Click any title below to view the audio transcript for each MWCC video

Slide 1
Welcome to the introductory video for the MSU Extension Mental Wellness Conversations video series. I'm Dr. Alison Brennan, an assistant professor in Human Development and Community Health and MSU Extension Mental Health Specialist. You'll see me in many of the videos in this series, and you'll also get to meet some of our amazing county Extension agents
Slide 2
Now that I've introduced myself, I'd like to spotlight the other members of the Mental Wellness Conversations project team.
First, Dr. Michelle Grocke-Dewey, Associate Professor in Human Development and Community Health and MSU Extension Health & Wellness Specialist. Michelle was the lead on this project. She was the MSU PI for the 2020 grant that originally supported this project under the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, and she is currently the MSU PI for the 2024 grant.
Next, two former students, Katharine Sutphen and Parker Webb, who helped develop the curriculum and evaluate facilitator trainings.
Last, but certainly not least, Lori Mayr, our graphic designer.
Slide 3
The MWC Project is part of our work to address farm & ranch stress in Montana.
Before I started in my current role, Michelle went on a tour of Montana to hear directly from agents and community members about what the major health issues were within their counties. Mental health in general came up often, as did farm and ranch stress specifically. From those discussions, it was clear that people wanted to be able to access educational materials anonymously, on their own time (rather than the traditional in-person workshop type format), which led to the idea for an online clearinghouse of resources.
In 2019, we received a Montana Healthcare Foundation grant to support the development of the MT Ag Producer Stress Resource Clearinghouse. Creation of the clearinghouse was informed by a statewide advisory council that included a wide range of people involved in agriculture We launched the clearinghouse in Spring 2020, and we update and add to the content often.
Another idea we had around that same time was to create a Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum that could be used within agricultural communities to help normalize discussions about mental health. We knew that this effort was going to require a lot of funding support for content development, design, printing, and training, so we were thrilled when Washington State University asked us to be a major collaborator on the 2020 Western region USDA grant that funded the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program (WRASAP). Using this grant funding we developed and published the Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum in 2023. The curriculum includes a customized deck of standard playing cards, with each card rank (Ace, 2, 3 and so on) representing a specific wellness-related theme. There is also a companion guide that we give to facilitators who complete the Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum facilitator training. But, we know that there isn’t a facilitator in every community to lead these conversations, which is why we are doing this video series. We want anyone and everyone to be able to learn about and apply the strategies and skills that we’ve included in the MWCC.
Slide 4
The Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum themes will be the basis of the video series, so here is a quick description of these themes:
Ace is Manage – Using the four As—avoid, alter, accept, adapt—to manage stress
Two is Move- The importance and benefits of physical activity; specific types of physical activity; guidance from health authorities
Three is Connect - Supporting mental well-being through connecting to people, pets, and nature
Four is Breathe - The benefits of controlled breathing for stress management
Five is Eat - The relationship between healthy eating and mental wellbeing, along with basic nutrition recommendations
Six is Reduce - Establishing healthy limits around potentially harmful coping strategies (including caffeine and alcohol)
Seven is Sleep - The stress-reducing advantages of getting enough high-quality sleep and guidance for improving sleep
Eight is Hydrate - Effective hydration for supporting mental well-being
Nine is Get Help - Recognizing signs of distress and knowing resources for getting professional help
Ten is Relax - Reducing stress through taking time to relax
Jack is Play - Remembering the importance of play for adults
Queen is Calm - Methods for calming the body and mind
King is Learn- Navigating the MSU Extension Ag Producer Stress Resource Clearinghouse for more information
As you can see in the box to the right, within the deck of cards, each suit provides a different type of information. We'll be covering all of these types of information within the video series, as well.
Slide 5
Mental health is health. Just like with physical health, we can make changes and take action to improve our mental health. Our intent for this video series is to help you do that. The purpose of this video series is to promote the use of practices that support mental wellbeing, and to normalize conversations about mental health topics.
This will be achieved through a series of brief three to five minute videos centered on each of the wellness themes represented by card ranks, Aces through Kings, for a total of 13 theme-based videos.
Within each video, we'll provide information about key concepts for that theme and describe its significance for mental wellness.
Each video will include a "Try it!" Practical suggestions section, provide some resources if you would like more information or ideas for how to apply it, and each video will end with questions for personal reflection and discussion. We hope you'll use the discussion questions to start conversations with family and friends about these health topics.
Access to the card deck is not necessary for following along with or understanding the video series.  But, if you live in Montana and would like to have a deck of the MWCC cards, please contact me by e-mail with your full name and a shipping address.
Thank you for watching this introductory video. We hope this video series will be useful for you in your daily life.

