Searching for "mental health matters"

You have probably heard that “exercise is good for you.” Did you know that getting the right amount of exercise can increase your energy level and even help improve your mood?

How is social media changing the lives of teens and young adults? Teen years are a time when youth are trying to discover who they are, feeling a sense of belonging, and seeking validation from peers. They also may have a difficult time figuring out what is perception and what is reality. Youth need to remind themselves that what others post does not always reflect what is actually happening in their lives. Due to the seriousness and concern about negative effects of social media on the mental health of teens, it is important for youth to learn strategies for a healthier balance with social media use and how to better manage thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

Signs of poor sleep hygiene include trouble falling asleep, disrupted sleep, and feeling tired and foggy throughout the day. Sleep deprivation slows our reflexes and impacts decision-making and creativity. It may make a person feel anxious and sad.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a complex problem to overcome. It takes all industries to work together to combat AMR. The most important approach to overcoming AMR is taking a One Health approach. One Health is a collaborative, multi-sector, transdisciplinary approach to achieving optimal health outcomes among people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. It is important to demonstrate to youth that even with their 4-H projects, they are still part of One Health.

Fighting against germs that resist medicine is really hard. When medicines no longer work to kill germs we call this antimicrobial resistance. To solve this problem, everyone - like doctors, farmers, and scientists - needs to work together. One important way to do this is by using something called the “One Health” approach. One Health means everyone, including people, animals, plants, and the environment they all share, working together to stay healthy. Even kids with their 4-H projects can be a part of this important teamwork!

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue focuses on using breathing techniques to calm anxiety.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue focuses on dealing with grief and loss.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue focuses on what to do when you feel lonely.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue focuses on how to manage your emotions and feelings.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue focuses on how to focus on healthy relationships to avoid the negative impacts of unhealthy relationships.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

Chances are at some point you will experience a time where you struggle with how you are feeling or thinking. According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 5 youth struggles with mental, emotional, or behavior problems. It’s important to learn how to ask for help when you are struggling. This publication will provide some guidance.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue offers an activity to practice focusing your mind.

The Mental Health Matters! publications are designed to provide information on youth mental health. They include an activity that young people can do to gain skills related to their mental and physical wellbeing. Youth may do activities on their own, with a caring adult, or with a group.

4-H staff or other youth-serving organizations can use these in their newsletters, club meetings, or workshops.

This publication issue provides strategies on motivating yourself when you feel stuck.

100% cotton short-sleeved t-shirt with SWITCH logo on the front. Left sleeve includes 4-H clover with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach wordmark. Back of the shirt includes the text 'Helping students switch what they Do, View, and Chew!', the Do, View, and Chew icons, and the Iowa SWITCH URL.

SWITCH ("School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health") is an innovative school wellness initiative designed to support and enhance school wellness programming. Through SWITCH, schools can help student to "Switch what they Do, View, and Chew!"

SWITCH is managed by an interdisciplinary research team in partnership with the 4-H Youth Development Program through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. For more information, visit the SWITCH website.

This publication is dedicated to the many dairy and other farmers who have felt farm stress beyond their comfort zone and for the many others who might benefit with more attention paid to their and their family’s mental health for both farm and family well-being. It is targeted at both the farmers and their spouses as often the spouses carry a heavy burden of care with farm stress as well.

• Intro - Managing Farm Stress and Distress - Mindset Tactics for Happiness, Brain Health, and Behavioral Well-Being
• Part 1 - Mitigating Farm Distress - Mindfulness Over Emotions
• Part 2 - Destressing Farm Relationships - Intentional Attitudinal Behaviors
• Summary - Fixes for Brain and Behavioral Health - 30 Key Tools in the Farmer's Mental Health Toolbox

The health of your animals is very important. Whether on the farm or at a show, you should be mindful of diseases that could make your animal very sick. But what about the diseases that can make your animal sick and can also make you sick? In this activity, you will see how easily germs can spread between you and your animal.

These To Go Lessons can be used to create a "grab and go" style activity with supplies included. Add your local contact information, print, and cut each sheet in half. The left side can be used on the outside of the paper bag or box to identify the activity, and the right side can be placed in the package as an instruction sheet.

Youth-serving organizations in Iowa are encouraged to contact their local Iowa State University Extension and Outreach county office to explore partnership opportunities in administering this program.

The health of your animals is very important. Whether on the farm or at a show, you should be mindful of the actions you take to keep your animal healthy. This charades activity is a great way for you to model the steps you should be taking when you are around your animals!

These To Go Lessons can be used to create a "grab and go" style activity with supplies included. Add your local contact information, print, and cut each sheet in half. The left side can be used on the outside of the paper bag or box to identify the activity, and the right side can be placed in the package as an instruction sheet.

Youth-serving organizations in Iowa are encouraged to contact their local Iowa State University Extension and Outreach county office to explore partnership opportunities in administering this program.

What are the characteristics of good leadership in small towns? Does leadership enhance quality of life? Is leadership the difference between successful and struggling communities? This publication examines these questions and provides research from Iowa small towns to demonstrate how leadership styles can shape a community.

This soil health field guide provides information about soil health and its importance to sustainable agriculture systems. The research-based information in this soil health guide highlights the relationships between soil characteristics in an easy to understand format that is useful to farmers, agronomists, agricultural consultants, soil scientists, technical service providers, and extension educators. This soil health field guide is the product of the collaborative efforts of Iowa State University and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Iowa.

The author describes how and at what stages temperature, extreme rainfalls and other weather stresses can affect corn growth. Lori Abendroth is the project manager of the USDA-NIFA Sustainable Corn Project and has expertise in crop physiology and production and years of in-field agronomic research experience.

She is lead author of the guide, Corn Growth and Development.

This resource is part of the USDA-NIFA funded project for climate and agriculture that gathered data from 35 field sites and thousands of farmers in 9 Midwestern states, with the goal of creating a suite of practices for corn-based systems.