Wells County

Check out Health and Human Science Newsletters with helpful articles on health, nutrition, family and finances.

The November/December 2025 edition includes the following articles:

HOW TO HAVE HEALTHIER HOLIDAYS IN 1-2-3!

Stay Active
Even a few minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity can deliver some health benefits and count toward reaching the recommendations. For adults, the many benefits of physical activity include reduced short-term feelings of anxiety and better sleep.

Some tips for staying active during the holidays include:

• When shopping, walk a few laps around the shopping center before going into stores.
• Take the stairs at every opportunity. If you can't climb all the stairs, take the stairs part way, then the elevator.
• Rather than hunting for the closest parking spot, park farther away and walk briskly to your destination.
• When friends and family gather, go for a group walk. You can make the walk more fun by turning it into a scavenger hunt.
• Play an active group game in your yard or local park.
• Bundle up and take a walk instead of a drive to see holiday lights.

Eat Healthy

Eating well supports muscles and bones, boosts immunity, helps the digestive system, and aids in weight management, among other health benefits for children and adults. Good nutrition involves eating a variety of healthy foods. To do that during the holidays:

• If you eat foods that are high in calories, saturated fat, or added sugars, choose small portions and only eat them once in a while. Opt for healthier foods most of the time.
• At parties and other gatherings, fill your plate with your favorite fruits and vegetables first, then add small portions of less healthy items.
• If you are taking food to a party, make it your favorite healthy dish. Then you'll be sure that at least one item at the party will be a healthy choice that you enjoy.
• Make healthier versions of your traditional recipes by using ingredients with less fat and salt.
• Spice up baked fish or chicken by adding salsa or black bean sauce.
• Consider beans in place of higher-fat meats.
• Fill your plate with vegetables and lean protein.

Plan activities that don’t involve eating
Here are some ideas for shifting the focus away from food during the holiday season:
Volunteer in your community.

• Try a seasonal activity such as ice skating or winter hiking.
• Go on a walk and explore a new area with a friend or family member.
• Visit that museum or exhibit you've been wanting to see.
• Consider what new healthy traditions you can start this year. The possibilities are endless!

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 2025
10 Extension Homemakers Executive Committee - 2:00PM
10 Extension Homemakers Presidents Committee - 3:00PM
11 Veterans Days - Office Closed
19 ServSafe Training/Exam in Wells County
27-28 Office Closed - Thanksgiving
10 &17 “Where Does Your Money Go?”
25 & 12.2 “Where Does Your Money Go?”
December 2025
2 Extension Homemakers Holiday Luncheon
24 Christmas Eve - Office Closed
25 Christmas - Office Closed
Jnauary 2025
1 News Years Day - Office Closed
12 Extension Homemakers Executive Committee - 2:00PM
12 Extension Homemakers Presidents Committee - 3:00PM
19 MLK Jr. Day - Office Closed

Supporting Your Mental Health During the Holiday Season

By: Tanner Bommersbach, M.D., M.P.H., Policy Fellow, Center for Mental Health Services

In the 2003 holiday movie classic, “Elf,” the main character, Buddy, shares a particular fondness for the holiday season, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!” No matter what traditions you celebrate this winter, not everyone shares Buddy’s enthusiasm for this season. While the holidays can be a time of celebration and joy for many, it also can be a period of stress, sadness, and loneliness for oth-ers—and sometimes can be particularly difficult for people living with mental health and sub-stance use conditions.

A survey* conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64 percent of individuals living with a mental illness report-ed that their conditions worsened around the holidays. Whether due to separation from loved ones, personal grief, the pressures of gift-giving, economic hardship, challenging interactions with family members, or shorter days, this time of year can bring unique behavioral health chal-lenges.

As we approach the holiday season, it is im-portant to remember that it is very common to feel added stress — and this stress can worsen symptoms of a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety, or a substance use dis-order. However, there are ways to help address the stress or condition and improve your mental health. Below are strategies to help you find mo-ments of joy amidst the hustle and bustle this holiday season.