Slide 1
This video features the first theme of the Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum, “Manage: managing stress with the four “A”s”. Through this presentation, you’ll learn about four different strategies you can use to manage a source of stress, referred to as a stressor, or manage your thoughts and feelings about the stressor.
Slide 2
The four “a”s are a set of coping strategies described by staff at the Mayo Clinic.
Coping strategies are the techniques and resources we use to manage sources of stress and reactions to stress.
The four “a” strategies are: avoid, alter, adapt, and accept.
The first two, avoid and alter, are used to manage the stressor itself.
The second two, adapt and accept, are used to manage reactions to stressful situations.
Let’s take a look at each of these in greater detail.
Slide 3
The first “a”, avoid, is just like it sounds: find ways to stay away from people, places and other stressors bothering you.
Some of the ways to use avoid as a strategy include:
Saying “no” to responsibilities that aren’t urgent or essential. One approach is to create a to-do list with high, medium and low priorities. On a stressful day, cross the low priority tasks off of the list.
If the news or social media is creating stress, disconnecting can be helpful. Now, we’re not suggesting you go completely silent on social media or stop paying attention to the news entirely. But having one day a week or specific times each day that you “unplug” can help you reduce your stress.
Another way to employ “avoid” is to create physical distance between you and something or someone causing you stress. For example, if you know that a person who bothers you will be in in certain locations, try to avoid going to those areas.
One key point about using “avoid” as a strategy is that although it can be useful in chaotic situations over which you have little or no control, it can create problems long-term if you rely on it too much, so be careful with this one.
Slide 4
Sometimes it’s not possible to avoid a stressful situation. The second “a”, alter, involves looking for ways that the situation can be changed to create less stress. Some ways you can implement “alter” include:
  • Stating limits in advance. For example, set a time limit for how long you can stay at an event.
  • Asking others to change their behavior. This is best done in a way that doesn’t make the other person defensive. We recommend using “I” statements. If you aren’t familiar with “I” statements and need help doing this, you can follow the Rosenberg non-violent communication script.
  • Here is an example of how you would use it: When I see dirty dishes throughout the kitchen, I feel anxious and overwhelmed, because I need a clean kitchen to effectively cook a meal. Would you be willing to put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher instead of stacking them on the counter?”
Slide 5
Not all stressful situations can be altered or avoided. Sometimes the only thing that can be changed is our perceptions of or reactions to the situation.
This third “a”, adapt, is about adopting a new outlook. If we adjust our expectations or redefine what it means to be successful under the circumstances, it can have a profound impact.
One of the ways we can adapt is to let go of perfection as the standard we set for ourselves. I fondly refer to this as lowering the bar. Sometimes good enough is good enough and we’re only setting ourselves up for failure by having unrealistic expectations.
Something that tends to go hand-in-hand with striving for perfection is negative self-talk. Negative self-talk will receive greater attention in video six (“Reduce”). Identifying and confronting negative self-talk is important for adapting to difficult situations.
Finally, it’s common to have what is referred to as a negativity bias—the tendency to focus greater attention on negative experiences or situations than positive ones. Intentionally looking for the positive aspects of our lives can help us get through difficult situations.
Slide 6
The final “a”, accept, involves finding a way to be at peace with the situation. For some people, it’s helpful to talk with an understanding friend who isn’t going to be judgmental. Sometimes, all we need is to feel heard and have someone respond with empathy and encouragement.
Next, finding a way to forgive people and ourselves is part of finding peace in a difficult situation. Holding a grudge won’t resolve problems, and the burden of anger or resentment can interfere with moving forward.
Finally, similar to what was described for adapt, we can choose not to let negative energy dominate us. Often, stressors can illuminate opportunities for growth. Even if a situation didn’t go the way you planned, try identifying what can be learned form the situation that you might be able to use in the future.
Slide 7
Think of something that has been a source of stress for you in the past week. Now, write down how you might implement each of the four strategies in this specific situation.
Decide which strategy you’ll try first. Then, after you give it a try, reflect on how it went. If needed, try a different strategy.
People tend to rely on the same one or two “a”s. It takes practice to determine when, and how best, to implement each strategy. The more you practice applying these strategies, the more effective and efficient you will become in making use of these stress management tools.
Slide 8
You can read more about the four “a”s by visiting the Mayo Clinic online article. Scan the QR code with your smart phone or use the link provided. You can also find this link posted below this video on the dedicated webpage for the Mental Wellness Conversations video series.
 
Slide 9
Personal reflection:
Which of the four “A”s tends to be your go-to approach?
With which could you use some practice?
Discuss with another person:
When have you used any of the four “A”s before?
Did it help with the situation?
Could a different “A” have been potentially more effective?
Slide 10
Thanks for watching, and we hope you’ll return next week to watch the next video, Move: Physical Activity.

