STAY CONNECTED ‌ ‌ ‌ LiveWELL PlayWELL EatWELL WorkWELL por tu salud Take charge of your health and put yourself on the path to wellness. Health and wellness means living life fully with vitality and meaning. Wellness looks different for each individual and evolves as our lifestyles change.  Oral Health is a big indicator of our overall health. Our oral health can be an indicator of nutritional deficiencies, infections, and even diseases within our bodies. We hope this newsletter provides helpful information on ways to support your oral health.

LiveWELL Oral health and colds

Sinuses are air chambers that rest behind your cheeks, eyebrows, and jawbones. They have tiny hairs (“cilia”) inside them, which help clean out mucus and keep air chambers free of debris. However, when you get a cold, the chambers can get blocked with excess mucus. The bacteria begin to spread, which often results in illness. Since one of the air chambers is located above and behind the upper jaw, it can cause what seems like a serious toothache when in fact it is just sinus pain. Other illnesses that may be the root of all of your (tooth pain) evil: The flu Sinus infection If your tooth pain continues even after your cold is gone, you may have a dental problem. Make an appointment with your dentist so you know for sure. For more oral health tips and information, visit deltadentalazblog.com.

PlayWELL F is for fall fitness

Fall is the perfect time to take your physical activity to the great outdoors! The weather is cooling down and while many of us are still trying to maintain safe social distancing, an open space such as a local park provides plenty of opportunities to get moving. Check out the three quick tips below to help you set your fall fitness goals! 1.    Create goals that work for you It is important to establish manageable and specific goals that work for you and your current lifestyle. Starting this month, set two or three goals that you would like to accomplish. Be specific and set your plan of action in advance by writing it down or creating a “vision board” to help you stay motivated.   2.    Enjoy the cooler weather By the time fall rolls around, Arizonans are ready for that long awaited break from the heat. This season provides a wonderful opportunity to get outdoors and experience Arizona’s natural wonders by hiking, biking, running, or walking along our vast array of mountain paths, park trails, or canals. Since we are still being vigilant in stopping the spread of COVID-19,, being outdoors is a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family while maintaining safe social distancing.   3.    Rejuvenate yourself Remember, mental health is just as important as physical health. The weather can play a big role in our moods and a new season is a great opportunity for a new and refreshing change in our lives. Some ways you can rejuvenate your mind and body this fall are by incorporating a daily ten-minute mindfulness practice, taking an art or music class, writing in a journal, and practicing gratitude every day. Derived from bamboocorefitness.com

EatWELL Healthy halloween snack

Looking for healthy options this Halloween? This easy Frankenguac recipe is a great option for your overall health! Especially on a day when lots of sweet treats are traditionally involved.  FRANKENGUAC Ingredients 1 can whole black olive 3 Avocados 1 small white onion 1 sprig cilantro 1 small lime 1 bag blue corn tortilla chips Salt and pepper to taste Make the Guacamole: In a bowl, smash 3 avocados with a fork Chop ¼ of the onion. Mince 3 tablespoons of cilantro. Mix onion and cilantro with the avocado. Squeeze in 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Add about ¾ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Create Frakenguac: Spread the guacamole across a flat serving sheet into a rectangle. Slice three olives into slivers to create the stitching for the scar and mouth. Use whole olives for the neck bolts and nose. Add two dollops of sour cream before placing the two whole olives for eyes. Scatter blue corn tortilla chips above your Frakenguac for a wild hair style. Bake for 20 minutes.  *Recipe and photo courtesy of Delta Dental

WorkWELL Five Innovative ways employers are practicing health and wellness

SPOTLIGHT ON DELTA DENTAL

Like all of you, Delta Dental of Arizona has been doing our best to weather the COVID-19 pandemic while staying focused on our mission. Pandemics can be distracting, but it’s served to clarify our focus and test our resolve when it comes to living our values. Our stated intent from the beginning was to not profit from this pandemic and with so many people in need, we looked for where we could make the biggest impact: To ensure the safety of patients and dental office staff, we allocated $3 million to help our network dentists buy personal protective equipment, supplies and technology to safely provide dental services. More than 2,900 group dental customers received a 50% premium credit on their June invoice. We also announced rate freezes for approximately 650 small- to medium-sized businesses renewing their PPO dental/and or vision plans. We saw that community health centers were struggling to provide care for underserved and uninsured populations as COVID-19 spread through Arizona. Through the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, we donated $500,000 to the 23 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across the state and donated several hundred surgical masks to support Phoenix health care and front-line workers. In partnership with the Arizona Department of Administration, 30,000 toothbrushes and 30,000 tubes of toothpaste were donated to 90 organizations serving the homeless and vulnerable populations across the state. 24 Delta Dental of Arizona employees volunteered in the community, participating in a local blood drive and assisting the HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank. In addition, our employees have been working from home since March. When we learned that most associates did not have a home office set up designed for months of remote work, each one received $750 to spend outfitting their home workspace. We think it’s a good idea to have a dedicated workspace to focus in, but it’s also great to be able to walk away from at the end of the day. Work-life balance is still a thing, even during a pandemic. It seems like ages ago, but there was a time when toilet paper was a scarce resource. At the time, this created a lot of stress for our associates. With our workforce largely working from home, we were no longer going through as much toilet paper at our building. So we provided up to 2 rolls a week to our associates until it was available again in stores. Based on employee response, you’d have thought we were passing out gold bars. Did we anticipate we would list toilet paper as our most beloved benefit in 2020? No, but benefits should follow employee needs. Striving to improve lives is in our mission and our DNA. It’s what makes Delta Dental of Arizona a good partner and a great place to work.

Health & Wellness Share with us how your team is practicing health and wellness

Many of our Wellness AtoZ employers have taken steps to implement health and safety efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we encourage you to share with us! Email us at info@wellnessatoz.org and let us know the innovative ways your company has supported your wellbeing. Look for us to highlight your efforts on our social sites!

WELLCommunity Waste Not

This year has brought a lot of uncertainty and instability to many families. Some are experiencing the unease of not knowing where their next meal will come from. Organizations like Waste Not create sustainable foods systems that eliminate food waste and hunger by delivering nutritious food to people in need that otherwise would have been thrown away. If you are interested in helping provide individuals and families with healthy, nutritious food, visit handsonphoenix.org for more details.