Health and Wellness: Challenges and Responsibilities Resources

This list provides a starting point for a number of outstanding (and free!) health and wellness resources available on the Internet. Also below are links and resources specifically for college and WIU students.

Health and Wellness Portals

Wellness.com: A comprehensive source for health and wellness information. Includes index of health and wellness professionals, expert articles and blogs, online discussions, and fitness calculators.
Wellness Channel: A collection of online videos, podcasts, and interviews organized by the seven dimensions of wellness. A media player with audio playback is required.
Health Finder: The Department of Health and Human Services' health portal, providing reliable and timely news and reports on advances in health and wellness. Includes a comprehensive health library, drug interaction checker, and over more than 50 calculators and screeners.
http://www.healthypeople.gov/: Description and resources related to the joint government (DHHS) and corporate sponsored initiative to measure and improve the national health condition. Includes access to national data, regional meetings and events, and summary reports.

Wellness Wheel Dimensions

The Wellness Wheel depicts the six (or seven) dimensions of wellness and explains how each dimension affects one's lifestyle and daily functioning. View a video about the wellness wheel here, and read a complete description of each wellness dimension at Ball State's Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology.

Physical Wellness: The physical dimension encompasses nutrition, exercise and fitness, and overall health.
Environmental Wellness: The environmental dimension involves one's impact on his or her surroundings and how those same surroundings affect him or her.
Social Wellness: The social dimension regards friendship, community involvement, and diversity.
Emotional Wellness: The emotional dimension includes managing stress, and developing supportive relationships and listening skills.
Spiritual Wellness: The spiritual dimension involves understanding and appreciating one's values, beliefs, and purpose.
Intellectual Wellness: The intellectual dimension involves seeking out and engaging in mental challenge and development opportunities throughout the lifespan.
Occupational Wellness: The occupational (or vocational) dimension involves developing skills and expertise which bolster job commitment and satisfaction.

Personalized Health and Wellness Assessments

Health Quiz: Take a quick quiz to evaluate your current health and fitness.
Wellness Quiz: Take a quiz to evaluate your current Wellness Wheel.

College Health and Wellness

15 College Health Tips: Great advice for simple changes students can make to stay healthy and enjoy college.
Nutrition 101: Solid nutrition advice for college students and for developing healthy eating and fitness habits early in one's college career.
Bacchus Network: A network of campus organizations with resources, programs, and training materials related to alcohol, tobacco, and sexuality.
SmarterSex.org: The premier resource for reliable sexual health information. Includes science and medicine news, relationship advice, and sexual transmitted infection symptoms and treatments.
Healthy Minds: A collection of information and recommendations for common mental issues among college students. Includes discussions and reports on alcohol use, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
4 College Women: An outstanding portal covering issues from homesickness to cancer. Includes articles, online calculators and checkups, links to bulletin boards & support networks, and information on alternative or complementary medicine.
Freshman 15: Premier resource regarding the common phenomenon of weight gain during one's first year of college and advice on how to avoid it. Includes personal anecdotes, FAQs, and fact sheets about lifestyle changes that frequently occur during college.

Health and Wellness at WIU

Art That Heals: Visit the University Art Gallery to see visual artwork used for healing by various cultures.
Beu Health Center: Visit Beu Health Center for a wide array of health services and information specifically tailors for college students and college health.
University Counseling: Visit the University Counseling Center for confidential academic, personal, and career counseling and assistance.
Psychology Clinic: Visit the Psychology Clinic for individual and couples psychotherapy and mental health assessment.
Writing Center: Visit the Writing Center for assistance developing writing strategies and skills.
Academic Services: Visit Academic Services for free tutoring in select courses.
Hotline: If you need to talk, the Hotline listens, 309-298-3211. All calls are 100% confidential. Hours: 7:00pm to 1:00am.

Above is only a sampling of the health and wellness resources and services available from WIU and the surrounding community. Please visit Beu's resource page for a comprehensive list.

List compiled by Colin R. Harbke, 7/28/2008.