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Community and Family Life in the California Alps Fall 2017 Community and Family Life in the California Alps Fall 2017 [ 1 ] In this Issue... In this Issue... Masthead photo courtesy of Alpine County photographer Todd Branscombe. Autumn greetings Holiday Donations 2 Drive-Thru Flu 2 Everyday Preventive Actions that can Help Fight Germs, like Flu 3 Legal Services of Northern 3 Live Violence 4 First 5 Alpine and Choices for Children 4 TYFS Girls 4 Alpine Watershed Group 5 A Day of Wellness 6 TYFS Young 6 Nicotine Addiction often starts out 7 Healthy Eating, in a SNAP!..... 8 Quitting smoking is the single most important step a smoker can take to improve the length and quality of his or her life1 ARE YOU READY TO QUIT? Before you try, it’s important to think about why you want to quit smoking. Motivation is what drives you to do something. For example, feeling tired causes you to go to bed. Hunger can make you cook a meal. Have you ever felt out of breath going up stairs? Wanting to breathe better is an example of motivation to quit smoking. Motivation can come and go. Does this sound familiar: “I want to quit, but cigarettes help me deal with stress?” It’s normal to have mixed feelings about quitting. This is why you need to keep reminding yourself why you’re quitting. Can you do it? Check your motivation. Can you quit smoking? Yes, you can. Everyone has the ability to quit. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HELP? The answer is not simple. What you think is helpful may not seem that way to the smoker. Find out what the smoker thinks by asking these 3 questions: How ready are you to quit smoking? If a smoker is just thinking about quitting, but hasn’t decided for sure, don’t push. Only the smoker can make that choice. Instead, say you believe he or she can do it when ready. Then check back later, What worries you most about quitting? Listen without judging. Show that you care and that you really want to know what they are worried about, and What can I do to help? Let the smoker’s answer guide you. If you can, give the kind of help he or she asks for. More important than doing any one special thing is showing you understand how hard it can be to quit smoking.2 Alpine County Tobacco Control Program (530) 694-2146. 1 http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking 2 November is Tobacco Awareness Month and November 16th is the Great American Smokeout, a great time to make a plan to quit or support someone in their effort! Imagine this: Someone offers you a million dollars to quit smoking. What would you do? Most people would quit and take the money. This shows that quitting is really about motivation, not ability. Your own reason to quit, if strong and specific, can motivate you in the same way. ALPINE THREADS ---PAGE BREAK--- [ 2 ] Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 DRIVE-THRU FLU CLINIC It’s that time of year again! Getting a seasonal flu shot is a proven way to help prevent the flu or lessen the severity and duration of flu-related illness. When: Wednesday, October 18th - 11am-5:30pm Where: Alpine County Health and Human Services Parking Lot – 75 Diamond Valley Road Cost: FREE! Alpine County Public Health is now on Facebook & Twitter Like us and follow us for up to date information and tips about healthy living and emergency preparedness in beautiful Alpine County! Alpine County Health Wellness Coalition Our mission: Building strong community partnerships promoting healthy living through outreach, advocacy and education. Autumn greetings, Alpine County It’s Fall and that means the holidays are right around the corner and will be here before you know it! It’ll be time for snow, cookies, surprises, family get-togethers and special times with your friends. Alpine County’s Child Abuse Prevention Council and the Health & Human Services Department are once again preparing Holiday food bags for the families, your friends and neighbors, who are in need of a little extra help at this time of the year. The support that this community provides ensures that all our families have a Holiday meal at their tables. We would also like to be able to provide family friendly holiday gifts for the children, once the food needs have been met. Last year, thanks to your generous donations, we were able to provide a full Christmas meal with books and games for 105 Alpine County households with a total of 268 individual members. This year, the grant funds available will allow us to provide for approximately 1/3 of the families in need. We are asking YOU, the Alpine County community, to help us make up that difference with your donations of cash or new, unwrapped books or family games. Please bring your donations (cash or gifts) to the Health & Human Services office by Monday, December 11th, 2017. Donations are accepted at Alpine County HHS Building, 75 A Diamond Valley Road, Woodfords Call [PHONE REDACTED] with questions or for additional information Your donations will go far to make the Holidays so much happier for ALL the families in our community. ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 [ 3 ] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a three-step approach to fighting the flu: • The first and most important step is to Get a Flu Vaccination each year. • If you get the flu, Early Treatment is especially important for the elderly, the very young, people with certain chronic health conditions, and pregnant women. • Everyday Preventive Actions may slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses, like flu. What are Everyday Preventive Actions? • Try to avoid close contact with sick people. • If you or your child gets sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you (or your child) stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine). • While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way. • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu. • If an outbreak of flu or another illness occurs, follow public health advice. For more information visit: www.flu.gov Tamara Dupuis, BSN, RN, PHN Public Health Nurse, Alpine County Health & Human Services Everyday Preventive Actions that can Help Fight Germs, like Flu Fall is officially here, and that means the flu season isn’t far behind. Now is the time to fight the flu and get vaccinated like I do every year. The flu is no respecter of age. It hits every age. The influenza virus spreads very quickly. By getting vaccinated, you can keep yourself healthy and you help prevent the virus from spreading to others. -Dr. Karen Smith, Director and State Public Health Officer, CA Dept. of Public Health Welcome our new Public Health Nurse, Tamara Dupuis, BSN, RN, PHN Do you have questions about your healthcare benefits? Legal Services of Northern California provides free legal assistance to Alpine County residents on a variety of healthcare topics. Legal Services of Northern California can help you: Find health coverage; Assess you for free and reduced cost insurance; Fix problems with your health plan; Obtain care and treatments you need; Assist you with medical bills; Help you with problems obtaining medication at the pharmacy; Get access to mental health services; Assist you with denials and terminations from Medi-Cal; Fix problems with Covered California; Obtain transportation to get to your medical appointments. Legal Services of Northern California provides COMPLETELY FREE and confidential help for healthcare consumers. For assistance, please call: 1-[PHONE REDACTED] (Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00); or visit our website: www.health.lsnc.net. ---PAGE BREAK--- [ 4 ] Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 #PutTheNailInIt in October! Join a national campaign to raise awareness by painting the nail on your ring finger purple to put the nail in domestic violence! October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month LIVE VIOLENCE FREE has a support group for all survivors on Mondays from 12-1pm at 100 Foothill Road, Suite A Markleeville, CA 96120 Contact us 24-Hour Crisis Line: (888) 750-6444 Phone: (530) 694 –1853 ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 [ 5 ] On Saturday, September 9th, 55 volunteers worked on eight watershed restoration projects throughout the Carson River watershed for the Alpine Watershed Group’s (AWG) 18th Annual Markleeville Creek Day. Representatives from various local organizations served as team leaders and project coordinators, including Alpine County, Alpine Garden Club, Alpine Trails Association, American Rivers, California Conservation Corps, California State Parks, Friends of Hope Valley, Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership, and community members were all present for this collaborative work day. Creek Day Success and Kudos By Gavin Feiger, AWG Watershed Program Manager The group accomplished the following in the Carson River Watershed: • 50 feet of streambank stabilized, 1 acre of trail revegetated, and a footbridge built at Turtle Rock Park near Markleeville • 475 feet of streambank stabilized and 375 willow stakes planted in Hope Valley • 400 additional willow stakes procured for future restoration and education • 150 pounds of native seed spread and 200 pounds of invasive weeds removed from Grover Hot Springs Meadow • 50 native trees protected from beaver • 24 storm drains stenciled, 6 picnic tables stained, and trail maintenance in downtown Markleeville • 27 pounds of trash removed from local rivers and streams The event was a big success and it was great to see the community come together to help out and celebrate our local streams and waterways. Afterwards, volunteers enjoyed tasty