STAY CONNECTED ‌ ‌ ‌ LiveWELL PlayWELL EatWELL WorkWELL por tu salud Mental wellness play such an important role in your overall health. It is necessary to prioritize taking care of your mental health in the same way you would any other area of your health. In this newsletter, you’ll learn simple tips to incorporate mental wellness into your self-care practices.

LiveWELL Practicing self-care for your mental health

Self-care encompasses doing things that contribute to  your overall well-being emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. NIH shares simple practices that you can incorporate into your lifestyle to ensure you are being mindful of your mental health. Please see below for three simple ways to practice self-care for your mental health: 1. Set goals and priorities: Look at your list of goals and to-do list items and prioritize the ones that are the most important to accomplish. If your plate is full, it’s okay to  say no to new projects for the moment. Furthermore, if at the end of the day you don’t accomplish all the items you had planned, reflect on the progress you made and what  you were able to get done.  2. Practice gratitude: Every day there are so many things to be grateful for. It’s so important to take moments in the day to reflect specifically on the things you are grateful  for by writing them down or replaying them in your head.  3. Make sleep a priority: Try your best to stick to a sleeping schedule as much as possible and turn off electronic devices that emit blue light. Doing so can improve your quality of sleep and positively impact your mental wellbeing. Article derived from nimh.nih.org

PlayWELL Wellness AtoZ Spring Activities

This Spring we encourage you to put your health and wellness first with our Spring Activity Challenge, Wellness Wonders. The Spring activity challenge leads up to our annual celebration, Wellness AtoZ Day on the third Sunday of May. We encourage you to get your hearts pumping alongside your coworkers, family, and friends to celebrate healthy living in the state of Arizona! Let us know you are participating in these Wellness Wonders Spring activities by submitting a short form on our website with the activities you’re doing! Don’t forget to tag us on social media @GoWellnessAtoZ so that we can repost your pictures! Check out the activities below that you can do with your coworkers, family, and friends this Spring! Giveback: Find a way to give back to your community by finding an organization with a cause you are passionate about and volunteering with them. Fuel with a healthy meal: Get creative and bring your family together to try a new healthy recipe for a meal or a snack with these recipe ideas from the American Heart Association! Don’t forget to take a picture of your new meal and tag us @GoWellnessAtoZ. Register for Wellness AtoZ Day: Join us for a morning of fun activities, resources, and community as we celebrate health and wellness at Encanto Park in Phoenix. Explore Arizona Outdoors: Take a stroll, hike, or bike ride outdoors while practicing social distancing. The weather is perfect to explore some of Arizona’s natural wonders such as hiking trails, canals, parks, and mountains. Practice Mindfulness Moments: Mindfulness is important for our overall well-being. Find a few minutes throughout your day to practice by reading a book, journaling, or meditating. See these suggestions from @ASUCenterforMindfulness.

EatWELL Refresh with a natural agua fresca

Warm weather calls for refreshing food and drinks! With just 4 ingredients, you can create a homemade, natural fruit juice that is ideal for a warm spring day.

PITAYA AGUA FRESCA Recipe and photo adapted from the recipe blog at mondaycampaigns.org INGREDIENTS: 3 fresh pitayas (dragon fruit) 6 cups water ½ cup cane sugar or agave 2 limes   DIRECTIONS: The first step is to cut the pitayas in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Then, add the pulp to a blender along with the lime juice, sweetener of choice, and 3-4 cups of water. Next, blend the mixture on high until no chunks of fruit remain, then pour the mixture into a jar or pitcher. Add the rest of the water and stir. Taste and adjust the sweetener to your preferences. Lastly, place in your fridge to chill for a few hours, or serve your agua de pitahaya immediately over ice with lime, lemon, or more pitaya wedges

WorkWELL Wellness AtoZ Day

Register for Wellness AtoZ Day! The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s wellness initiative, Wellness AtoZ, is excited to celebrate its 5th anniversary with Wellness AtoZ Day on Sunday, May 15th. Proclaimed as Wellness AtoZ Day in the State of Arizona by Governor Doug Ducey, we are excited to come together in person to celebrate the health and wellness opportunities that Arizona has to offer. Join us for a community event in partnership with Fit4Phoenix which includes a health and wellness resource fair, an employee walk, instructor-led mini fitness sessions, and more!

WELLCommunity Clean, good, and fair access to food for all

Slow Foods is an organization that is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive food community whose values include local partnerships, food policy, taste and place, and sustainability. Through this, they advocate providing access to good, fair, and clean food for everyone. If you feel connected to this important work, visit their website to learn more about how to get connected and volunteer opportunities.