Strategies for supporting your mental health:

1. Pay attention to your feelings Remember that it is okay to feel unhappy during the holidays. Recognizing your feelings is the first step to ad-dressing and nurturing them.
2. Develop a plan for when you are feeling stressed, sad, or lonely This plan may include call-ing a friend or family member, going for a walk, engaging in an activity that brings joy, or watch-ing a favorite movie. Having a plan ahead of time can help ensure the difficult moments are more manageable.
3. Practice self-care It is important to schedule time for yourself and activities that recharge your mind and body. This may include reading a good book, working out, spending time in nature, and practicing stress management skills, such as deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. It is also important to remember to prioritize necessities, including eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep, and finding time for exercise.
4. Connect with community If you can’t be near loved ones during the holidays, finding a sup-portive community through clubs, support groups, community centers, local meetups, and faith communities can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. Consider scheduling a regular phone call with family and friends as well.
5. Support others During this time of year feel-ings of grief and loss can amplify. Check in on loved ones who may be alone or struggling dur-ing the holiday season. Helping a friend or neigh-bor not only gives joy to others, but it can im-prove your own happiness and well-being.

5. Support others During this time of year feel-ings of grief and loss can amplify. Check in on loved ones who may be alone or struggling dur-ing the holiday season. Helping a friend or neigh-bor not only gives joy to others, but it can im-prove your own happiness and well-being.
6. Recognize seasonal mood changes Sea-sonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condi-tion in which people experience symptoms of depression that are triggered by the change in seasons as the days get shorter. While this form of depression often im-proves in the spring and summer, it is im-portant to talk with your health care provid-er if you feel you are experiencing these symptoms. Treatment is effective and may include light therapy, antidepressant medi-cation, and/or talk therapy.
7. Avoid alcohol and drugs For people in recovery, the holiday season presents challenges that can trigger the use of alcohol and drugs. Having a plan for navigating social events and feelings of loneliness, can reduce the risk of sub-stance use. For family and friends, it is important to check in on those who may be struggling with substance use over the holidays.
Know when to seek help If you feel that your mental health struggles are becoming over-whelming and difficult to handle, it is important to seek help and know that treatment is availa-ble. Below are free and confidential resources that can connect you with effective treatment and support.
You are not alone. Here’s how to seek help.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline — 1-800-662-HELP (4357) - A confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members fac-ing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facili-ties, support groups, and community-based or-ganizations.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — If you or someone you know needs support now, you can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Simply call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Veterans Crisis Line — Reach caring, qualified re-sponders with the Department of Veterans Af-fairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves. Dial 988 then press 1.
Source: https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/supporting-your-mental-health-during-holiday-season

Where Does Your Money Go?

How you handle money impacts your financial stability. Join Molly Hoag, Health and Human Sciences Educator, to learn about smart money habits that help you stay in control of your finances.
YOU WILL LEARN SMART MONEY HAB-ITS LIKE:

• Keeping track of what you spend
• Finding where you’re spending too much
• Knowing the difference between what you need and what you want
• Setting clear financial goals in writing
• Making a plan to spend and save wisely
  Workshops

PRESSURE CANNER TESTING
Pressure canner testing is now available again at the Wells County Extension Office.
Drop off your dial gauge pressure canner at the Extension Office M-F, 8AM—4:30 PM. We will call you to pick it up once it’s been tested.
Brands we test: Presto, National, Magic Seal, Maid of Honor
Canners can be dropped off at the Wells County Community Center,
1240 4-H Park Road, Bluffton.
Cost for the inspection is $5.00.

Extension Homemakers Holiday Luncheon

12/2/25
11:00AM
Details to follow.

News Notes for Parents is a newsletter geared towards parents with children ages 8 and under. You will find articles about parenting, early childhood education, nutrition and much more.

In the October 2025 issue of News Notes for Parents, you will find the following articles:

English PDF

Spanish PDF 

Pumpkins– From Decoration to Delectable!

Once autumn rolls in, pumpkins flourish. They are used to decorate porches, flavor baked goods and coffee drinks, and star in fall festivals across the country. Many of you may have already been taking advantage of the fall/winter squash selections in stores and from local growers. You may also be reading this thinking, I’m passed pumpkin and moving on to peppermint and gingerbread but with Thanksgiving tomorrow, pumpkins still have time to be featured! They come in all shapes and colors, varying from short and stout, oblong, tall and narrow, green, orange, yellow, white, and purple. Pumpkins offer many nutrients and health benefits in addition to their fall décor qualities.