treats provided by Raley’s, Starbucks, Trader Joes and Nature’s Bakery. Restoration work continued in Bear Valley the following weekend. AWG partnered with Lake Alpine Water Company and 13 volunteers on the western slope of Alpine County to improve trout spawning habitat by stabilizing streambanks and building a footbridge at Bear Lake. The Alpine Watershed Group would like to thank our volunteers for coming to Markleeville Creek Day. We would also like to thank our sponsors for helping to make this restoration event a success: Trout Unlimited – Sagebrush Chapter, Bently Enterprises, Broadbent and Associates Inc., and Douglas Disposal Inc. Visit AWG’s Facebook page for more photos and website to sign up for the AWG newsletter and discover opportunities to get engaged with Alpine County’s watersheds! ---PAGE BREAK--- [ 6 ] Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 A Day of Wellness The best way to bring out your inner super star is by infusing the practice of wellness into your daily life. A morning smoothie is a quick and efficient way to get vital nutrients needed to stay energized and kick start the day (blend frozen strawberries and blueberries, spinach, flax, honey, almond milk and enjoy!). With a full belly, engage in deep breathing to ease into work and continue throughout the day to maintain healthy emotional regulation. Diaphragmatic breathing is the cornerstone of relaxation practices and works by increasing oxygen flow in the blood stream and calming the sympathetic nervous system. Square breathing is a simple and effective stress reduction technique that can be done with eyes opened or closed and requires a four second count for each step: deep inhalation through the nose that causes the abdomen to rise, hold, deep exhalation through the mouth, hold, and repeat for as many times as needed. Use lunchtime to unplug from responsibility and opt for a picnic outdoors. The practice of “Earthing” is a fun restorative activity that utilizes the electrical currents of the earth to reduce inflammation in the body through direct contact with the ground. Embrace your inner child and lie down in the blooming meadows along Blue Lakes Road and wiggle your toes in the sand on the beach at Tallac Historic Site. If strict health regimens are not your thing, don’t worry. You can invest in your physical health by taking short, awe-inspiring after dinner walks through the meadow at Grover Hot Springs, meander along the stream at Pickett’s Junction or take a stroll past the friendly cows at Diamond Valley Ranch. When there is no more unspoiled territory to explore on Netflix, try incorporating hobbies into your evening. Activities like painting, writing, sewing, basketry, cooking, fishing, gardening, rock hounding etc. are especially important for people who are retired, on disability or work from home, as it breaks up the monotony of routines, encourages creative flow and boosts self-efficacy. Round out this spectacular day with an evening on the porch. The absence of street lights in Alpine County equals minimal light pollution and optimal conditions for star gazing. Sitting outside in a comfortable chair with the warm evening breeze on your face under a sky full of stars, especially during the Perseid Meteor shower in August, is an incredible way to ponder the nature of the universe and regain a new perspective on life. Pitts, Alpine County Behavioral Health Clinician, LMFT Here’s to finding your path to wellness! ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 [ 7 ] Why is flavored tobacco an issue? Flavors, including menthol, make it easier to start smoking. Flavors are very tempting because they taste good, and make tobacco smoke less harsh and easier to breathe in. With its cool, minty taste, menthol covers up the harshness of tobacco and makes it easier to smoke.3 4 More young people are using flavored products. Most teens who use tobacco start with a flavored product.5 E-liquids and shisha come in many candy and fruit flavors like bubblegum, cotton candy and apple.6 Many of these products are tempting to young people because they are sold in colorful packaging that makes them look like candy.7 Flavors, especially menthol, make it harder to quit. Flavors make it easier to start smoking and make it harder to quit.8 Menthol actually makes cigarettes more addictive.1 People who smoke menthol cigarettes are less likely to quit than other smokers.2 Many young people think that flavors make tobacco and smoking safer. Flavors and menthol may make smoke feel less harsh, but it does not make smoking any safer. Flavored tobacco is just as dangerous and addicting as non-flavored tobacco.9 How can you make a difference? • Talk to your children and their friends about the dangers of smoking at around age five or six. Share with them if family members have died or are sick from tobacco