Hi everyone, and thanks for tuning in! My name is Dr. Michelle Grocke-Dewey and I’m an Associate professor in Community Health here at MSU and the Health and Wellness Specialist for MSU Extension. Today I’ll be presenting the 2nd theme of our Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum, which is Move: Physical Activity.

 

Though many occupations (such as ranching, construction work) can be quite physical demanding, it is very important that adults get adequate levels of the three recommended categories of physical activity, which are aerobic (or cardio) activity, strength training and mobility/balance training. Not only do these types of activities help to reduce the risk of chronic disease, they yield a variety of mental wellness benefits including improving mood, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression and supporting relaxation. Given all of these benefits, this is why a lot of research points to physical activity as a means of stress management.

 

SO let's break down these three categories of physical activity, starting with aerobic activity. Aerobic activity is any activity that gets your heart rate and breathing up for a sustained period. In terms of how much of this you should be doing, the Health and Human Services most recent physical activity guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week – which amount to about 22 minutes per day. You might be wondering – well what is moderate intensity? This level of intensity usually means you can still hold a conversation with someone while doing the activity. If you are breathing so heavy that you couldn’t hold a conversation, that than would be vigorous intensity.

Here on the slide you also see some examples of aerobic activity – things like brisk walking, biking and gardening. And back to the benefits – not only does cardio make your lungs and heart stronger, it can also boost your mood and help you sleep better.

 

The second category of physical activity is strength training. Strength training is any activity that requires your muscle to work against a force or a weight (and remember, this can be your own body weight). Health and Human Services guidelines suggest that adults should incorporate strength training at least two days per week. Activities like gardening, shoveling snow, yard work all have elements of strength training. Alternatively, you could also engage with weightlifting either at a gym or at home.

Strength training help build strong muscles, improves bone density, enhances joint health and reduces our risks of falls. Research also suggest that strength training may improve cognitive function and protect again age-related decline.

 

And finally, our third category of physical activity is mobility/balance training. This type of training involves any type of activity that trains the body to move through full ranges of motion. Think of activities such as stretching, yoga, tai chi. It is important that we incorporate at least 5 minutes of such training into our daily routines. If you’re looking to improve your balance, try standing on one leg for 30 seconds, or walking backwards.

Research shows that good mobility and balance significantly reduces the risks of falls, improves overall coordination and enhances daily functioning. Having heightened mobility can also improve your mental health by reducing stress and promoting mindfulness.

 

In addition to the cardio, strength and aerobic activities I presented in the last few slides, here are a couple of practical suggestion I suggest incorporating into your everyday life in order to get – and stay – more active.

 

In addition to the information I have shared over the last few slides, I wanted to ensure that you all were aware of the physical activity resources that MSU Extension has already created. The first is a MontGuide entitled Physical Activity: Different types, How Much is Needed, and Health Benefits, which is available for free via the MSU Extension website. This Mont guide comes with a 12-minutes at home workout that incorporates aerobic, strength and mobility/balance exercises. I also recommend visiting our MsU Extenion wellness website, as we have many other physical activity resources for community use, including a 3-part resistance band curriculum that you can do from the comfort of your own home.

 

And here are some questions to reflect and discuss:

 

What changes would you need to make to incorporate all three types of physical activity into your weekly routine?


How can you implement these physical activity categories in small ways to make long-lasting habits?

 

In what physical activity categories are you already proficient? Whom could you consider reaching out to for support to encourage you to increase the time spent doing the other physical activity categories?

 

Thanks for watching, and we hope you’ll return next week to watch the next video, Connect: People, Pets and Nature.

 

This video presents the third wellness theme, Connect: supporting mental wellbeing through connection with people, pets, and nature.

The drive for connection--with other people, with animals, and with the larger world around us—is an innate quality among humans. As social beings, connection is a key element of our wellness. Connection can help reduce adrenaline and cortisol (hormones that are released as part of the stress response, known as the "fight, flight, freeze" response), and connection can increase the brain chemical dopamine and the hormone oxytocin. The resulting impacts are improved mood, reduced anxiety, and a more relaxed state in both the mind and body.

There are different types of connection that can contribute to wellbeing. First, let's take a look at connection with other people.

Our social relationships can be a great asset when it comes to managing stress. Connection with other people can include numerous types of support.
Emotional support refers to empathy and encouragement. If you recall back to the video for the 4 As of stress management, the final A that I described was Accept (find a way to be at peace with the situation), and one of the strategies for Accept is to talk with a nonjudgmental friend who will listen and show empathy... that's emotional support!

Practical support, sometimes referred to as instrumental support, is tangible support –something a person physically does for you or provides to you to make your life easier. Examples include carrying groceries, cooking a meal or doing farm chores.

