JULY — SEPTEMBER, 2016

DR. PAMELA HARDY-SHEPARD

participating in the Susan G. Komen 60-miles in 3

days event in November, 2014.

Why Stretch? By Dr. Christine McMahon

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Does your back hurt? Do you have limited range of motion when you reach over your head? Do you sit for most

of the day? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may want to consider adding a flexibility

program to your exercise routine. Flexibility is one of the five components of fitness, which also includes cardio-

vascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition. Maintaining flexibility as we

age is important to our wellness. Flexibility often peaks between the ages of 15-18 years old and then begins to

decline as early as our 20’s. Sustaining flexibility as we age helps maintain range of motion in the joints which aids in

completing simple activities we do from day to day such washing our hair or reaching into an overhead cabinet

(Anspaugh, Hamrick, & Rosato, 2011).

Limiting Factors Our flexibility and joint movement can be limited by many things, including bony structures within joints, tissue and

fat around a joint, elasticity or lack thereof of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and skin, especially if scar tissue

is evident. Other factors that affect flexibility include gender, age, and physical fitness level. Women tend to be

more flexible than men due to types of hormones that allow for the body’s tissues to stretch for childbirth. As we

age, joint mobility is often affected by conditions such as arthritis and fibrosis. Fibrosis occurs when fibrous con-

nective tissue replaces deteriorating muscle fibers. This fibrous tissue is less elastic than healthy muscle fibers

(Anspaugh, Hamrick, & Rosato, 2011).

Reducing back and neck pain If you are one of the 70% of Americans who spend their days sitting, it is likely you have experienced back or neck

pain at some point (Anspaugh, Hamrick, & Rosato, 2011). Chronic neck and back pain should be evaluated by a

doctor, but many cases last less than 7 days and can be alleviated by some simple stretches and adjustments to

work areas. It is imperative to have an ergonomically designed work space to decrease unnecessary stress on mus-

cles and joints. The details of an ergonomically designed work space are too comprehensive to discuss here but for

more information, refer to http://www.ace-pt.org/2012/12/07/desk-ergonomics/

Back and neck pain is caused by several factors including poor posture, excess body weight, weak muscles, inflexi-

ble muscles, cigarette smoking, work related injuries, osteoarthritis, or osteoporosis. In addition to including a

regular stretching regimen to your weekly routine, some other simple tips can help reduce pain in the back and

neck areas. Never sit or stand for extended periods of time. Make it a conscious effort to get up and move

around once an hour. Maintain a regular exercise program that strengthens the back and abdominal muscles,

stretch at least 3 times a week focusing on the back and hamstrings, maintain a healthy body weight, use proper

form with sitting and lifting objects, and do not smoke as it can lead to deterioration of the spine (Anspaugh,

Hamrick, & Rosato, 2011).

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Recommendations In order to improve your flexibility and decrease pain in the back or neck, the American College of Sports Medicine

(2011) recommends that flexibility exercises be completed two to three days each week. Complete each stretch

three times holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds to the point of slight discomfort.

Flexibility Routines Some common flexibility programs include Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong. Check out the following videos on how to

include a flexibility program in your exercise routine:

Free Flexibility Video: 5-Minute Stretch routine https://youtu.be/-iY5V0xiiKw

Yoga for Complete Beginners- https://youtu.be/v7AYKMP6rOE

Tai Chi and Qi Gong for Health and Wellness Video https://nccih.nih.gov/video/taichidvd-full

Benefits There are many benefits to a flexibility program. When practiced on a regular basis, flexibility has been known to do

the following: Reduce stress

Relax muscles

Improve fitness, posture, and symmetry

Relieve muscle cramps

Relieve muscle soreness

Prevent injury

Assist in return to full range of motion following injury

(Anspaugh, Hamrick, & Rosato, 2011, p. 152).

