‘Wellness Wednesdays: Celebrating Health & Holiday’ Series to Provide Encouragement, Sense of Community

TUCSON, Ariz. — As one of the most challenging years in recent memory comes to a close, the University of Arizona Health Sciences is launching “Wellness Wednesdays: Celebrating Health & Holiday” – a free, seven-week e-newsletter series designed to encourage participants and build a sense of community to increase health and decrease stress.

The “Wellness Wednesdays: Celebrating Health & Holiday” weekly e-newsletter will provide helpful tips and expert resources, along with easy recipes, practical exercises and stress-reducing techniques, all designed to improve the mind, body and spirit.

“We incorporate enjoyable, engaging ways to improve overall wellness, rather than the typical ‘maintain/no-gain challenges’ that are popular at the end of the year,” said Annemarie Medina, MBA, UArizona Health Sciences director of corporate and community relations for Tucson. “We understand times are difficult for everyone during the pandemic. We want our community to know we are in this together.”

The newsletter will be delivered each Wednesday from Nov. 18 to Jan. 5, 2021, and subscribers will have an opportunity to earn prizes along the way. Online registration and full details can be found here.

“For the holidays, we are excited to introduce several elements of wellness including meditation, yogic breathing, wonders of the microbiome, movement and more,” said Farshad “Dr. Shad” Fani Marvasti, MD, MPH, associate professor and director of public health, prevention and health promotion in the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Department of Family, Community and Preventive Medicine. “It is important to maintain healthy habits, particularly now with the pandemic. Losing a few pounds, or adding more vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits to your diet can boost your immunity and prevent most major diseases. We know that the holidays can be a stressful time for many, making it harder for us to stay on track with our health goals. With the right tools and encouragement, you can maintain an ideal weight, enjoy healthy eating, and decrease your level of stress and anxiety.”

The Celebrating Health & Holiday series complements Wellness Wednesdays: A Community Connection, a series of free virtual lunchtime events launched earlier this year to promote nutritious foods, healthy minds and strong bodies. There are two more live Wellness Wednesday sessions this year: “Tai Chi for Health and Well-Being” on Nov. 18, and “Awareness Through Movement: Improving Your Health and Life Using the Feldenkrais Method” on Dec. 2. To register for these sessions visit: https://mailchi.mp/ahsc.arizona.edu/wellness-wednesdays  

# # #

NOTE: Images available here – https://arizona.box.com/s/5awzvyrp9gezblx9nt64y8fjhcekfsuf

About the University of Arizona Health Sciences
The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. UArizona Health Sciences includes the Colleges of Medicine (Tucson and Phoenix), Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona, the greater Southwest and around the world to provide next-generation education, research and outreach. A major economic engine, Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).