Upcoming Classes and Events

Heart Health Series

February is Heart Health Month. Join this series to learn about 3 important aspects of heart health, risk factors, impacts, and tools and strategies to improve and manage your heart health. 

Led by NKU Personal Wellness Coach Lyndsay Barto, MS RDN LDN. Lyndsay is a Registered Dietitian and has years of experience helping individuals who strive to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives. Through the NKU coaching program, Lyndsay has helped numerous faculty and staff improve their lifestyle habits and decrease or discontinue blood pressure and cholesterol medications.

Attend one or all. Register for each of the series below.

Heart Health Series: Understanding and Managing Blood Pressure
February 2, 2026
12-1pm
Register online

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common conditions affecting the heart and so often goes undetected and untreated without any noticeable symptoms. It can quietly damage your heart, kidneys, and brain over time. Family history and lifestyle have a major impact on being diagnosed with high blood pressure. This webinar offers essential information on managing your blood pressure effectively and will include:

• Understanding your blood pressure readings
• Effective dietary adjustments (e.g., the DASH diet, sodium reduction) and best foods to eat
• The role of exercise and lifestyle changes
• When to talk to your doctor about medication and monitoring options

Heart Health Series: Understanding and Managing Cholesterol
February 9, 2026
12-1pm
Register online

Are you concerned about your cholesterol levels and unsure of the next steps? Join us for an informative webinar where we demystify the science behind "good" and "bad" cholesterol and provide actionable strategies to take control of your heart health. This session will cover essential topics, including:

• Understanding the different types of cholesterol
• Risk factors
• Effective dietary adjustments and the best foods to eat
• The role of exercise and lifestyle changes
• When to talk to your doctor about medication options

Heart Health Series: Managing Stress for a Healthy Heart
February 23, 2026
12-1pm
Register online

Did you know that chronic stress can have a negative impact on your heart health? Stress negatively impacts heart health by raising blood pressure, increasing heart rate, and causing hormonal changes that can lead to high cholesterol, blood sugar, and inflammation. These effects increase the workload on the heart and can damage arteries, raising the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and arrhythmias. While we can't always remove stressors, we can learn how to reduce their impact on our health. 

Unlocking Optimal Well-being: Your Guide to Gut Health
March 16, 2026
12-1pm
Register online

Did you know that your gut is often referred to as your "second brain" and plays a critical role in far more than just digestion? The trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that call your digestive system home – collectively known as the gut microbiome – significantly influence your immunity, metabolism, mood, and mental clarity. 

Join this session to dive deep into the fascinating world of gut health and discover how dietary and lifestyle choices can be transformative. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the gut-brain connection and offer evidence-based interventions for better health. This webinar is ideal for anyone looking to improve their energy levels, enhance digestion, support immune function, or simply gain a better understanding of how a healthy gut contributes to a healthier life. 

What You'll Learn:

• Fundamental Principles: Understand the structure and function of the gut microbiome and its importance to your whole body.
• Nutrition and Diet: Discover practical tips for incorporating prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods, fiber, and fermented foods into your diet, and learn to identify foods that disrupt microbial balance.
• Lifestyle Factors: Explore the influence of lifestyle behaviors, including sleep hygiene, exercise, and stress reduction, on your gut and immune health.
• Actionable Strategies: Walk away with simple, dietitian-recommended strategies and recipes to cultivate a thriving gut microbiome and make a big difference in your overall well-being. 

Navigating the Change: A Comprehensive Guide to Perimenopause and Menopause
April 20, 2026
12-1pm
Register online

Menopause is a natural and normal life transition, yet it often comes with confusion and a wide range of symptoms. Join NKU Personal Wellness Coach, Registered Dietitian, and wellness expert Lyndsay Barto for this insightful one-hour webinar designed to demystify perimenopause and menopause. We will cover the basics of what to expect, the common physical and emotional changes that occur, and practical, evidence-based strategies for managing this significant phase with confidence.

What you will learn:

• What is the difference between perimenopause and menopause, and when do they typically occur?
• Common symptoms including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and brain fog.
• Physiological changes and associated health risks, such as bone density and cardiovascular changes.
• Practical strategies for managing symptoms, including lifestyle adjustments and treatment options.