Taking only 10-20 minutes each day to stretch can significantly reduce joint stiffness and neck and back pain. Watch-

ing your posture, moving around frequently, and maintaining a healthy weight can further reduce this pain. ◆

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Membership Organizations: The spotlight is on the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) By Sandra Rebeor

Source of image: www.sophe.org/ Since the health and wellness arena is consistently evolving, it is crucial for any professional to stay atop of new research findings and best practices. This objective can be achieved in numerous ways, such as by subscribing to journals and by networking with fellow professionals at conferences and other events. Various professional organizations exist in the health and wellness arena that can benefit members through networking, internship and job opportunities, and professional develop-ment opportunities. The American Public Health Association (APHA) was highlighted in our first quarter’s newsletter in 2016. This quarter, we want to highlight The Society for Public Health Educa-tion, another wonderful professional organization that offers many benefits to its members. If you consider joining a professional organization, this one may be a good fit for you, your passion, and future goals…

Overview The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) was founded in 1950. SOPHE has close to 4,000 professional and student members within the U.S. and internationally. Through members, local chapters, and the collaboration with valuable partners across the globe, this independent organiza-tion focuses on the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits within numerous environments: primary and secondary schools, universities, healthcare settings, organizational settings, and government agen-cies (Society for Public Health Education, n.d.a).

Mission and Vision SOPHE’s mission is to provide leadership to the fields of health education and health promotion on a global basis. This organization’s vision is to create a “healthy world through health educa-tion” (Society for Public Health Education, n.d.b, line 4).

Membership Information and Benefits Membership benefits include continuing education contact hours for the following certifications: Cer-tified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), and Certified in Public Health (CPH). Members will also receive three journals on a bimonthly basis, electronic newsletters, as well as discounts on conferences and books. All members have the op-portunity to network with other professionals and access career specific resources. Membership recognition is provided through scholarships, fellowships, and awards (Society for Public Health Education, n.d.c).

Costs The cost for student membership is $75 annually. Additional membership information can be found via the following link: http://www.sophe.org/SOPHE_Brochure_043015.pdf

Additional Information Please browse the SOPHE website and the wonderful resources offered by this organization via the fol-

lowing link: http://www.sophe.org/ ◆

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So the truth is, I did not really find gardening, but gardening found me. The very first thing I planted was in 1983 when

my mother-in-law gave me three tomato plants. I did not have a “garden spot” so I just plunked them into a tiny little

area my husband dug up for me. To my surprise, they flourished and produced the best tasting and biggest tomatoes I

have ever seen. The taste of the fresh tomatoes and the joy of watching them grow hooked me! This initial gardening

experience was the catalyst to me wanting to learn more about gardening and try my hand at other vegetables.

While I enjoyed the gardening experience and tasty tomatoes of that first garden, through the years gardening became

much more than just a way to eat yummy fresh food. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the whole process of digging

in the dirt, planting, weeding, and ultimately harvesting. This yearly endeavor truly became one of my favorite stress

relievers. I never really understood why, nor did I feel the need to. I just couldn’t wait for the next spring to arrive so I

could start this process again.

Last year, in preparation for my first attempt at raised bed gardening, I attended a seminar hosted by our local garden

center and the presenter was from a local urban farm company. The young presenter was very passionate about gar-

dening and organic foods, and his enthusiasm was contagious. He ended his talk by sharing information about the men-

tal and emotional benefits of gardening. My curiosity was peaked. He share some anecdotal information, and refer-

enced a study completed by a university on these benefits. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the name of that article.

I did however, begin to poke around the internet to see what was out there on this topic. To my surprise, there are

quite a few articles available that address this topic and they covered the benefits for young children, the elderly, and

everyone in between.

Photo shared from the author’s private collection.

I will give you a list of a few articles that were of particular interest to me if you decide to check them out on your

own. But for now, I will share a few of the things that I learned. One of the articles I read pointed to information pro-

vided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which advises people of the benefits of gardening as

well as how to do it safely. According to the article, only a few hours of work in the garden per week can reduce the

risks of such ailments as: obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and colon cancer. In conjunction with the

physical benefits of gardening, this article also pointed to an experiment noted in the Journal of Health Psychology

which discussed the health benefits of gardening as a stress-relieving activity. According to this study, those subjects

that were assigned to garden showed significant decrease in stress when compared to those assigned to other activi-

ties such as reading. What could be more relaxing that enjoying a good book? Well, gardening I guess.