Informational support is when someone shares knowledge and awareness of resources to help you, such as recommending someone who will fix your truck at a reasonable price.

The last type of support, companionship, is extremely important for mental wellbeing. Companionship supports feelings of self-worth and is crucial for preventing loneliness. Loneliness is detrimental for health in general, but especially mental health.  
 

Another way to experience connection is to spend time with a pet. Maybe you don’t think of your dog or your horse or the cats on your farm or ranch as pets, and that’s okay. It’s still beneficial to spend time interacting with them. Did you know that petting a cat or dog can decrease the stress hormone cortisol? Another beneficial aspect of connection time with animals is that it often involves physical activity, such as taking a dog for a walk or riding a horse. If you viewed the previous video on theme 2 (Move) then you know that physical activity is a key element for wellness. Spending time with animals can also be time for connection with nature. Whether it’s hiking a trail, watching wildlife, or growing a garden, connection to the natural world around us is valuable for our mental wellbeing. Personally, as a lifelong gardener, planning my garden, starting the seeds, then planting and watching the garden grow and change has been a major source of hope, excitement, and purpose during challenging times. Maybe gardening isn’t your cup of tea, and that’s fine. There are abundant opportunities to experience nature in Big Sky Country. That’s part of why I love living in Montana.

Here are some ideas for connection that include at least two of the themes of the Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum.

-Play a card game with family or friends. This combines social connection with the theme of “Play”, which we will get to much later in the series as the Play theme goes with the Jack card.

And, remember, if you want or need a deck of playing cards, you can e-mail me with your name and mailing address and we can send you the Mental Wellness card deck.
 
-Take a dog on a walk, or a hike, or a jog. This combines connection with physical activity.

-Take a ten minute break from work to relax in the grass or under a tree. The importance of taking breaks will be described with greater detail when we get to 10 in the series.
 
Connection with Other People is one of Mental Health America’s 10 tools for resiliency.  Visit the website link displayed on this slide for ideas to increase social connection in daily life. The link is also posted under this video on the dedicated MWCC video series page. https://mhanational.org/connect-others
 
Personal Reflection
Who can you turn to for each type of social support? Note that sometimes the person in your life who is best at providing practical support isn't necessarily the same person who is best at providing emotional support.
Discuss with Others
 
What type of connection (people, pets, or nature) do you find most enriching?
 
Up next is the fourth theme of the Mental Wellness Conversations series, which is Breathe. In the next video, you'll learn about and be invited to practice several specific controlled breathing strategies.
 
 

Hi everyone, and thanks for tuning in to this next video! Once again, my name is Dr. Michelle Grocke-Dewey and I’m an Associate professor in Community Health here at MSU and the Health and Wellness Specialist for MSU Extension. Today I’ll be presenting the 4th theme of our Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum, which is Breathe: Controlled Breathing for Stress Management.

Let’s start with some background. Why is controlled breathing helpful? When we are faced with a stressor or find ourselves in a stressful situation, our sympathetic nervous system (the part of our autonomic nervous system responsible for our fight or flight response) becomes activated. When our sympathetic nervous system is activated, it triggers changes to your body (such an an increased heart rate, improved eyesight and hearing) to prepare your body for immediate action in a stressful situation. Although this response can be quite helpful in the short term, it can lead to chronic health issues if your body is operating with a heightened sympathetic nervous system for hours, days, weeks or even longer.

The other part of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic nervous system, which plays a crucial role in many functions such as promoting relaxation and lowering blood pressure. It is also often referred to as the ‘rest and digest’ system, as it also promotes healthy digestion and bowel movements.

Controlled breathing is a very effective way of activating our parasympathetic nervous system. The more you practice this, the more normal it will become and hopefully… next time you are stressed, you’ll have this tool in your back pocket to calm down your sympathetic nervous system and activate your parasympathetic nervous system.

Simply being mindful of your breath a couple of minutes per day is a great way to start.

  • Relax your body, close your eyes
  • Focus on the act of breathing
  • Slowly inhale through your nose, then slowly exhale
  • If your mind wanders, gently guide it back towards your breathing

Another technique is Belly Breathing

  • Lie down on your back with your knees bent towards the sky
  • Follow your body’s natural breathing pattern for a few minutes
  • Place both hands, one on top of the other, on your belly and focus on your breath
  • Focus on how your belly expands with every breath
  • Repeat for five to ten minutes

Box breathing is another simple and effective relaxation technique that involves breathing in a structured pattern. Picture this box on the screen as you breath – inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds, like you are going around the box. Repeat at least 5 times.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety and/or relieve tension in the body. This is also a great breathing technique to do right before trying to fall asleep as it helps to relieve both physical and mental tension.

