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Health 1st offers workshops for healthy eating by Heather Woolwine Public Relations The “couch potato” syndrome is eroding MUSC employees’ health and well-being, according to a survey last fall of MUSC, which concluded many people here are at risk for obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and poorer health because of sedentary lifestyles in front of the tube.   As a result, Health 1st, MUSC’s employee wellness initiative, is offering workshops for MUSC, MUHA and UMA employees who would like to learn about healthy lifestyles.   In addition to the workshops, Health 1st also will begin a wellness team competition Oct. 1 to complement its successful Wellness Wednesday booth exhibit where employees can become familiar with wellness topics each week in the Children’s Hospital lobby.   Health 1st's four main goals are to encourage  all people in the MUSC community to use water as their primary beverage, walk more, quit smoking, and eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. These goals are enhanced via Prevention Partners workshops available to MUSC, MUHA, and UMA employees.     Prevention Partners workshops With an overall mission of promoting the health and well-being of all those employees within the MUSC community, Health 1st will offer 45-minute to two and a half hour workshops on topics pertaining to healthy living. The first workshop concerning smoking cessation, beginning Sept. 21, will rotate throughout campus, providing easy and open access for those who work in outlying facilities such as Charleston Memorial Hospital or Harbor View Tower.   For anyone seeking a presentation to employees not on a scheduled Thursday workshop, a department, unit, or other administrator can approve workshops specific to their area. For additional information, call 792-1245. Free pedometers for wellness teams By joining a wellness team, Health 1st urges employees to walk their way to more friendships, prizes, and, most importantly, better health. The program is seeking all couch potatoes, weekend warriors, amateur athletes and people with all levels of physical ability to join a team and participate in “walking across the country.”   Each team member will receive a free pedometer to count steps. Steps made at work and home count toward the team total. Participants can enter daily totals via http://www.everystepcounts.com to ensure teams receive the appropriate number of points.   For those interested in joining or forming a team, e-mail health1st@musc.edu or call Annie Lovering, Health 1st director, at 792-1245.   In the near future, a bulletin board near the ATM in the main hospital cafeteria will keep teams updated on their progress, as well as announcing each month’s winner.     Friday, Sept. 22, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.