Keeping your heart healthy is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle. February is American Heart Health Month, a time for Americans to focus on cardiovascular disease and ways it can be prevented. This month, we are reminded to lower the risk of developing heart disease by making lifestyle changes this new year. Focus on choosing healthy foods, staying physically active, controlling cholesterol, blood pressure, stress, and limiting alcohol.
One of the best Valentine’s Day gifts is a healthy heart. This year, gift a loved one the opportunity to learn new ways to love their heart. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides numerous online courses that cover topics, such as, health, nutrition, and wellness courses that focus on our bodies and lifestyles.
Visit agrilifelearn.tamu.edu for a complete list of courses. Beneficial courses for heart health include:
Eating Well for Healthy Living: a 3- lesson course designed to reduce stress through meal planning and physical activity.
Cooking Well with Diabetes: a 4- lesson course the gives the basics of nutrition for diabetes and cooking techniques to reduce fat, sodium, and add fruits and vegetables to your plates.
Dashing Your Way to Improved Health: This one-hour course will teach you how to manage high blood pressure with healthy eating patterns and salt substitutions.
Step Up Scale Down: a 12-week wellness program that focuses on a different topics related to nutrition, healthy eating, and exercise.
These courses offer practical suggestions, new recipes, and materials to help maintain a healthy weight and take the stress out of meal planning.
Contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office at 325-646-0386 more information on programs offered locally, as well as online courses.
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AgriLife Extension honors employees statewide with
Superior Service Awards Outstanding performance, service to Texans recognized
Faculty and staff of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, gathered from across the state, received the agency’s Superior Service Award during a ceremony Jan. 28 in Bryan-College Station.
The Superior Service Award is the agency’s highest award, recognizing personnel who provide outstanding performance in education or other services to the organization and Texas residents, said Rick Avery, Ph.D., interim director for AgriLife Extension, Bryan-College Station.
“These award winners are to be commended for the exemplary work they do each day to improve the lives of Texans, both in their respective counties and across the state,” Avery said. “Their educational outreach and technical assistance help Texans meet society’s challenges as well as their individual needs. We are incredibly thankful for their service.”
All recipients are with AgriLife Extension unless otherwise indicated. The categories and names of individuals receiving the Superior Service Award are:
Diversity –Team
Coming Together for Racial Understanding Team — Team members are Dawn Burton, health coordinator, Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, CEP; JaNelle Casson, 4-H program specialist, Temple; Sonja Stueart-Davis, family and community health agent, Harris County; Amy Ressler, family and community health agent, Montgomery County; Craig Rotter, Ph.D., executive director, Texas Rural Leadership Program, Bryan-College Station; Mario Villarino, agriculture and natural resources agent, Hopkins County; Courtney Parrott, family and community health agent, Brown County. Derrick Banks, CEP agriculture and natural resources, Fort Bend County; Daisy Castillo, Better Living for Texans agent, Nueces County; Natalie Cervantes, 4-H and youth development agent, Bexar County; Monty Dozier, Ph.D., director, Disaster Assessment and Recovery, Bryan-College Station; Liz Espie, family and community health agent, Ellis County; Andie Everett, CEP community and economic development agent, El Paso County; John Ferguson, CEP 4-H and youth development agent, Cass County; Molly Forman, family and community health agent, Hall County; Corey Hicks, CEP agriculture and natural resources agent, Houston County; Ryan Merrel, 4-H and youth development agent, Angelina County; Jennifer Nickell, CEP family and community health agent, Potter County;
The Coming Together for Racial Understanding work group is a collective of professionals connected by their passion for helping AgriLife Extension and the communities it serves to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive. Collectively contributing over 33,600 work hours, providing direct training and support for over 1,800 people and creating a comprehensive survey analysis, the group has made a significant impact that exemplifies the true meaning of superior service and dedication to diversity and pluralism.