Wednesdays, 11:15am-12pm, HE 125
Register online and complete the waiver form

Join our new instructor Phoenix Wilson for this faculty/staff yoga class. This restorative class is focused on relaxing, stretching deeply, and renewing the body.  Modifications of postures will always be offered. Participants must bring their own mat and complete a new waiver form prior to attending their first class. The link for the waiver form is included in the registration confirmation.

Phoenix Wilson is a certified Yoga and T’ai Chi instructor. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University in Health and Physical Education. She has been teaching yoga, meditation, and t’ai chi in the Greater Cincinnati area for over 20 years, following three years of training and teaching in Japan. She also holds a certificate from the Himalayan Institute as an Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist and has completed certification courses in Yoga for Healthy Aging. Her students find her classes both rejuvenating and calming. When not on her yoga mat, she enjoys being in the outdoors, either biking or hiking. She also enjoys exploring new cooking recipes and enjoying one of her greatest passions — dancing — from Lindy Hop to ballroom.

Did you know? Some of the most well-established benefits of regularly practicing guided relaxation include: 

• Mental Health: Reduces stress and anxiety, improves mood and emotional regulation, decreases depression symptoms, enhances focus and concentration, and Increases self-awareness and compassion. 
• Physical Health: Lowers blood pressure, reduces pain, improves sleep quality, boosts the immune system, and slows down the aging process. 
• Other Benefits: Improves cognitive function and memory, increases creativity and problem-solving abilities, enhances productivity and efficiency, and promotes better relationships and social skills.

Make intentional relaxation a part of your daily routine by practicing with Ashley Siemer this semester. 

Register to attend on Teams for each date below.

2/4, 2/18
3/4. 3/18
4/1, 4/15, 4/29

Ashley Siemer is the director of student affairs and enrollment management for Chase College of Law.  She was introduced to meditation approximately 15 years ago during a difficult period in her life. She has spent the last 15 years studying and practicing meditation because she knows how important it has been to her emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally.  Ashley understands both the benefits and challenges of beginning and sustaining a practice and wishes to share her experiences with you. While her personal and professional life has taken her down many paths, her current focus is to live her best life possible and to make the most of the time she has been granted.

The Office of Safety and Emergency Management in partnership with University Wellness provides AED/CPR Training to all NKU employees. Performing CPR in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest can triple the chance of survival; get trained and learn how to save a life!

Upon successful completion, each participant will receive an AED/CPR certification card provided by the American Safety and Health Institute which is valid for two years. Training provided by the NKYEMS.

Register for February 18, 1-3pm, SU 135

In the event of inclement weather, the class will be rescheduled.

Airrosti Rehab Center focuses on non-invasive treatment and management of a variety of musculoskeletal issues. Airrosti's goal is to fix pain FAST (typically within 3-4 visits based on patient-reported outcomes) — with no needles, surgery, or invasive procedures. They help save patients time and money, while also dramatically reducing the need for costly and potentially dangerous prescription pain killers and opioids.

Whether you’ve been living with chronic and nagging pain for years or if you’ve recently experienced an acute injury, Airrosti providers are here to help find the root cause of your pain and offer treatment options for efficient, effective, and lasting relief.

Self-care and Connection Workshop: Recognizing Their Impact on Burnout

Is your team experiencing high levels of burnout, low morale or high workloads causing ongoing stress? If so, this 1-hour team building workshop can help support your team or department. High levels of burnout impact our physical and mental health without question. In addition, the impact on our personal connections with each other has a trickle-down effect on how the team functions together and the levels of engagement within that team.

The goal of this workshop is to empower each member of the team/department to better understand and address their own mental health and reconsider their role as a member of the team. We will discuss prioritizing self-care, building connections with others, and using your influence within a team to have a positive impact on engagement.

Facilitated by NKU Personal Wellness Coach Lyndsay Barto, MS RDN LDN. Contact Lyndsay to schedule your workshop at lbarto@lbwellbeing.com . Workshop can be done in-person, virtual, or a mix of both if needed.