All right so some practical suggestions to try. So before going into a stressful situation think about something in your daily life maybe it's a stressful conversation, potentially a tense work meeting, before entering that situation try box breathing. Remember try it at least five times.

Another practical suggestion is to calm your mind and prepare for sleep by trying 4-7-8 breathing. Again try at least five cycles.

 

While there are many additional resources out there on controlled breathing, we recommend checking out this heathline article because it includes several breathing exercises that we did not describe in this video, including pursed lip breathing, lion’s breath, and alternate nostril breathing.

Lastly, here are some questions to consider and discuss with others. How can you add controlled breathing to your daily routine? And can you think of a recent stressful situation where you would have benefited from using a controlled breathing technique?

Thank you for watching. Next up in our series: Fives: Eat a Balanced Diet. And please note that next video will be presented by one of our MSU Extension Agents (Lisa Terry) rather than Michelle or Alison. See you all soon!

Slide 1
Hello and welcome to MSU Extension’s Mental Wellness Conversations Project. This is number five in our video series and this one is entitled, “Eat A Balanced Diet for Mental Wellness.” My name is Lisa Terry, MSU Extension Agent for Glacier County, Family & Consumer Sciences and 4-H.
Slide 2
Many people realize that eating a balanced diet is good for your physical health, but did you know that nutrition impacts your mental health?
Take a moment to consider the many things your brain is involved in, including: experiencing thoughts and feelings, controlling body movement, processing sensory information, and regulating vital functions such as heartrate and breathing. It’s vital to ensure that your brain is being properly fueled and cared for.
Nutrient rich foods provide this important fuel, supporting focus, concentration, memory, and mood. Eating high-quality foods that provide sustained energy, lots of vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants also reduces risk of mental illness, including depression and anxiety.
One fascinating area of research looking at how nutrition impacts mental health is research on the gut microbiome. Your gastrointestinal tract is home to billions of bacteria that help get your brain and body many of the nutrients they need. These “good” bacteria can be supported through fiber rich foods, referred to as prebiotics, that feed the good bacteria. Examples include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Some foods can actually increase the number and variety of “good” bacteria. These foods are referred to as probiotics and include fermented foods like yogurt, kombucha and sauerkraut.
Slide 3
So what exactly does a healthy diet include? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided a set of dietary guidelines that are nicely captured by the visual tool known as MyPlate. If you’ve been around long enough, you might remember the food pyramid. The food pyramid has been replaced with MyPlate. MyPlate is a relatively simple but memorable visual depiction of a balanced diet. The sections of the plate represent approximately how much of each type of food you should eat at each meal. Notice that vegetables and fruits should take up half of your plate. In the next several slides, we will look at more detailed guidelines for each of the sections.
Slide 4
The recommended amount of fruits is 2 cups per day. Focus on eating whole fruits whether fresh, dried, canned, or frozen. Be conscientious about sugar. Make sure that fruit juice is 100% juice (containing no added sugar). With canned fruits, try to find options that are packed in 100% fruit juice rather than syrup. Some examples of one cup of fruit: one small apple, one large banana, and one cup of 100% fruit juice
The recommend amount of vegetables is just a bit more than fruits at 2 and ½ cups per day. Try to eat a wide variety of vegetables. One cup of vegetables is 1 cup of cooked kale, collards or turnip greens, 1 large sweet potato, and 2 cups of raw spinach (yes, that’s correct, 2 cups of raw spinach only counts as 1 cup of vegetables)
Slide 5
The recommended amount of grains is six ounces per day. Choose whole grain versions of pastas, breads, and tortillas.
One ounce of grains is: one slice of whole wheat bread, ½ cup of cooked oatmeal, 1 small tortilla, ½ cup of cooked brown rice, and ½ cup of cooked couscous
Slide 6
The daily recommended amount of protein is 5 and ½ ounces. Eat a variety of proteins, including beans, soy, nuts and seeds, lean meats, seafood and poultry. If you eat meat, choose lean cuts.
One ounce of protein is: one ounce of cooked lean meat such as chicken, beef, or pork; 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter; 1 egg; and ¼ cup of cooked beans or lentils
That leaves dairy as the final section. Three cups per day is the recommended amount of dairy. Choose low fat dairy options such as 1% or skim milk or low fat cottage cheese. These options have less saturated fat but contain the same amount of calcium and other important nutrients. For those who are lactose-intolerant, try lactose-free or soy products.
One cup of dairy is: one cup of soy milk, one cup of yogurt, and one and one-half ounces of hard cheese.
Slide 7
Have you ever been so busy or in such a hurry that you ate a meal or a snack as quickly as possible, without really thinking about it? This is a pretty common experience. Unfortunately, when we eat food quickly without taking the time to experience the process of eating, we’re less likely to eat a balanced diet and we miss out on important fullness cues our bodies give us.
Mindful eating is the practice of thoughtfully considering your experiences before, during and after eating. Mindful eating improves awareness of fullness cues, and it can give us an opportunity for connection with others. Food is more than just the nutrients and fuel it provides—it is an integral part of social life, including celebrations and enjoyment of traditions. To practice mindful eating, intentionally pay attention to the smells, flavors, and textures of the food you are eating, and slow things down. Really savor the experience.
Slide 8
Visit MyPlate.gov for a wealth of tools and resources to help you eat a healthy, balanced diet. The website includes information about types and amounts of different foods within each food group and the importance of key nutrients found in each food group, as well as recipes and ideas for cooking healthy on a budget.
Slide 9
Now is the time for some personal reflection. What does your own daily diet look like? Where could you substitute in more fruits and vegetables? Which fermented foods (like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, yogurt) have you tried? Do you have a favorite? Think about and reflect on these ideas when you’re thinking about food.
Slide 10
Thank you for your time spent watching this video. The next video in the series will explore the sixth wellness theme, “Reduce”, which focuses on establishing healthy limits and working to change behaviors that could be negatively impacting wellbeing. Have a nice day and enjoy your new eating habits.

