Twelve ways to have a healthy holiday season

US CDC offers 12 simple tips for staying health this holiday season and all year long:

1. Wash hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. It's flu season. Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Manage stress. Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and out of control. Some of the best ways to manage stress are to find support, connect socially and get plenty of sleep.
3. Don't drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Whenever anyone drives drunk, they put everyone on the road in danger. Choose not to drink and drive and help others do the same.
4. Bundle up to stay dry and warm. Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm layers, gloves, hats, scarves and waterproof boots.
5. Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Smokers have greater health risks because of their tobacco use, but nonsmokers also are at risk when exposed to tobacco smoke.
6. Fasten seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your children in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat or seat belt according to their height, weight, and age. Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip and encourage passengers to do the same.
7. Get exams and screenings. Ask your health care provider what exams you need and when to get them. Update your personal and family history. Get insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace if you are not insured.
8. Get your vaccinations. Vaccinations help prevent diseases and save lives. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year.
9. Monitor children. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items and other objects out of children's reach. Protect them from drowning, burns, falls and other potential accidents.
10. Practice fire safety. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so don't leave fireplaces, space heaters, food cooking on stoves or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan and practice it regularly.
11. Prepare food safely. Remember these simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often, avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods promptly.
12. Eat healthy, stay active. Eat fruits and vegetables which pack nutrients and help lower the risk for certain diseases. Limit your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt and sugar. Also, be active for at least 2½ hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.

For more information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/features/healthytips/index.html

3 Reasons to Teach Kids Food Safety

Here are 3 very important reasons for doing more, right now, to teach kids about safe food handling:

  

1. US CDC estimates nearly half of all reported foodborne infections occur in children under 15 years of age.
2. The long-term effects of foodborne illness in young children can be serious, including impaired brain development, kidney failure, or even death.
3. Children under 9 account for 56% of hospitalizations from salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis - the two most common causes of foodborne illness.

Engage kids early, so they develop safe food handling practices they will use for life. Visit http://www.fightbac.org/kids for access to free resources you can use to teach kids food safety.

Food safety

One confirmed case in Maine is included in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to ground beef. A second suspected case is undergoing testing.


Consumers should check their refrigerators and freezers for recalled products and not eat them; retailers and food service operators should not serve them.

Salmonella Enteriditis causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, cramps, and fevers. It usually lasts 3-10 days.

One in six Americans will get sick from food poisoning this year alone. FoodSafety.gov has a number of helpful at-a-glance food safety charts available as well as other food safety information.
If you’ll be grilling outdoors this summer, check out this video from the Grill Sergeants with safety guidelines for safe grilling.

Have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving

Here are some tips and resources to make sure you have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving.

Managing Diabetes

Having diabetes shouldn't stop you from enjoying holiday celebrations and travel. With some planning and a little work, you can stay healthy on the road and at holiday gatherings with friends and family.

The most important step in managing diabetes during holiday travel and festivities is preparing. Know what you'll be eating, how to enjoy a few traditional favorites while sticking with a healthy meal plan, and how to pack necessary supplies for a trip, and you're all set to celebrate!

Family Health History

The best way to learn about your family health history is to ask questions. Family gatherings during holidays like Thanksgiving provide an opportunity to talk about and record your family's health information—it could make a difference in your child's life.

Your family health history could be important for determining your child's health risks. Learn more about how to document your family's health history and share it with your child's doctor.

Food Safety

HolidayFoodSafety.org has resources on purchasing, preparing, and storing food for holidays as well as shopping checklists and recipes.

Make sure you know how to cook safely to prevent scalds, burns, and fires.

The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services created this 7-minute video on holiday food safety.

And make sure you know how to treat your leftovers!

Summer health

Most people get Lyme disease between the months of May and August. The best way to prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses is to avoid contact with ticks:

· Wear long sleeve shirts and pants. Light colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks.

· Tuck your pants into your socks and tuck your shirt into your pants.

· Use insect repellent (with DEET) on your skin and apply permethrin to your clothes.

· Check your clothing and skin carefully after being outdoors and remove ticks immediately.

· If bitten by a tick, wash area of bite thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to area of the bite.

· Mark on a calendar the date that you were bitten, and then watch for any changes in your health every day for the next month.

· Keep your lawn mowed, cut overgrown brush, and clear away leaf litter from your home.

· Inspect any pets daily and remove any ticks found.

Water, bugs, and the sun, are a few of the things kids experience more of in the summertime. See this US CDC feature on keeping kids safe and healthy this summer.

We’ve already experienced some severe weather. Know how to protect yourself in the event of thunderstorms and lightning. Power failures are common in severe summer storms. Check out this food safety video from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to make sure you keep food safe after a power failure.

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has established important new rules about sunscreen labels to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

This Cornell University video has helpful information about safe grilling practices.

Worried about E. coli and other foodborne illness?

US CDC’s Vital Signs for June focuses on foodborne illness. Each year, roughly 1 in 6 people in the US gets sick from eating contaminated food. The 1,000 or more reported outbreaks that happen each year reveal familiar culprits—Salmonella and other common germs. We know that reducing contamination works. During the past 15 years, a dangerous type of E. coli infection, responsible for the recall of millions of pounds of ground beef, has been cut almost in half.

For more information on Vital Signs, see this MMWR.

