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Wellness Newsletter Camden County Board of Commissioners Danny Daniels — Nurse Case Manager 200 East 4th Street, P.O. Box 99, Woodbine, GA 31569 Email: [EMAIL REDACTED] Phone: (912)729-8940 Fax: (912)729-1059 WATER SAFETY – HEAT EMERGENCIES THE HEALTHY HEART STOP SMOKING – WEIGHT LOSS ---PAGE BREAK--- Health Today! Welcome to our third edition in 2006 of “Health Today” brought to you from the CCBC’s Human Resources Department. For all employees and dependents we would like to let you know our offices have all been moved. Human Resources is now located on the second floor of the Old Courthouse. Penny and Audrey are now sharing an office yet are excited about the process of providing assistance to each and every member and dependent. Additionally, Danny’s Medical Clinic is now located across the street from the Courthouse in the red brick building that has the Adult Probation sign out front. You can access his office by entering through the back door. We are all still sorting through boxes but are up and running. As we continue our quarterly newsletter summer is now upon us I would like to discuss some health issues that are prevalent to our employees and their dependents: Heart Disease Smoking Cessation Weight Control Water Safety Drowning claims the lives of nearly 3,000 people every year. Although all age groups are represented, children four years old and younger have the highest death rate due to drowning. Most drowning and near- drowning incidents happen when a child falls into a pool or is left alone in the bathtub. ---PAGE BREAK--- Safety Tips Never leave a child alone near water: on the beach, at a pool, or in the bathtub. If you must leave, take your child with you. Kids don’t drown only in pools. Bathtubs, buckets, toilets, and hot tubs present drowning dangers as well. Enroll children over age three in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. But keep in mind that lessons don’t make your child "drown-proof." Always follow posted safety precautions when visiting water parks. If you’re visiting a public pool, keep an eye on your kids. Lifeguards aren’t babysitters. Teach your children these four key swimming rules: 1. Always swim with a buddy. 2. Don't dive into unknown bodies of water. Jump feet first to avoid hitting your head on a shallow bottom. 3. Don't push or jump on others. 4. Be prepared for an emergency. Never consume alcohol when operating a boat. Always use approved personal flotation devices (life jackets). Don’t underestimate the power of water. Even rivers and lakes can have undertows. HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES Warm weather means activities and fun under the sun! Whether you love putting on shorts and feeling the warm outdoors, or find it hot and sticky, everyone must be careful not to let a heat-related illness spoil the day. Normally, the body has ways of keeping itself cool, by letting heat escape through the skin, and by evaporating sweat (perspiration). If the body does not cool properly or does not cool enough, the victim may suffer a heat-related illness. Anyone can be susceptible although the very young and very old are at greater risk. Heat-related illnesses can become serious or even deadly if unattended. ---PAGE BREAK--- Preventing Heat-Related Illness Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean Stages of Heat-Related Illness General Care for Heat Emergencies Preventing Heat-Related Illness Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella. Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein which increase metabolic heat. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician. Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Stay indoors when possible. Take regular breaks when engaged in physical activity on warm days. Take time out to find a cool place. If you recognize that you, or someone else, is showing the signals of a heat-related illness, stop activity and find a cool place. Remember, have fun, but stay cool! ---PAGE BREAK--- Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean Heat Wave: More than 48 hours of high heat (90 degrees F or higher) and high humidity (80 percent relative humidity or higher) are expected. Heat Index: A number in degrees Fahrenheit that tells how hot it really feels with the heat and humidity. Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by 15 degrees F. Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. They usually involve the abdominal muscles or the legs. It is generally thought that the loss of water and salt from heavy sweating causes the cramps. Heat Exhaustion: Heat exhaustion is less dangerous than heat stroke. It typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a warm, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Fluid loss causes blood flow to decrease in the vital organs, resulting in a form of shock. With heat exhaustion, sweat does not evaporate as it should, possibly because of high humidity or too many layers of clothing. As a result, the body is not cooled properly. Signals include cool, moist, pale, flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal. Heat Stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and ---PAGE BREAK--- rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high--sometimes as high as 105oF. Stages of Heat-Related Illness Heat-related illness usually comes in stages. The signal of the first stage is heat cramps in muscles. These cramps can be very painful. If you are caring for a person who has heat cramps, have him or her stop activity and rest. If the person is fully awake and alert, have him or her drink small amounts of cool water or a commercial sports drink. Gently stretch the cramped muscle and hold the stretch for about 20 seconds, then gently massage the muscle. Repeat these steps if necessary. If the victim has no other signals of heat- related illness, the person may resume activity after the cramps stop. The signals of the next, more serious stage of a heat- related illness (often called heat exhaustion) include: Cool, moist, pale skin (the skin may be red right after physical activity). Headache. Dizziness and weakness or exhaustion. Nausea. The skin may or may not feel hot. The signals of the late stage of a heat-related illness (often called heat stroke) include: Vomiting. Decreased alertness level or complete loss of consciousness. High body temperature (sometimes as high as 105oF). Skin may still be moist or the victim may stop sweating and the skin may be red, hot and dry. Rapid, weak pulse. Rapid, shallow breathing. ---PAGE BREAK--- This late stage of a heat-related illness is life threatening. Call 9-1-1 General Care for Heat Emergencies Cool the Body Give Fluids Minimize Shock For heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them, as they can make conditions worse. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths such as towels or wet sheets. Call 9-1-1 if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness. For heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, wrap them in a cloth and place them on each of the victim's wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels. Watch for signals of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down. ---PAGE BREAK--- The Healthy Heart Introduction Heart disease kills more men and women each year than any other illness. Heart disease develops from the build-up of plaque, cholesterol and other material in your heart's blood vessels. This disease process is called atherosclerosis. It can lead to a heart attack, stroke, and other serious health problems. You won't necessarily know if you have heart disease until it has progressed a fair amount. Nonetheless, you should be aware of your risk factors and try to control them. If you do have risk factors, there are many lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your chances of developing serious problems. Summary: Action Steps You Should Consider • Get your cholesterol screened regularly. • Keep Cholesterol Under Control. • Keep Blood Pressure Low. People in normal health should aim for 139/89 mm Hg or less. Patients with certain health problems, such as diabetes, should aim lower. • Exercise. Everyone in normal health should engage in at least moderate physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes on most--if not all--days of the week. • Eat a Healthy Diet. Everyone should aim for a diet that contains a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, nuts, legumes, poultry, lean meat, and low-fat dairy items. Avoid saturated fats and trans-fatty acids. • Don't Smoke. Also avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. • Maintain Weight. People should aim for a BMI index of 18.5 to 24.9. Remember a Health Heart is a Happy Heart! ---PAGE BREAK--- Smoking Cessation Center Within 20 minutes of quitting cigarettes or other tobacco products, you are on the path to better health. Question: What are the negative effects of smoking? Answer: Smokers have an increased risk of the following: • Lung cancer • Lung disease • Heart attack • Heart disease • Hypertension • Stroke • Oral cancer • Bladder cancer • Pancreatic cancer • Cervical cancer • Pregnancy complications • Low birth weight babies • Early menopause • Lower estrogen level for women • Facial wrinkles Children of smokers have an increased risk of the following: • Sudden infant death • Respiratory infections • Lung cancer • Ear infections ---PAGE BREAK--- Keeping Your Weight Under Control! While the beginning of the new year is the traditional time to make resolutions to lose weight now is also a great time to set reasonable goals about your weight control. A smart diet and exercise plan that you can stick to is an excellent start to a new you. Learn the smart, simple changes you can make in your everyday life that will lead to a trimmer, healthier you. Remember that being over-weight is extremely dangerous as was discussed in the two articles before this one. To successfully lose weight, you must carry out a plan to balance your caloric intake with exercise. Ideally, dieting should be done by eating a nutritionally balanced, low-calorie