Slide 1
Some stress management strategies are positive and promote overall health, such as physical activity, eating healthy, and speaking with a counselor. However, there are some stress management approaches that can be described as negative. Negative coping with stress often involves behaviors or habits that, despite alleviating stress temporarily, can actually contribute to problems long-term. The purpose of Theme Six (6) Reduce is to identify some of these potentially problematic behaviors, provide guidelines for reducing health risks, and explore research-based tips for how to change habits.
Slide 2
We can’t tackle every possible negative habit, so we have zeroed in on several of the most common issues:
  • Excessive consumption of and dependence on caffeine
  • Frequently eating highly processed foods
  • Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages, and
  • Negative self-talk
Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
Slide 3
When it comes to caffeine, you might be wondering, “What’s the big deal?”
Caffeine is a substance commonly consumed by Americans, often daily, and it can be hard to recognize excessive consumption and dependence on caffeine. When used in moderation, caffeine can give you an energy boost, but too much caffeine increases adrenaline and cortisol and can make you feel more anxious and stressed. A healthy limit for most adults—excluding people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or highly sensitive to caffeine—is 400mg daily . Note that 20 oz of strongly brewed drip coffee contains approximately this amount. By comparison, 20 oz of black tea would typically contain about half this amount of caffeine.
If you consistently consume high levels of caffeine, try reducing your consumption gradually over a period of several weeks. Caffeine dependence is associated with irritability, fatigue, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and constipation, especially when a person abruptly decreases or completely stops consuming caffeine. Some strategies for reducing caffeine intake include making substitutions with less caffeinated alternatives, such as replacing coffee with black tea, or replacing black tea with green tea. If you are a coffee drinker, you could also try drinking “half-caff” or mixing your usual coffee with a portion of decaffeinated coffee.
Slide 4
In times of high stress, it can be tempting to resort to “fast food”. Perhaps the thought of preparing a meal can seem overwhelming. Another issue is the fact that highly processed foods containing high levels of fat, refined sugar and sodium can actually trigger the brain’s release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is part of the brain’s reward system. Unfortunately, frequently eating highly processed foods increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.  In modern life, it is difficult to completely avoid processed foods. The low cost, convenience and shelf-stability are major reasons we rely on them. We aren’t saying there is no place for processed foods. Instead, we recommend being conscientious about how often you eat them and trying to select less processed options when possible. The table on the slide gives some examples of minimally processed or non processed alternatives to common ultra-processed foods.
Slide 5
Alcohol is often consumed as a way to relax, relieve stress, and calm down after, or in the midst of, a stressful day. However, excessive drinking can actually increase symptoms of depression and anxiety long-term and increase the likelihood of developing dependence or alcohol use disorder. Knowing the definitions of heavy and binge drinking, both of which are high-risk (excessive) consumption, can help a person evaluate their drinking habits and set goals for reducing alcohol consumption. For males, heavy drinking is consuming 15 or more standard drinks weekly (more than 2 standard drinks daily), and binge drinking is consuming 5 or more standard drinks in a brief time period (approximately 2 hours). For females, heavy drinking is consuming 8 or more standard drinks weekly (more than 1 standard drink daily), and binge drinking is consuming 4 or more standard drinks in about 2 hours.
The map you see on the left on the slide is a map of past 30-days prevalence of binge drinking in a 2022 study, from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. 
(Source link: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/excessive-drinking-data/index.html )
For Montana, 24% of adults reported binge drinking within the past 30 days at the time of the survey. That’s approximately 1 in 4 adults.
Montana was 2nd only to the District of Columbia
Slide 6
Normally we save the Additional Resources slide until close to the end, but considering how big of an issue excessive alcohol use is in Montana, I wanted to share it now.
To learn what a standard drink is for different types of alcohol, visit the CDC alcohol use webpage (https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/index.html ), where you can also use the “Check Your Drinking” tool to consider your drinking habits and, if interested, build a personal plan for reducing alcohol consumption.
Slide 7
As you work on changing negative coping, it’s important to be compassionate with yourself. It takes time, patience and dedication to change.
Negative self-talk can be detrimental to making changes. Reframing your situation and changing the tone of your inner critic can be helpful for taking steps toward healthier behavior. One of the ways I check in with myself when my inner critic seems to be getting louder is to ask myself “If you talked to your friends the way you are talking to yourself right now, would you still have friends?” It can also be helpful to identify and repeat a script to address negative self-talk. For example “No one is perfect” or “This is hard… and you can do hard things.”
Slide 8
I want to take a moment to acknowledge that changing our habits—long-term  behavioral change—is difficult. I also want to encourage you to try. If it takes a few attempts, that’s okay. Think of those earlier attempts as practice. Practicing behavioral change will get you much closer to long-term change than doing nothing.
Here are some practical suggestions to help increase the odds of long-term change:
  1. First, framing your behavior in terms of your goals and values can help you identify your motivation to change. What behaviors are detracting from the life you want to live or the kind of person you want to be? What do you need to change to get back on track or to stay on track?
  2. Next, identify where you can reduce these behaviors or replace them with a healthier alternative. You might be more successful if you find a healthy substitution rather than simply focusing on what not to do.
  3. Finally, find a way to reinforce the new positive habits you have created, and identify ways you can continue to encourage this new, healthier behavior as time goes on.
 Slide 9
In this presentation, you learned about some negative habits that sometimes show up during times of high stress, including excessive consumption of and dependence on caffeine, frequently eating highly processed foods, excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages, and negative self-talk. Now, it’s time to engage in personal reflection and discussion with others. Consider the following questions: What are some of your current behaviors that you might be using as negative coping in times of stress? How could you reduce them or replace them with healthier alternatives. As I mentioned at the beginning, we can’t possibly capture everything, so perhaps the habit you want to change is one that is totally different from what we explored in this presentation.
Importantly, once you have identified something you want to work on, answer the question “Who can you count on to support you if you are trying to change an aspect of your behavior?” Research suggests that we are more likely to move from intent into action if we share our goals with another person, and we are more likely to be successful in the long term if there is someone who will encourage us when the going gets tough, as well as celebrate our successes.
Slide 10
The next theme in the series is Sleep, and the next video will explore the importance of sufficient high-quality sleep for stress management and mental health, with information on how to tell if you aren’t getting good sleep, plus some strategies for improving your sleep quality. The video for Seven: Sleep will be presented by another one of our fabulous agents, Veronica Baca.
 

