December 28, 2011

Ten Resolutions the Health Department
Can Help You With

1. Kick a bad habit – Who says quitters never win? CDHD offers free Tobacco Cessation classes. The first ones begin soon after the start of the New Year. Call 375-5211 for information and to enroll.
2. Prevent falls – As we grow older our strength and sense of balance fades. CDHD offers free Fit and Fall Proof® classes throughout its four county area. Each class offers simple exercises that reduce the risk of falling for older adults. Call 375-5211 for more information.
3. Know your status – How would you know if you’ve been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease? Some diseases have no symptoms. The safest bet is to get tested. Call CDHD’s Reproductive Health area at 327-7400 or visit reveal4real.org for more information.
4. Get your children vaccinated against the flu – The flu is unpredictable, but we know it peaks in January and February. So it’s not too late to protect your kids against this common illness, thereby protecting everyone in the family. Call 327-7450 to make an appointment.
5. Get moving – The holiday feasting may have made it harder to button your pants. So get out there and get moving! Walk, run, swim, ski, bike, whatever it is you like to do, do more of it. Adults should be getting 30 minutes of exercise a day. Double that for kids.
6. Check your cholesterol – Establish a baseline and work from there. CDHD offers Cholesterol Screening on the first Tuesday of every month. The test is only $20 and covers 23 different items in the screening profile.
7. Learn about food safety – Foodborne illness can happen anywhere, but it doesn’t have to. Learn the basics by viewing the free Basic Food Safety video, available on the CDHD website. If you’re more ambitious you can enroll in one of our classroom food safety courses.
8. Breastfeed your infant – Breastfeeding is the gold standard of nutrition for newborns. The WIC program at CDHD offers a wide variety of support services for new mothers as well as nutritional supplements. Call 327-7488 to learn more, or visit the WIC pages of our website.
9. Be Informed. Make a Plan. Build a Kit. – Would your family be ready if disaster strikes? The health district is ready to respond to public health emergencies. Learn how you can prepare your family by visiting Ready.gov.
10. Report Food Poisoning – What do you do if you get sick after eating out somewhere? Follow the link to “Report Food Poisoning” on our website and complete the survey. This will start an investigation and hopefully prevent future illnesses.

For more information on the programs and services of the Central District Health Department, visit our website.