The first 20 minutes consists of a guided constellation tour using the impressive Digistar 5, the new computer-graphics-based planetarium projector updated in the summer of 2014. This is truly an impressive piece of technology allowing the presenter to easily point out the constellations and give directions on how to find them during your own stargazing opportunities. The second half of the program features relaxing music to complement your stargazing experience. The particular session I attended culminated with a magnificent grand finale known as the “Spartan Star-Tacular,” which geared me and other attendees up for the rest of our work day.

The next show will be on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Visit the Health4U website for more information and future dates.

Girls Get Going 2015

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Involvement in sports provides many long-term benefits for girls.
Involvement in sports provides many long-term benefits for girls.

MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness is holding its 12th annual Girls Get Going event on Saturday, March 28. Girls Get Going is a program that was created with the goal of providing educational sports experiences to girls in order to increase their interest in participating in sports over a lifetime.

If your wants to learn and develop sports skills,  Girls Get Going is the perfect opportunity! Participants will be able to play flag football, volleyball and basketball as well as take part in Zumba and taekwondo. MSU athletes, students and community leaders will assist. A circuit training method will be employed which allows girls the opportunity to participate in all five activities. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and activities will commence at 9:00 a.m. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.

Four forms must be filled out per child, available at www.recsports.msu.edu. Registration must be completed by March 16 to ensure that attendees will receive a t-shirt.

The Inspirational Woman of the Year Award Reception

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The Inspirational Woman of the Year Award Recognition Reception will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the University Club and is free to attend.

The Inspirational Woman of the Year Award recognizes three MSU-affiliated women who have demonstrated professional achievement, community engagement, or have created a culture of empowerment. This year’s award honors, in each category:

Dr. Karin Wurst
Dr. Karin Wurst, one of the recipients of this year’s award recipients. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy,
  • Professional Achievement, Dr. Jeanne Wald, Professor, Department of Mathematics;
  • Community Engagement, Ms. Audrey Bentley, Community Outreach Senior Coordinator, Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives;
  • Culture of Empowerment, Dr. Karin Wurst, Advisor to the Provost for Intercultural Learning and Engagement, Office of the Provost.

Join us for a reception honoring the accomplishments of these three award recipients. RSVP to wrc@msu.edu or 517-353-1635. For more information visit the Women Resource Center’s event page.

Personalized Cancer Care Webinar: A Look at Targeted Treatments

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Are you interested in learning more about some of the recent developments in personalized cancer care? On Friday, March 27, 2015 at 1 p.m. you can listen in on a webinar presented by Best Doctors where you will learn what personalized cancer care is, how it is different from current practices, what types of targeted cancer therapies are available and who can benefit the most. An expert panel of leading specialists in the field of oncology will host the webinar and help you get the most out of your experience.Best Doctors Graphic

You can register for the webinar by visiting this link. View the full release here.

 

Thank You MSU Extension

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Michigan State University Extension helps people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities.
Michigan State University Extension helps people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities.

MSU Extension serves as an outreach mechanism that engages the MSU population existing beyond East Lansing. This network has actively bettered the lives of countless individuals, communities and businesses for over a century. In the early 1900s, “demonstration agents” taught cutting-edge farming or homemaking techniques. Today, Extension agents cover a variety of disciplines in 83 counties.

MSU Extension hosts a variety of events including a vegetable production workshop, nurturing parenting courses and a Diabetes Prevention Program, to name a few. With branches in 4-H, agriculture, business, food and health, lawn and garden, and natural resources, MSU Extension’s depth and breadth is sweeping. View an interactive map that illustrates the great impact that Spartans leave on the state of Michigan.

Thanks, MSU Extension! The work that you do allows MSU’s impact to reach beyond campus by positively influencing the entire state of Michigan.

Spring 5k Races on MSU’s Campus!

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Shamrock 5k Graphic
One 5k you can check out is the Shamrock 5k, benefiting the Tower Guard.

There’s no better way to kick that cabin fever than lacing up those running shoes and participating in a 5k for a great cause. There are plenty of 5k races taking place right here on MSU’s campus in East Lansing this spring.

Events Round-Up March 2015

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Here are some events happening over the next month that may be of interest to MSU faculty and staff. Please visit the links for more information. Many events require registration.

Community Events

Every Saturday and Sunday – 1 p.m. or 3 p.m.

Free Guided Museum Tours @ Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum.

Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14, 2015

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration – Times vary, Grand Ledge.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Grand Traverse Pie Company Pi Day – All Day, all locations.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

MSU Wind Symphony – 7:30 p.m., Cobb Great Hall, Wharton Center.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Maple Syrup Festival – 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fenner Nature Center.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Breakfast with Mark Dantonio – 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center

Development, Training, & Wellness

Thursday, March 12, 2015

New Supervisor Essentials – 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Suite 10, Nisbet

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Recipe for Health Cooking Series: Olive Oil – 12:10 p.m. – 12:50 p.m., Brody Square or Online

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Healing Power of Guided Imagery – 12:10 p.m. – 12:50 p.m., Abrams Planetarium

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Communicating Up – 8:30 a.m. – noon, Suite 10, Nisbet

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Boosting Your Career with ElevateU (Lunch and Learn) – 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Suite 10, Nisbet

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Managing Confrontational Customers – 8:30 a.m. – noon., Suite 10, Nisbet