A large outbreak of shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104 is occurring in Germany, with cases identified in travelers to Germany. This strain of E. coli is very rare and has not been seen in the United States prior to this outbreak.

Maine CDC issued a Health Alert on Monday, asking health care providers to report any suspect cases of STEC in Maine residents with a history of travel to Germany immediately to our disease reporting line: 1-800-821-5821.

US CDC has issued the following travel notice: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/outbreak-notice/2011-germany-europe-e-coli.htm?source=govdelivery

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is posting related updates at: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm257814.htm

Food safety

About 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according to new estimates from US CDC. The Food Safety Modernization Act brings sweeping improvements to the security and safety of our nation’s food supply.

For more information, see this Q&A from from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Quick Guide to Holiday Health

Already stressed about the holidays? Check these quick tips to make sure you stay safe and enjoy the season:

Did you know it’s not safe to leave raw or cooked turkey (or any perishable food) at room temperature for more than two hours? Otherwise, you’re creating the perfect conditions for dangerous bacteria to multiply rapidly. A woman in Missouri recently died and several others got sick from E. coli apparently contracted from a Thanksgiving meal. Check out these food safety tips to keep you and your guests healthy this holiday season.

Looking for last-minute gifts? This Massachusetts Department of Health blog has some fitness-related gift ideas, especially for those who want to be more healthy and active in the new year.

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. There have also been a lot of car accidents in recent storms. Whether you’re traveling for the holidays or not, drive safely this holiday season.

Remember that winter storms and cold temperatures can be hazardous. Prepare your home and cars. Keep emergency kits stocked. Be ready for power outages. Wear appropriate clothing. Check on children, the elderly and pets.

Follow these steps to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
• Don't use a gas-powered generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gas or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, or garage or near a window or door. Generators should be more than 15 feet from your home when running.
• Don't run a car, truck or any other motor inside a garage or other enclosed space, even if you leave the door open.
• Don't try to heat your house with a gas oven.
• Make sure you have a CO detector with a battery back-up in your home near where people sleep. Check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. You can buy an alarm at most hardware stores or stores that sell smoke detectors. By law, all rental units must have a CO alarm—talk to your landlord if you don’t have one in your apartment or rental house.
• If your CO alarm goes off, get out of the house right away and call 911. Get prompt medical attention if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseous.

US CDC has lots of other tips for staying healthy this holiday season, including a song.

Food Safety

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 has passed the U.S. senate.

The bill focuses on preventing illnesses, by ensuring safety through the entire food production process. Under this legislation, food processors are required to identify potential hazards in their production processes and put in place programs to eliminate those hazards. The bill also requires the FDA to inspect all food facilities more frequently and allows them to recall contaminated food.

For more information, see this press release from the Trust for America’s Health

In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted materials online from its webinar on Melamine, the cause of pet food and infant formula recalls: http://fdatransparencyblog.fda.gov/2010/12/09/materials-available-from-fda-basics-webinar-on-melamine-the-cause-of-the-pet-food-and-infant-formula-recalls/

Tips for enjoying this weekend and the rest of the summer

Watch out for heat-related illness


Over the past 30 years more people have died in this country from heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. This Maine CDC web site has a variety of resources describing the signs of heat-related illness, what you can do if you suspect someone has a heat-related illness, and ways to prevent these illnesses.


Water Safety

· This web site has some basic tips for keeping children safe around open waters.

· This Maine CDC web site has tips for avoiding recreational water illnesses.


Food Safety

· This USDA fact sheet gives information on how to safely defrost frozen foods before cooking them.

· This food safety blog discusses food safety at farmer’s markets.

· US CDC describes food safety at fairs and festivals.


Other Precautions

· Playing outdoors this summer can mean getting cuts that may become infected with bacteria commonly found in soil, including the ones that cause tetanus. Tetanus vaccine can help prevent tetanus disease.

· A single mosquito bite can give you West Nile Virus. Why take a chance? Use repellant.

Happy Summer!

It's officially summer. Here are some tips to help keep you healthy as you celebrate the warmer weather:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has posted this advice on how to enjoy the summer and avoid health problems due to heat and skin cancer.

This food safety blog describes safe grilling and food handling when eating outdoors.

Children’s eyes are more at risk for long-term damage from UV rays. This website describes how to pick safe sunglasses for kids.

Plan to go swimming or visit a water park? Find out how to protect yourself and others from recreational water illnesses first.

Severe weather this summer could cause power outages. This US CDC site lists steps you can take to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning if your power goes out, and this food safety blog has has helpful information about keeping food safe in the event of power failures.

And, finally, follow the advice you'll find in this American Public Health Association blog about summer safety.

Have a great, safe summer!

Some tips for safely enjoying Memorial Day Weekend

Temperatures have been in the 80s in Augusta this week, and the forecast is calling for more warm, sunny weather over the long weekend.

Although it's not officially summer, it feels like it.

Keep some of these things in mind as you enjoy the weather and celebrate the holiday:

USDA has several tips for using food thermometers, to avoid under cooking meat. Be careful when you barbecue to prevent foodborne illness.

Having a salad with your barbecue? Remember to check those alfalfa sprouts.

Remember to stay in the shade or take other steps to protect yourself from sunburns and eventual skin cancer.

Going swimming? Think about what you can do to protect yourself and others from recreational water illnesses. And while you're at it, check out www.poolsafely.gov.

Take care and enjoy the weather while it lasts!