Health & Wellness   

Join us for a tasty trip to the Mediterranean! In this demonstration-based cooking class, you'll enjoy some authentic Mediterranean recipes that are healthy and delicious. Our instructors offer some educational information and then will walk you through every step of several recipes. You will be able to taste-test what is prepared during the class. What are you waiting for? Let's cook with Penn State extension!

The Neighbor Experience is designed to help participants understand what our neighbors may experience when they visit food pantries and the way current policies and practices can cause discomfort or unwelcoming spaces. The exercise is designed to set the stage for conversations about the neighbor experience, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Participants will be actively involved in this class as they "visit" a local food pantry and experience different scenarios that our neighbors may encounter. An open class discussion will follow.

This course explores how the trillions of bacteria in our gut influence health, digestion, and disease. Look at how diet, medications, and environmental chemicals like PFAS, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances ("forever chemicals"), affect the balance of these microbes. Topics include the gut’s role in immunity, metabolism, and conditions like obesity and inflammation. Through real-world examples and discussions, learn how everyday exposures impact gut health and what we can do to support a healthier microbiome.

This course explores how the trillions of bacteria in our gut influence health, digestion, and disease. Look at how diet, medications, and environmental chemicals like PFAS, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances ("forever chemicals"), affect the balance of these microbes. Topics include the gut’s role in immunity, metabolism, and conditions like obesity and inflammation. Through real-world examples and discussions, learn how everyday exposures impact gut health and what we can do to support a healthier microbiome.

This course looks at the changes that come with loss and/or extended and sometimes relentless care-taking. Most of us, as we age, meet situations such as these. The presenter will explore and discuss the concept of the change curve, our expectations, changing roles, burnout, the importance of support systems, and the necessity for allowing and facing feelings that arise. Additional time will be given to understanding a timetable for healing. Handouts will be provided. Discussion and questions are welcome.

Addiction has enormous social, legal, medical, and personal costs.  Addiction might be a disease, and yet using is a choice. New data show that brain changes resulting from addiction perpetuate the cycle of relapse. Are children destined for addiction? How do we understand these contradictions? Discussion will range from the neurobiology of addiction to the effects of stress on relapse, and we’ll discuss how brain science informs this discussion.  
 

 

Addiction has enormous social, legal, medical, and personal costs.  Addiction might be a disease, and yet using is a choice. New data show that brain changes resulting from addiction perpetuate the cycle of relapse. Are children destined for addiction? How do we understand these contradictions? Discussion will range from the neurobiology of addiction to the effects of stress on relapse, and we’ll discuss how brain science informs this discussion.  
 

 

Join us to learn about the treatments approved by the FDA, who may benefit, and steps for access.

If we are not vigilant with our exercise, like most self-improvement endeavors, we can backslide. Failing to exercise with proper form will, at best, feed dysfunctional movement and, at worst, lead to injury. This alone is reason enough to invest ourselves into knowing and practicing proper form while training. The “Back to Basics” course teaches and reinforces important fitness concepts to help you exercise safely and effectively.

Special notes: Please wear exercise clothing and be prepared for movement.

Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) are three steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people are trained in CPR to help save lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Suicide does not discriminate so everyone needs to be educated in the warning signs and to take it seriously. Certificates will be given at the end of the workshop.