Continued on page 8

The Accidental Gardener By Dr. Tami Beaty

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A student’s interview with Dr. Pattenaude By Elsie Goycoolea

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I was delighted to hear from Dr. Beharie that I had been chosen to interview Dr. Pattenaude for the Health Promotion Quarterly. I would like to thank Dr. Pattenaude and his team for supporting and encouraging the work of HPQ contributors. It was a privi-

lege to learn Dr. Pattenaude’s perspective on health; as well as, bring to our readers some very valuable advice on how to start

one’s health journey.

Watch Full Interview Disclaimer: The HPQ newsletter appreciates the flexibility and willingness of both Dr. Pattenaude and Miss Goycoolea to accommodate us as we worked through technical difficulties during this interview. Please excuse the quality of the video as this was our first time testing this system. We hope to provide higher quality videos for upcoming interviews.

What Health Means to Me...

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Dr. Mingzhen Bao

Associate Dean,

College of Liberal Arts

Play video

Dr. Nina Bell

Program Chair, College of Health, Human

Services, and Science

Play video

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m... The articles I read only confirmed what I seemed to instinctually know. I felt physically better when I gardened. My

sore muscles were confirmation that it is indeed a physical activity. I also knew that I felt a deep sense of satisfac-

tion and calm. I found myself looking forward to my weekly time tending the garden and protected that time from

other demands and potential interruptions. Oddly, these feelings and enjoyment come long before the harvesting

happens. Just the tending of the garden reaps many rewards.

Photo shared from the author’s personal collection.

Speaking of harvesting, that too is a joyful experience. To grab a fresh tomato or cucumber for dinner, or to share

a bumper crop of zucchini with your neighbors brings a sense of pride and accomplishment. I cannot wait for the

summer to progress so I can begin to enjoy the healthy and fresh food and to share it with my friends and family.

This year I have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, and bell peppers to enjoy in salads and as side dishes. I

also planted lots of hot peppers, cilantro, and onions so I can try canning salsa this fall. I am feeling happy, healthy,

and proud already!

As promised, here is a list of internet articles if you would like to check this information out on your own. Many of

the articles have links in them that you can use to take a deeper look into this topic. Mental and physical benefits of gardening. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/

what_are_the_physical_and_mental_benefits_of_gardening

Eight benefits of having a garden. http://commonsensehome.com/dirt-therapy/

Gardening for your health http://webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/gardening-health?print=true

The health and wellbeing benefits of gardening and growing your own food. http://ahta.org/news/benefits-

gardening-and-good-growing-health-and-wellbeing

Why gardening is good for your health. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/08/why.gardening.good/#

Children and gardening therapy. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/9084308/Gardening-therepy-helps-

children-grow.html

Horticultural therapy and why gardening makes us feel so good physically and mentally.

http://telegraph.co.uk/gardening/10862087/Horticultural-therapy-Gardening-makes-us-feel-renewed-inside.html Gardening may help cure depression. http://telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11070093/How-gardening-helped-

curemy-depression.html ◆

Continued from page 5 — The Accidental Gardener

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Summer is here and some of us are feeling the heat! One go-to for many of us at this time of year is the watermel-

on, and rightfully so. Since watermelon is approximately 92 percent water it is an excellent thirst-quencher. How-

ever, there is more to a watermelon than just providing hydration and electrolytes – much more! Watermelons

pack a nutritious punch by providing vitamins (A, B1, B6, and C), amino acids, antioxidants, and lycopene in signifi-

cant amounts. In fact, scientists have noted that watermelon has some of the highest amounts of lycopene com-

pared to other fresh produce. Lycopene helps the body to trigger healthy reactions and has been linked with heart

and bone health, prostate cancer prevention, and even anti-inflammatory properties. NOTE: the riper (more red)

your watermelon, the higher the concentration of lycopene so let your watermelon fully ripen to reap the most

health benefits linked to lycopene. It can be difficult to judge ripeness and taste without checking a wedge section of

the melon so try to find one that is heavy for its size with rind that is relatively smooth, neither overly shiny nor

overly dull.