Squash that is harvested in the fall is known as winter squash. Each type of winter squash differs in color, shape, size, and flavor but all have thicker shells than summer squash. These thick shells can be more of a challenge to work with but are what make these squash shelf-stable for a few months when kept in proper conditions.

Choose a firm, well-shaped squash that feels heavy for its size. They should have hard, tough skin without soft spots or areas that have sunken in. Store pumpkins in a cool, dry place to keep them shelf-stable for several months. Many varieties can be baked, boiled, steamed, cooked in an electric pressure cooker, and even roasted in an air fryer. Be sure to first rinse the squash under running water prior to peeling or cutting through the skin. Depending on what you plan to do with the pumpkin will determine whether you peel it before or after cooking methods. When steaming, the peel should be removed prior to cooking. If baking, there is no need to peel prior to the baking process. Simply remove the ends, cut the squash in half, remove the seeds, and bake as squash halves.

These delectable and colorful decorations are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.

These nutrients are important for nerve impulses, skin formation, healthy bone maintenance, and contribute to our eye health. They also provide us with antioxidants that we know work to keep the good stuff in our bodies and shuffle the bad things out.

Pumpkins are over 90% water and all parts of the pumpkin are edible. You can eat the skin, leaves, flowers, pulp, seeds, and even the stem… if you so choose. The flesh of the pumpkin is what we eat most frequently and what is incorporated into baked goods. Pumpkin puree can help stretch your next pot of chili a little farther or add flavor to your next bowl of oatmeal. Seeds of the pumpkins can be roasted or baked for a crunchy snack, mixed with oats as a granola base, or sprinkled over a bowl of soup. Try tossing the seeds in olive oil and cinnamon for a sweeter snack or oil and chili powder for a savory snack. Separate the seeds from the pulp and lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at a low temperature of about 170°F for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!

Jessica Riffle, HHS Educator
Purdue Extension – Fulton County

Building connections with friends

Having healthy relationships with the kids in our lives is one the of the best ways to support and protect their mental health. A healthy connection parent-child relationship not only helps children bounce back from life’s difficult moments, but it also helps children handle big emotions, reduce negative behaviors, boost their attention spans, increase their sense of belonging and build social skills.
Building a healthy connection with your child starts the moment they’re born. The way we interact with them, the way we respond to their behaviors and the way we handle our own stress are all important. We have some resources to help get you started:

Intentional Child Time: Parenting is hard and your time is limited. What if we told you there are recommendations of things you can do when spending time with your child that research has shown builds healthy relationships and improves child behavior? The best part is that it only takes a few minutes a day!

Conversations: Our children want to feel like they’re important and heard. This is why we recommend daily check-ins with your children. Conversations about topics big or small build closeness in the parent-child relationship, help you get to know your child, and help children feel comfortable coming to you when they’re in need.

Routines: Creating a daily schedule and routine for children can often feel like a magic wand when it comes to building positive behaviors. This is because when kids know what to expect out of their day, they feel more in control. Additionally, power battles decrease because they start building habits.

Responding to difficult behaviors: How we treat our kids when they misbehave is just as important as how we spend fun time with them. While our job as parents is to guide their behavior, we also want to make sure we respond in a way that does not harm the relationship.

Take care of you: Parenting can be hard because we are humans too. We feel strong emotions just like our children and on hard days, it is really difficult to show up as our best selves and parent. Taking care of yourself will help you be more effective at connecting with your kids.

You can start improving your relationship with your child today. Select one or two steps that you feel most comfortable with. Over time, expand to more of them. As you try more elements, you will gain confidence and be ready to do even more.
Source: https://www.kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/mental-health-resources/mental-wellness/building-connections-with-kids

PARENT TIP: Check out these great conversation starters found on kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org

Molly Hoag, Health & Human Sciences Educator www.extension.purdue.edu/wells
News Notes To Parents is a product of Purdue Extension—Wells County. If you have comments or need information,
call (260) 824-6412 The office is located at 1240 4-H Park Road, Bluffton, IN 46714 Tell someone about us!

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Wells County 4-H Newsletter