START THE WEEK OFF RIGHT: Campaign promotes living well in March – Quad-Cities Online

START THE WEEK OFF RIGHT: Campaign promotes living well in March

Raising kids, eating right, spending smart, living well — that’s the theme of a national Living Well Campaign that is being promoted by the Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, both at the national level and here in the Quad-City area during the month of March. The goal of the Living Well Campaign is to provide people with the education and information they need in order to “live well.”

FCS Educators have been providing educational services to improve the lives of individuals and families in their communities for over 100 years. We are the original social influencers!

Whether you are trying to manage your diabetes through meal planning and exercise, make decisions about health care and insurance, or get tips on effective parenting techniques, Extension probably has a research-based answer.

Living Well is all about balance

What does living well mean to you? To me it’s a balance between the different dimensions of wellness: physical, occupational, spiritual, emotional, social and mental. When we find time to focus on each of these dimensions, we’ll bring more harmony into our lives. Self-care is a necessary thing that people often neglect. More will lead to self-compassion and the ability to extend that compassion to others. There is not a one-size-fits-all self-care plan so focus on the activities and practices that bring joy to your life. Incorporating self-care into your daily routine will keep you feeling motivated to reach your goals.

Resources at your fingertips

At one time FCS educators were called Home Demonstration Agents and they traveled by train and buggy to people’s homes to provide education. Now, the vehicle of choice may be smart phones or other technologies to reach people in their homes.

Here is a list of Extension resources developed to help you live well, no matter where you are:

Extension Spotlight Series on WOC News Talk 1420 AM is presented in partnership with University of Illinois Extension and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Each week, we’ll be discussing programs and resources for food, family life, gardening health and well-being, kids and teens, disaster recovery and money management. Tune in Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Wellness Wake Up Call Podcast on WVIK, Quad-Cites NPR (90.3 FM). Four-minute episodes covering topics that matter most to your wellness journey. Recordings available at WVIK.org/wellness.
Extending Wellness Texting Program. Once signed up, you will receive text messages weekly on a variety of topics geared towards healthy finances, healthy living/healthy aging and healthy eating. Sign up at this link: https://go.illinois.edu/wellnesstips.
University of Illinois Extension (serving Henry, Mercer, Rock Island and Stark Counties). Visit our new website to learn more about us, what we can do for you and a list of our upcoming programs: https://extension.illinois.edu/hmrs.