Hello everyone, I’m Veronica Baca, and I’ll be presenting theme Seven: Sleep.
Quality sleep is crucial to our ability to not just perform but also enjoy our daily lives. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that impact our ability to get good sleep, such as long distance travel, overnight flights, or interruptions to our normal routine. Whenever possible we should try to limit these opportunities for poor quality sleep.

 

Sleep is an essential daily component of health. Sleep allows the brain to process the events of the day, recover, and prepare for the next period of wakefulness.

Did you know that . . .

  •  Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night—that’s actually why we connected this wellness theme to the number seven, to help you remember this recommendation.
  • Unfortunately, about one in three adults don’t get enough sleep

Beyond feeling tired, chronic sleep deprivation increases risk of

  • Stroke by 22%
  • Type 2 diabetes by 25%
  • Coronary heart disease by 35%

Keep in mind that getting the proper amount of sleep (seven hours) doesn’t guarantee good sleep quality. Quality of sleep is also an important consideration.

 

How can a person tell if the quality of their sleep is poor?

Here are some of the most common signs.

  • Feeling tired despite having slept long enough
  • Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep
  • Waking up repeatedly throughout the night
  • Feeling drowsy or dozing off during daily activities, such as during meetings, while watching TV, or riding in a car
  • Feeling irritable or anxious
  • Difficulties with attention and concentration during the daytime

 

If the information presented on the previous slide makes you think that your sleep quality could be improved, here are some tips for better sleep, including helpful practices you can try if you haven’t already, as well as behaviors to avoid.

