Health & Wellness

All Health & Wellness Content

Parents playing with their children in a living room.

All Kids and Adults Need To Play and Let Loose!

Movement and unstructured activity help increase memory, perception, attention, emotion and basic decision making. Incorporate play into your daily routine to improve your health while making memories with your kids!

Woman in pink shirt buckling helmet under her chin

Bike Safety

View information about the benefits of biking and how to ride safely.

A young woman demonstrating the starting and finishing position for a weighted squat exercise. For a complete description of the movements, call SDSU Extension at 605-688-6729.

Weighted Exercises

Strength training is an important way to keep your body moving and in optimal health. Strengthening your muscles also helps your body perform everyday activities with ease and comfort.

A young woman demonstrating the starting and finishing position for the seated twist yoga pose. For a complete description of the movements, call SDSU Extension at 605-688-6729.

Gentle Yoga

The practice of yoga uses postures, breath work, and meditation to bring balance to the mind and body. Gentle yoga uses physical postures that are accessible to most people and that are done at a slower pace while being held for longer.

Small black fly on pale skin.

Monitor Livestock, Pets and Yourself for Eye Gnat Activity

While being outside this week, I noticed a lot of small gnats flying around my legs and really bothering my dogs. I caught a few and identified them as eye gnats. Although this pest is considered a nuisance in most cases, it is capable of transmitting diseases and pathogens.

Young woman demonstrating the reclined side leg raise exercise. For a complete description, call SDSU Extension at 605-688-6729.

Build Strength Without Using Weights!

Good news! You can use your own body weight to help build strong muscles and bones, no equipment needed!

Mosquito with darker coloration and mosquito with white band on proboscis.

Be Ready for Mosquitos

With the very wet 2019 spring and recent rains, it inevitable that mosquito populations will be high this year. Although there are over 20 species of mosquitoes that call South Dakota home, there are really only two species that account for the majority of observed individuals.

A mother and daughter doing pushups.

8 Ways to Get Moving!

For those with barriers to being physically active, here are eight quick ideas to add a little more activity to your week.

Young woman sitting on a couch.

Sit Less and Move More

Many people may feel frustrated because of jobs that force them to stay sitting for long hours during the day. If you are one of those people, don’t get discouraged!

A family going for sunset walk down a country road.

Fit on the Farm

Although regular job duties on the farm may include intense physical tasks, aerobic physical activity is still needed in addition to the short burst, physical tasks.