In addition to lycopene, the amino acids citrulline and arginine in watermelon juice help to improve circulation which

is helpful in reducing next-day muscle soreness and heart rate after intense workouts for athletes. Watermelon is

also a good source of fiber which aids in digestion and maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Watermelon is a good

source of potassium and potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help control heart rate

and blood pressure which in turn protects against stroke and coronary heart diseases. Plus, watermelon can be the

perfect summer snack because it is fat-free, very low in sodium and has only 40 calories per cup. Snack time!

I went alcohol-free and added honeydew for an additional pop of color and flavor to Amy Johnson’s Mint Melon

Salad Recipe. Try my version below (or both) to help you stay cool this summer.

SUMMER MELON SALAD

Ingredients

½ cup Water

1 cup Sugar

2-½ cups (approximately) Watermelon Balls

2-½ cups (approximately) Cantaloupe Balls

2-½ cups (approximately) Honeydew Balls

½ cup Mint Leaves, Packed

¼ cup Lemon Juice

¼ teaspoon Almond extract (Nut-free

Alternative: ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract)

Directions Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and

stir, making sure that all sugar is dissolved. The liquid will thicken slightly and should remain clear. Remove from

heat and let cool. (Note: You are only using a portion of this syrup. Refrigerate the remainder for a few days if

you’d like, for use in another recipe. It’s great for sweetening tea or water.)

Then use a melon baller to scoop about 2 1/2 cups of watermelon, 2 1/2 cups cantaloupe, and 2 1/2 cups honeydew

into a large mixing bowl and set aside. If you don’t have a melon baller you can always cut up the melon into about 1

-1 1/2″ squares. Once the simple syrup has cooled, blend 1/4 cup of the simple syrup, mint, lemon juice and al-

mond/vanilla extract in a blender until mint is finely chopped.

Pour the mixture over the melon pieces and combine well. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate until ready to

serve.

If you want to try your hand at a unique presentation for this salad and truly impress your guests, see the original

recipe by Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network where she used a hollowed out half of a watermelon as the

bowl. Fancy!

Enjoy! :) ◆

It’s getting hot in here! By Dr. Roxanne Beharie

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If you know an Ashford student or faculty member (it could even be yourself!) who is making great strides in a health-related field, nominate that person for one of the fol-lowing awards :

1. Innovator Award – presented to a student/faculty member who is making an im-

pact on the field in new and innovative ways. Only work between November 1, 2015 and October 31, 2016 qualify.

2. Community Service Award – presented to a student/faculty member who is

making an impact on their community’s health through volunteering or other com-munity service initiatives. Only service between November 1, 2015 and October 31, 2016 qualify.

3. Something to Say Award – presented to a student/faculty member who has

made presentation (at health conferences, before congress on health-related mat-ters, etc.) and/or published multiple health-related articles (in peer-reviewed jour-nals, blogs, newsletters, newspapers, etc.). Only presentations and publications between November 1, 2015 and October 31, 2016 qualify.

All nominations must be submitted by 11:59p.m. MST on Thursday, November 1, 2016. The winners will receive an award in the mail and be highlighted in the January, 2017 issue of the HPQ newsletter. Submit the following information for your nominee to healthpromotionquarterly@ashford.edu: 1. Name of nominee: 2. Degree Program of nominee at Ashford: 3. 4-sentence bio of the nominee: 4. Award for which the person is being nominated: (Choose only one award). 5. Reason for nomination: (Only include information relevant to the award for which

the person is being nominated).

Let’s celebrate the successes of Ashford’s students and faculty! :)

New to the HPQ…

AWARDS!!!

