Each year millions of United States citizens make New Year’s Resolutions, determined to change their lives. Studies show about half of us give up on those resolutions after just a few months. This time around, let Public Health help you stay committed and focused on your health goals.
Below are programs within Public Health that can help you wrangle several of the most common health resolutions:
Education and help affording healthy foods:
In South Central Idaho too many of our adults are obese. Our youth are headed in the same direction. You can help be the change! Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks, understanding the balance between food groups, exercise pyramids, and screen time suggestions for kids.
We also have Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a program designed to help educate parents with young children
about better food options. The program comes with a stipend to help fund those changes. The program comes with a voucher to for specific, healthy foods for pregnant or breastfeeding or recently postpartum women, infants and children
up to their 5th birthday. Learn more about WIC here.
Exercise as a Senior Citizen:
Healthy living shouldn’t stop as you age. One bad fall can restrict independence, movement, and increases the risk of premature death! Get ahead of the game, and make some friends, in our free Fit and Fall Proof™ classes. See a calendar
of these classes here.
Safe food preparation:
Foodborne illness isn't just a bummer, it can be deadly. The New Year is a great time to practice better food handling; including understanding what temperature you should cook your meats, how to clean and sanitize, and when to throw out leftovers. Give us a call if you have questions, or check out the USDA's website.
Prevention is key in keeping your children safe from deadly illnesses. Vaccines are one of the most effective way to do it! Thanks to the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program the cost of the vaccine is covered by the State of Idaho and the small fee left over is covered by most insurances. At 19 years old vaccines go back to normal price and can cost hundreds of dollars. Call 208-737-5900 to schedule an appointment today. Or learn more here.
If you are traveling out of the country, some of these vaccines are essential to keep you from picking up foreign bugs. We have immunization clinics available in Twin Falls, Bellevue, Gooding, Jerome and Heyburn.
Now is the time to kick that habit! From vaping to traditional cigarettes, Public Health can help
you take the first step toward a smoke free future. Our tobacco expert holds regular classes and
in group settings or one-on-one. Learn more quitting vapes or quitting tobacco.
Don't wait! Communicate!
Emergencies don't wait and neither should you. Gather your family and plan how you will communicate and where you will meet in the event of a crisis.
In South Central Idaho, an emergency could be anything from a house fire, flooding, to a wildland fire with evacuations. Now is the time to create a family emergency plan and put together a 72 hour kit.
Cancer:
Colorectal Cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S. It doesn't have to be. If you start screening at age 50 your doctor has a much better chance of catching the problem before it becomes deadly. Breast and Cervical Cancer screening also saves lives! Click here to learn more about cancer and what you can do to prevent it.
Diabetes:
More than 30 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10). You are more likely to develop diabetes and prediabetes if you are: overweight, are 45 years or older, have a close family member with type 2 diabetes, are physically active less than 3 times a week, if you’ve ever had gestational diabetes.
Take the quiz here.
To avoid diabetes it is important to exercise at least three times a week, keep your weight at healthy levels, keep your cholesterol and blood pressure down. Learn more here.
The Public Health Hotline at (866) 737-5900.