New Northwest website puts spotlight on wellness

Northwest Missouri State University has launched a new website section dedicated to health and wellness issues.

The Student Health Initiative for Transformation, or SHIFT, pages are located at www.nwmissouri.edu/wellness/shift.

Health educator Jennifer Kennymore said the goal of the section is to help students, and the general public, focus on "total wellness."

"There is a misconception out there that wellness is just the physical side," Kennymore said. "There is so much more to it, and it plays an important role in our lives. People don't pay much attention to the other aspects of wellness."

The bulk of the site is dedicated to six "dimensions" of wellness: social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, occupational and physical.

People who pay attention to these facets of well-being, Kennymore said, are more likely to lead healthy, happy lives.

Though geared for university students, Kennymore said the site contains much information that should prove useful to everyone.

Those visiting the site can take assessments on each of the wellness dimensions and figure personal health scores. The site also offers videos featuring local experts and a digital library containing resources for healthy living.

"We wanted to make sure that there was easy access for students and others to consider not only fitness but the other aspects as well," Kennymore said.

"We can go around campus and do presentations all the time, but students and the public can't always go. The goal of this is to provide better and easier resources."

The new site was funded by a Healthy Eating Active Living grant and also received support from the Heartland Foundation, North Kansas City Hospital and Heartland Health.