Monthly Archives: March 2010

April is Adolescent Vaccine Month

Posted on March 31, 2010 | Leave a comment

April is Adolescent Vaccine Month- Protect Your Child

What would you do to save your child’s life? That sounds kind of dramatic, but the reality is that teens and young adults can be exposed to diseases that can kill or disable them. A simple vaccination could save them.

The need for vaccinations doesn’t end at kindergarten. Flu shots are not the only important vaccines for young people.  Vaccines for whooping cough, meningococcal disease, human papilloma virus (which causes cervical cancer), chicken pox, hepatitis B, and hepatitis A all can help protect your child’s health.  Some, but not all of the vaccines are required by law. All these illnesses can be disruptive to a child’s and their family’s life and some are potentially deadly.

Meningitis is a good example. Everyone says teenagers feel they are invincible. Check out this website, www.voicesofmeningitis.com.  These are true stories that can break your heart.

Protect your daughter against cervical cancer. http://www.gardasil.com/what-is-gardasil/index.html?WT.mc_id=GL0EU . This vaccine is now approved for boys to prevent genital warts.

Most health insurance plans cover these childhood vaccines. If your child doesn’t have insurance or if the insurance doesn’t cover vaccines, the North Carolina Immunization Program provides these vaccines at no cost.

See more information about this program at http://www.immunizenc.com.

Call the health department at 919-542-8220 in Pittsboro and 919-742-5641 in Siler City for an appointment or if you have questions. The vaccine is called Menactra. Ask about other vaccines recommended for adolescents.

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April is Public Health Month!

Posted on March 30, 2010 | Leave a comment

Here’s to your health!

Everyone is talking about healthcare reform and making sure everyone has access to healthcare. The Chatham County Public Health Department has been helping people with their healthcare needs for many years. Although the health department does bill many insurance companies, we also provide care to people to don’t have any insurance.

All adults and children from Chatham County can receive medical services through the health department. Women can also receive Family Planning services (exam and birth control methods). All charges are based on income.

Call to ask about the Chatham County Public Health Department’s other services or to make an appointment. The Pittsboro number is 919-542-8220 and Siler City is 919-742-5641. We’re here to serve you!

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Eat a Rainbow Week- A Success!

Posted on March 25, 2010 | Leave a comment

Eat A Rainbow week was a great success at  Moncure
and JS Waters schools and for the staff of the Chatham County Public Health Department’s Community Health Promotion and Advocacy Division (CHPA).  During Eat a Rainbow week, each day had a theme color. Participants ate fruits and vegetables of the theme, and learned about the importance of eating a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables.

Here are some of the activities that took place during Eat A Rainbow week. 

Kindergarten through second grade
students at JS Waters drew some of their favorite colorful fruits and vegetables in art class and these pictures were on display in the JS Waters cafeteria during the week. Seventh and eighth graders at JS Waters also wrote messages for the morning announcements about the theme color each day. 

Moncure staff members participated in a fruit and vegetable eating challenge.  Pairs of staff members competed to see who could reach the goal of eating 8-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day during the week.  This is the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables for adults.  The winning team was Ms. Rapacuk and Mrs. Biggs with 119 servings!!

Jenny Burris, a teacher at Moncure School said, “Eat a Rainbow week was a great success!  People brought fruit to share with each other and someone even brought a smoothie maker that everyone was welcome to use.”

The cafeterias at both schools gave students the opportunity to eat the color of the day by serving 3 different theme-colored fruit and vegetable options each day.  Friday was Blue and Purple day, so purple cabbage, blueberries and purple grapes were on the menu…Yum!

CHPA staff members challenged themselves to
eat as wide a variety of fruits and vegetables as they could during the week.  They ate a total of 54 different fruits and vegetables spanning every color of the rainbow. 

We hope to organize Eat A Rainbow week next year as well, so if you have any suggestions or want your school to be involved, please contact Ellie Morris, School Health Liaison with the Chatham County Public Health Department at 919-545-8514 or elizabeth.morris@chathamnc.org or visist the health department’s school health website at www.chathamnc.org/schoolhealth.

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Eat Well, Live Well

Posted on March 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

One in five Americans is at risk for type 2 diabetes. This is why today is so important. March 23rd is the 22nd annual Diabetes Alert Day. It’s a day to ask if you or any of your loved ones are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Click here to take a simple test and stop diabetes through prevention. Share this link with friends and family

Your health and weight are linked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to become at risk for chronic health conditions such as diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease where the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it produces properly. The body needs insulin to break food down into glucose for energy. When insulin is not available to take glucose from the blood into the cells, sugar builds up in the blood. This causes complications such as neuropathy and kidney damage.

Being overweight and not exercising regularly are two factors that put people at risk for contracting type 2 diabetes. Others factors play a role as well, such as age and family history, but those are uncontrollable.

The best way to put a stop to the onset of chronic diseases is to live a healthy lifestyle. This includes getting physical activity daily and eating a balanced diet. 

Many people are unsure what a healthy diet consists of or that it’s too difficult to try to eat healthy. Here are some basic diet guidelines to follow from the USDA:

  • Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
  • Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and
  • Make sure foods are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to achieve health benefits through physical activity,

  • Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity daily including aerobic and muscle, and bone strengthening activities,
  • Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week.

Be aware of what you can do to lessen your risk and be alert for loved ones!

 For more information, go to: www.diabetes.org/

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Nutrition from the Ground Up

Posted on March 18, 2010 | Leave a comment

March is National Nutrition Month® – a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association.

Initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event, “National Nutrition Week” became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

During National Nutrition Month®, the American Dietetic Association reminds everyone that an easy way to focus on eating better is to start with the basics: build your nutritional health from the ground up.

  • Start with the basics. Eating right 
    doesn’t have to be complicated. A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy and includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. A healthy eating plan is also low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.
  • Make calories count by thinking nutrient-rich rather than “good” or “bad” foods. Most food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients — and lower in calories. Be aware of portion sizes. Even low-calorie foods can add up when portions are larger than you need.
  • Focus on variety
    by eating a variety of foods from all the food groups. Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, canned or frozen. Look for locally grown produce that’s in season. Vary protein choices with more fish, beans and peas. Include at least three servings of whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta every day.
  • Make the most of family mealtime.
    Eating meals together provides the opportunity to help children develop a healthy attitude toward food. It also enables parents to serve as role models, introduce new foods and establish a regular meal schedule.
  • Balancing physical activity and a healthful diet is your best recipe for managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness. Set a goal to be physically active at least 30 minutes every day.

This and more information can be found at http://www.eatright.org/ or by contacting Zach Deaton, RD with the Chatham County Public Health Department at 742-5641.

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