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Your

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July • National Minority Mental Health Month • Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month • Cord Blood Awareness Month • National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month • 28 World Hepatitis Day

August • Children's Eye Health and Safety Month • National Breastfeeding Month • National Immunization Awareness Month • Psoriasis Awareness Month • 1 - 7 World Breastfeeding Week

September • Childhood Cancer Awareness Month • Fruits & Veggies—More Matters ® Month • Healthy Aging ® Month • National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month • Prostate Cancer Awareness Month • 5 - 11 National Suicide Prevention Week • 28 National Women's Health & Fitness Day

Next Quarter Conferences 4th International Conference on HIV/AIDS, STDs and STIs October 3-5, 2016 | Orlando, FL APHA 2016 Annual Meeting October 29-November 2, 2016 | Denver, CO 2nd International Conference on Flu November 7-9, 2016 | San Francisco, CA

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Contr

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Dr. Roxanne Beharie is an Assistant Professor with Ashford Univer-sity. Dr. Beharie earned her doctorate in Public Health from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Beharie also earned a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh and an MPA in Health Services Management from Mercy College.

Elsie Goycoolea is an international Ashford student from Spain pursuing a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications. She is a Healthy Lifestyle enthusiast and she currently combines her studies with writing on her personal blog: sharing healthiness.

Dr. Tami Beaty serves as Associate Dean for the College of Health, Human Services, and Science. She and her husband live in Denver and together they have two grown children who live in Denver as well. She is the proud “Grammy” of two grandsons and she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, gardening, and is learning photography.

Dr. Nina M. Bell is the chair of the BA in Health Education for Ash-ford University. She earned her PhD and MPH from Walden University and has been at Ashford since 2011. Founder of the children’s health program known as Way to Win for Life (W2W4Life), Dr. Bell has worked as a health educator for children and youth since 2006.

Dr. Mingzhen Bao is an Associate Dean in the College of Liberal Arts at Ashford University. She received her PhD in Linguistics with a focus on Phonetics and Second Language Acquisition from University of Florida. Her MA in Applied Linguistics and BA in English are from Zhejiang Uni-versity, China. Prior to Ashford, Dr. Bao served as Assistant Professor and Director of Chinese Language Instruction at University of Kentucky.

Dr. Christine McMahon is an Assistant Professor in Ashford Universi-ty’s College of Health, Human Services, and Science. She received a Doc-torate in Health Education from AT Still University in Kirksville, MO, and a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology and Sports Studies from Eastern Illinois University in Charles-ton, IL.

Sandra Rebeor is a full time Instructor at Ashford and primarily teaches courses in the Health and Wellness program. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Camp-bell University and a Master’s of Science in Health Sciences: Emergency and Disaster Management.

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Than

ks!!

Special Thanks

A very special thank you goes out to our copy editor for this edition, Heather Auger, Instructor of English, Division of General Education.

Why Stretch?

1. American College of Sports Medicine. (2011). ACSM issues new recommendations on quantity and quality of exer-

cise. Retrieved from http://acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01acsm-issues-new-

recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise

2. Anspaugh, D., Hamrik, M., & Rosato, F. (2011). Wellness concepts and applications. (8th ed.). New York: NY,

McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Membership Organizations: The spotlight is on the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)

1. Society for Public Health Education (n.d.a). About SOPHE. Retrieved from http://www.sophe.org/about.cfm

2. Society for Public Health Education (n.d.b). Our mission. Retrieved from http://www.sophe.org/mission.cfm

3. Society for Public Health Education (n.d.c). Membership at a glance. Retrieved from http://www.sophe.org/

member_resources.cfm

On the front cover:

Dr. Pamela Hardy-Shepard, Program Chair, Master of Public Health

ALL IMAGES USED WITH PERMISSION.

If you would like to be a part of future editions of the Health Promotion Quarterly newsletter, including be-ing on the cover (see Dr. Pamela Hardy-Shepard on the cover of this issue), please email Dr. Roxanne Beharie, Editor-in-Chief, at: healthpromotionquarterly@ashford.edu.

To view the April 2016 edition of the Health Promotion Quarterly newsletter, press the Ctrl key and click on the picture below: Click the “Follow publisher” button to get notifications of the newest editions of the Health Promotion Quarterly newsletter. Here’s to your health!

“Fre

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