use. Tell them about how flavors are used to make tobacco less harsh and make people want to try them. Flavors and menthol do not make tobacco safer. • Make your home smoke-free and don’t use tobacco in front of children. • Make your voice heard! Speak out about how flavors entice kids into wanting to use tobacco products and how menthol cigarettes are more addictive than non-flavored cigarettes. Write a letter to the newspaper, an opinion piece, a blog or use Facebook and other social media to tell others what you think. • Keep learning and teaching others about policies that make it harder to buy menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products. • Get help with quitting. Call 1-800-NO-BUTTS (1-[PHONE REDACTED]) for free quitting help for yourself, a family member or friend. Alpine County Tobacco Control Program (530) 694-2146 Source - tobaccofreeca.com/youth/addiction-never-sweet-cool/ 1. Henningfield, J.E., et al., Does menthol enhance the addictiveness of cigarettes? An agenda for research. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2003. 2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Preliminary scientific evaluation of the possible public health effects of menthol versus nonmenthol cigarettes. July 2013. 3. Kreslake, J.M., et al., Tobacco industry control of menthol in cigarettes and targeting of adolescents and young adults. American Journal of Public Health, 2008. 98(9): p. 1685. 4. King, B.A., S.R. Dube, and M.A. Tynan, Flavored cigar smoking among US adults: findings from the 2009–2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2013. 15(2): p. 608-614. 5. Ambrose, B.K., et al., Flavored Tobacco Product Use Among US Youth Aged 12-17 Years, 2013-2014. JAMA, 2015: p. 1-3. 6. Daniels, The New Joe Camel in Your Pantry: Marketing liquid nicotine to children with candy and cereal brands. 2015, First Focus: Washington DC. 7. Brown, J.E., et al., Candy flavorings in tobacco. New England Journal of Medicine, 2014. 370(23): p. 2250-2252. 8. Delnevo, C.D., et al., Smoking-cessation prevalence among US smokers of menthol versus non-menthol cigarettes. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2011. 41(4): p. 357-365. 9. Food and Drug Administration, Fact Sheet: Flavored Tobacco Products. 2011. ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine Threads is brought to you by Alpine County Tobacco Control, a Prop 99 & Prop 56 funded program. 75 B Diamond Valley Rd. Markleeville, CA 96120 Phone: (530) 694-2146 Addressing the needs of the Alpine County Community ALPINE THREADS Standard Rate U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 3 Markleeville, CA 96120 POSTAL CUSTOMER [ 8 ] Alpine County Threads ~ Fall 2017 Alpine Threads Editorial Board First 5 Alpine 100 Foothill Rd. PH: [PHONE REDACTED] www.first5alpine.com Alpine County Health and Human Services 75 B Diamond Valley Rd. PH: [PHONE REDACTED] FAX: [PHONE REDACTED] The Learning Center and Local Child Care Planning Council 100 Foothill Rd. PH: [PHONE REDACTED] Disclaimer: This wellness-focused publication is not intended to provide timely news and/or personal, political or discriminatory statements. Alpine Threads Editorial Board reviews all content. Website Links l www.alpinecountyca.gov/ calendar l www.first5alpine.com l www.alpinecounty.com l www.alpinewatershedgroup.org l www.alpinebiomasscommittee. wordpress.com ATTENTION LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS & AGENCIES If you’d like to share your website link send it to Gina at [EMAIL REDACTED] and we’ll add it to our column. For more recipes, borrow SNAP-Ed cookbooks from the Library and the Woodfords Indian Education Center. Healthy Eating, in a SNAP! BBQ Turkey in Pepper Shells By Fruits & Veggies - More Matters. Prep Time: 35 minutes Serves: 6 Pair these with a mixed greens salad and whole wheat roll to make it a complete meal. Ingredients n 3/4 pound lean, ground turkey n 1 large onion, peeled and chopped n 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped n 1 (14 1/2 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes n 1 cup low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed Preparation 1. Brown turkey in a medium skillet over medium high heat until no longer pink; drain excess fat. 2. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. 3. Add all remaining ingredients except whole bell peppers; simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. 4. Meanwhile, cut the whole bell peppers in half and remove the seeds. Place in a microwave safe dish with a small amount of water. 5. Cover and microwave bell peppers on high until crisp-tender, for about 5 minutes. 6. Place peppers on a large plate. Spoon turkey mixture into bell pepper shells. n 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce n 1 tsp garlic powder n 1 tsp liquid smoke n 3 bell peppers (any color)