diet and increasing physical activity. The terms overweight and obese describe excess body weight. Overweight typically refers to weight 10% above the expected body weight for height and build. Obese refers to being 20% over the target. The greater the excess, the more significant the health risk. Your health care provider has charts and tables used to determine what your target weight should be, which varies according to gender, height, age, and bone structure. A simpler and more useful piece of information is Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters). To figure out your weight in kilograms, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45. To obtain your height in meters, first multiply your height in inches by 2.5, then divide that number by 100. Don't forget to square that result (multiply it by itself) when you use it in the equation. To fall within the "healthy range" on the BMI, your result should be within 20 and 25. Results both lower and higher than these values are associated with significant health risks. ---PAGE BREAK--- WEIGHT LOSS Although there are many programs advertised to help you lose weight, the only proven long-term and safe method is to burn more calories than you consume. This is achieved either by reducing the caloric intake (eat less food or healthier food) or by increasing the energy expenditure (exercise more). Often, behavior modification techniques like eating smaller portions are used to help control eating habits. Once the weight is lost, these habits can be modified for weight maintenance. If you have unintentional weight loss, it can be a of various medical or disorders, or it can be due to increasing your exercise or decreasing your food intake. HEALTHY CALORIE INTAKE The U.S. Committee on Dietary Allowance has published recommended energy intakes (number of calories) for various age and sex groups. For example, a 20 year-old women who weighs 128 lbs needs 2,200 calories every day to maintain her weight. This value would increase if she were pregnant or nursing a child, and it would decrease if she were trying to lose weight. The tables containing these values are available through nutritionists and online. WEIGHT LOSS TIPS One pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories, so to lose one pound a week, a person should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories per week. This can be done by reducing the daily intake by 500 calories per day (500 x 7 days will provide a deficit of 3,500 calories per week). To lose 2 pounds per week, a deficit of 1,000 calories per day is required. If this seems impossible, remember that physical activity also contributes significantly to weight loss. The deficit of 500 to 1,000 ---PAGE BREAK--- calories can come from a combination of increased physical activity and reduced intake on a daily basis. Therefore, you don't need to experience significant food deprivation. The lowest intake per day recommended for women is 1,200 calories, unless they are in a medically-supervised, very low-calorie regimen which may have a daily level of 500 to 800 calories per day. The lowest level recommended for men is 1,500 calories per day. A very low-calorie diet can also be used by males if they are in a medically-supervised program. Here are some steps for weight maintenance and weight loss: • Increase your daily activity take the stairs rather than the elevator, or walk rather than drive when possible. • Reduce your food intake gradually. This will help make these new eating habits lifetime changes. Reduce fat intake on a daily basis, and reduce intake of other high-calorie foods. • Change any habits that make you eat more, or eat poorly. • Learn about the calorie content of foods and the calorie expenditure of various physical activities. SUMMARY For weight loss to be successful, here is a summary of basic guidelines: • Aerobic physical activity will assist in increasing muscle tissue which will burn more calories. You should plan on 20- minute sessions at least 3 times per week. • Gradual changes in eating habits will help encourage a permanent lifestyle change. • A slow weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week, until the desirable body weight is reached, is best. ---PAGE BREAK--- FAD DIETS A fad diet is one that makes unrealistic promises. Most fad diets are very low in carbohydrates and in calories, causing fluid loss from the body, which indicates a loss of weight on the scale. Once the body gets re-hydrated with water, the weight will come right back. Evaluation of a fad diet: • Is the diet medically and nutritionally safe? Get an opinion from a physician and a registered dietitian. • Red flags for fad diets include: overemphasis on a specific food group or groups, limited food choices, and a "calories do not count" approach. These are ways to decide whether to use a diet or not. If there is no nutritionally or medically reliable information provided, and if there are no statistics to back the claims, then it is not a good diet to consider. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.