Wild, Wonderful Wellness Challenge

Simple challenges that can lead to healthier lifestyles for West Virginians, that’s the concept behind WVU Extension Service’s website: the Wild, Wonderful Wellness Challenge.

The site offers a weekly health challenge, healthy recipes and participant blogs. Links to other community-based WVU and WVU Extension resources are also provided. The goal is to create a place where visitors can set their own goals to improve their well-being.

“Wellness isn’t about weight-loss,” Emily Murphy, WVU Extension Specialist, said. “This challenge is focused on helping participants improve their emotional, social and physical health.”

Murphy suggests that a main barrier to changing bad habits is that people set unrealistic goals when it comes to improving health.

“We understand that if you set an unrealistic goal then you’re setting yourself up for failure,” she said. “Our challenge focuses on simple and realistic steps that you can incorporate into your daily routines.”

Challenges might be something like replacing one can of soda a day with a glass of water or taking a 15-minute walk on your lunch break.

“You don’t have to move mountains to make a change,” Murphy said. “Not every challenge will be easy for every person. We know that from research and personal experience. This is a site that lets you set your own pace for progress.”

The site will be updated each Monday in 2012.

Families and Health Mission

Drawing on the strengths of WVU’s many academic disciplines, extension educators target communities’ social, economic, environmental and technical problems. Some extension educators work out of buildings on WVU’s traditional campuses, such as those located in Morgantown. But many extension personnel work out of offices in WVU Extension’s county settings, such as those generally located in or near each county’s governmental seat. Working daily with local residents, extension personnel find their lives often intertwine with the issues that confront their local communities. They are committed to helping people find answers that work. As they solve problems along with local citizens—individually and in groups—Extension personnel and staff translate WVU’s research and knowledge into action.

WVU Extension Service’s Mission

WVU Extension Service educators and volunteers build and help sustain collaborations and partnerships with people and organizations in West Virginia, to improve their lives and communities. Our programs and services strengthen leaders of all ages, youth, and families. We develop and teach best practices for sustainable agriculture, for responsible use of renewable resources, and stewardship of natural resources. We work to improve our states communities, workforce, and the economy.