{"id":164557,"date":"2025-05-12T11:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T17:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=164557"},"modified":"2025-05-12T11:25:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T17:25:14","slug":"building-stronger-bones-and-stronger-communities-a-uccs-health-promotion-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=164557","title":{"rendered":"Building stronger bones and stronger communities: a UCCS Health Promotion Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-164558\" data-id=\"164558\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-1200x800.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2368-1-1400x934.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-164562\" data-id=\"164562\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-1200x800.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2404-1400x933.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-164560\" data-id=\"164560\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-1200x800.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2410-1400x934.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-164561\" data-id=\"164561\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-1200x800.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2469-1400x934.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-164559\" data-id=\"164559\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-1200x800.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-1400x934.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Build Your Bones, an Osteoporosis Prevention interdisciplinary program from UCCS Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, brought students, faculty and community members together for a learning program focused on building strong bones through physical activity and nutrition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This program was a collaborative effort, involving student interns and graduate students working on their thesis projects. It offered hands-on health promotion, research opportunities, and community engagement\u2014particularly for aging adults, a population that often lacks tailored health resources and support systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere aren\u2019t necessarily things geared toward them, especially learning opportunities. The women actually asked if we could continue doing this program because they love the community they\u2019ve built,\u201d said Jordyn Van Hee, a second-year nutrition graduate student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The program offered weekly nutrition and exercise sessions, all rooted in evidence-based research. Students guided participants through recipes and educational discussions on how nutrition impacts bone health. Participants learned about the Mediterranean diet, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and even explored unexpected superfoods like prunes and olive oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs we age, we all have decreased absorption of vitamins and minerals,\u201d Van Hee explained. \u201cWe increased their exposure to trying new things and made them more aware of the vitamins and minerals they are absorbing. We used food and dietary logs to track their intake and identify areas for improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Participants enjoyed learning about the variety of foods they could incorporate to optimize their nutrition. \u201cMy biggest takeaway was how to eat better to balance the nutrition we\u2019re supposed to be getting. We eat what we can, so it\u2019s important to mix it up and balance our food and nutrients. Hopefully, I can keep going with that,\u201d said Linha Ferguson, a community participant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Emily Kulakowski, Ph.D., CSCS, emphasized how the project provided a unique opportunity for students to engage with both the human side of health promotion and the rigor of academic research. Students participated in everything from literature reviews and physical assessments to focus groups and qualitative data analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor health promotion, it\u2019s important for students to see the human side of what they\u2019re learning by applying the theories and practical skills from their coursework,\u201d said Kulakowski. \u201cWe want to connect with people, assess their needs, and help close the gaps in care. It\u2019s really amazing how involved UCCS is with the community, which speaks to the quality of our faculty and students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI really loved learning more about osteoporosis and bone health, and also how physical activity and diet can positively influence it,\u201d said student intern Hannah Siethoff, who worked on the physical activity component of the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The program also offered DEXA scans, which gave participants individualized feedback on their bone health. While the data was valuable, the one-on-one interactions created deeper connections and meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was such a cool way to get to know people individually. You could ask, \u2018How was your vacation?\u2019 or \u2018How\u2019s your dog?\u2019 It builds bridges with people and highlights the humanity in health and wellness that emerges when you have those personal interactions,\u201d Kulakowski shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the aging population continues to grow, projects like this offer much-needed support, education, and community for older adults\u2014while also providing students with real-world experience and demonstrating how healthcare education can make a tangible difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Build Your Bones, an Osteoporosis Prevention interdisciplinary program from UCCS Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, brought students, faculty and community members together for a learning program focused on building strong bones through physical activity and nutrition. <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=164557\" title=\"Building stronger bones and stronger communities: a UCCS Health Promotion Initiative\">(More)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":164559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[105,332],"class_list":["post-164557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","tag-helen-and-arthur-e-johnson-beth-el-college-of-nursing-and-health-sciences","tag-more-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2561-scaled.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1mBpJ-GO9","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=164557"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":164563,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164557\/revisions\/164563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/164559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=164557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=164557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=164557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}