Monthly Message-April 2012
Dear SFS-Q Colleagues:

It is wonderful to be here with you in Doha and to get a first hand look at how your community has embraced wellness and incorporated it into every day. While I'm in the neighborhood I plan to join you for the GU Olympics Flag Football Game and Easter Event on April 3. And, as you wrap up your annual GU-Q Walking Challenge, I am honored and delighted to be able to announce this year's winners and look forward to celebrating with all the participants. Stay tuned for details.

Although some of your wellness activities may be slowing as end-of-year activities ramp up, it's exciting to see the great progress being made through your Step Into Action challenge. Wellness Wednesday lunchtime discussions will continue along with many of the ongoing fitness classes you've come to love. See below for topics, times and locations.

One wonderful addition that has been made to your wellness program is the addition of a gym instructor (thanks to QF!) to help facilitate safe use of the facilities and equipment and to provide personal fitness advice and programming. I hope that you will take advantage of this terrific new resource. Please stop by, say hello and find out how you can benefit with some guidance from a fitness professional.

April wellness highlights for SFS-Q:
Wellness Programs

What: Sun Care Information
When: From Sunday April 15 to April 22
Time: All day
Where: SFS-Q Atrium
Note: Pick up some information and a personal Sun care kit (while supplies last!)

As part of Sun Care Information Session, medical representatives from Pierre Fabre-Dermo Cosmetique (Avene and Ducray) will be providing an informational and skin analysis session, with sample products to try.  Don't miss it!
When :  Wednesday, April 18th
Time :  11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Where :  SFS-Q Atrium

What: Self Defense
Instructor: Maryam Hayati
When: Second Round Starts Today, Sunday April 15
Time: 5:30-7:00 PM
Where: Performance Art Room, Ground Floor
Who: Female faculty, staff and students (No men are allowed during this time)

What: Meditation
Instructor: Mahnaz Mousavi (Mondays)
                    Mary Bryan (Tuesdays)
When: Mondays Time: 3:20-3:50 PM
When:Tuesdays Time: 12-12.30 PM
Where: Interfaith Room, 2nd floor
Who: All students, staff and faculty 

What: Yoga
Instructor: Nadiane Bastin
When: Mondays
Time: 5-6 PM
Where: Performance Art Room, Ground Floor
Who: Faculty and staff
Requirements: comfortable clothing, mats provided

What: Aikido (Martial Art)
Instructor: Bernard Assaf
When: Mondays
Time: 6:15-7:45 PM
Where: Performance Art Room, Ground Floor
Who: All faculty, staff and students
Requirements: Comfortable clothing, preferably Aikido Kimono (or Judo Kimono)
Optional: Wooden tools (Ken, Jo, Tanto) for special practice, Zori (special outfit)

What: Step Aerobics
Instructor: Shelley Ford
When: Tuesdays
Time: 5:00-6:00 PM
Where: Performance Art Room, Ground Floor
Who: All faculty, staff and students
Requirements: comfortable clothing, appropriate athletic shoes

What: Capoeira
Instructor: Mari Luomi
When: Wednesdays
Time: 4.45-6 PM
Where: Performance Art Room, Ground Floor
Who: Faculty and staff
Requirements: comfortable clothing

What: Ballroom Dancing
Instructor:Marlene Canlas, Kevin Gomes
When: Sundays and Thursdays
Time: 5.15-6.45pm
Where:MSFS - Sundays
             Performance Art Room - Thursdays
Who: Faculty and staff
Requirements: comfortable clothing

All classes and groups are free for faculty, staff and students.

It's great to be in Doha. I look forward to speaking and celebrating with you and hearing all about your wellness stories.

Be well,

Charles DeSantis
Associate Vice President & Chief Benefits Officer
-- 
Director, Communications/GUWellness: Mind, Body, Soul
Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits
Georgetown University

Wellness Articles
Nutrition facts labels
Helping you make healthier shopping choices
Heart Failure, Coronary Artery Disease, Arrhythmia, High Blood Pressure, Heart Attack

Sleep Apnea and Obesity, an article by Vianesa Vargas

If you are suffering from sleep apnea, it may be time to take a closer look at the connection between sleep apnea and obesity. While lack of sleep won't directly cause the body to gain weight, there are many indirect factors that can lead to weight gain, making it much harder to lose or maintain your weight.

Here are some of the most important connections to be aware of.

Tips for Sleeping Well by FSAP's Dan McKenna, MA, LPC

The following are recommendations that sleep researchers1 have suggested will improve the quality of your sleep. I recommend following as many of these steps as you can for three weeks to see if you notice improvement. Often, clients improve sleep quality within the first few days after changing their behaviors around sleep. Continue to take medications regularly during this time. Research suggests that the combination of changing your sleep behavior and use of sleep medication is helpful in improving the quality of sleep. Once you are sleeping well, you can consult your doctor about decreasing or stopping sleep medications.

Exercising in the heat by Professor Ed Ingebretsen
When exercising in a hot environment (86 degrees F), even a little loss of fluid will impair performance and increase the possibility of suffering a heat injury. Proper hydration impacts health on an assortment of levels and is necessary for proper digestion of food and cellular metabolic processes.

A child’s ability to see the blackboard and the words on a page clearly is critical to their learning experience.  Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness month in an effort to encourage parents to learn about ways they can help protect their child’s vision.