Under practices you can try:

  • Establish and follow a relaxing nightly routine, beginning about 30 minutes before bedtime.
  • Have a consistent bedtime and a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends and holidays.
  • Adjust the sleep environment so that it is more supportive for falling and staying asleep. A dark, quiet room that is several degrees cooler than other areas of the house is best.

Under behaviors to avoid:

  • Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine in the afternoon and evening. (click for guideline to appear)
    For some people, 4 hours before bedtime is a helpful target; for others, it could be as much as 8 hours before bedtime.
  • (Click for guideline to appear) Avoid using electronics 1-2 hours before bedtime because exposure to blue light on screens can interfere with falling asleep.
  • Finally, avoid moderate or vigorous exercise within a couple of hours of going to bed (click for guideline to appear) because here again, falling asleep can be negatively impacted.

 

In theme Four: Breathe, you were introduced to several types of controlled breathing. Controlled breathing can be used as part of your bedtime routine to help prepare yourself for sleep, especially if you are having trouble falling asleep. Two of the best controlled breathing techniques for this are belly breathing and 4-7-8 breathing. For explanations of these two controlled breathing techniques, refer back to the recording for theme four. Another controlled breathing technique that is simple and effective is “Falling Out Breath” .

To practice Falling Out Breath:

inhale fully, ensuring that you push your belly out

pause for a moment

then exhale, clearing all the breath from your lungs with some sound such as “ahhhhhh”.

Repeat this for several cycles.

 

To read more about the biology of sleep, the importance of sleep for health, and suggestions for better sleep, refer to MontGuide MT202105HR “Sleep: Its Health Benefits, How Much You Need, and Strategies to Get More.” This MontGuide is available online—scan the QR code displayed on the slide or visit the link.

The sleep MontGuide also includes a sleep diary template. If you have made improvements to your sleep practices but they are not resulting in improved sleep, it may be worthwhile to record components of sleep habits and seek advice from a doctor.

 

Consider the following questions for personal reflection and discussion with others:

  • If you aren’t reaching the recommended amount of sleep, what strategies could you try?

How would you describe the quality of your sleep? If your sleep quality is poor, what do you think are some contributing factors? What are some steps 

 

Thank you for watching the video for theme Seven: Sleep. Up next is Eight: Hydrate, the health benefits of water.

Hello everyone, I’m Doriane Keiser, a student majoring in Community Health at Montana State University. This semester, I am completing an Extension-focused internship with Dr. Brennan. In this recording, I’ll be presenting Mental Wellness Conversation theme Eight: Hydrate, the health benefits of drinking enough water.

Did you know that on average the human body is approximately sixty percent water?

The water composition of the human body is a bit higher among males than among females.

It’s also a bit higher among young people, especially infants and young children, than among older adults.

Regardless of demographic, though, water is life. Our basic life functions depend on adequate hydration.

Here are just some of the many ways that water is vital for our health. Water is needed for…

  • Regulation of body temperature
  • Delivery of oxygen throughout the body
  • Dissolving minerals and nutrients
  • Maintaining blood pressure
  • Protecting the spinal cord
  • Alertness and concentration
  •  

Given how important water is for a wide range of health factors, the next slides will focus on signs of hydration and tips and strategies for increasing water consumption.

Signs of inadequate hydration include:

  • First and foremost, thirst (this first one probably seems obvious, but there’s also…)
  • Chapped lips or skin
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Dark urine

How do you know you’re well hydrated? (click)
Two simple signs:
1) you rarely feel thirsty
2) your urine is pale yellow or clear

There are lots of practical strategies you can try if you need to increase your water consumption.

  • (click) Infuse your water with fruits or herbs to make it more flavorful. Making water more interesting may be helpful especially if you’re trying to decrease your consumption of sugary or caffeinated beverages (and perhaps after viewing the video for theme Six: Reduce, limiting sugary, caffeinated beverages like soda pop is a health behavior you’re already working on). You could also try getting a water carbonation system so that you can add bubbles to your water so it is more similar to the fizzy beverage you are trying to stop drinking. Remember that having a healthy replacement supports behavioral change.
  • (click) Eat fruits and vegetables with high water content. Examples include: watermelon, cucumber, apples and celery.
  • (click) Carry a water bottle with you and refill it constantly throughout the day.
  • (click) Serve water with meals.

For a printable poster to remind you of the health significance of drinking water, as well as suggestions for how to stay hydrated, scan the QR code or visit the link displayed at the bottom of the slide.

Consider the following:

How do your work and home environment influence your water intake? Are there any changes that you can make to your workspace or home to help you increase your water consumption?

Thank you for watching the video for theme Eight: Hydrate. The next video in the series, theme Nine: Get Help, will help you identify when and how to get professional help for a mental health concern, whether it’s for you or for someone else, such as a friend, family member, or neighbor.