We’ve added a new item I’d like to call to your attention: our Annual Report for fiscal year 2010- 2011. I invite you to take a look at what your health department has been doing to improve the health of our community. We have been really busy! You can find the report under the heading About Us.
Thank you for visiting our website today. Don’t forget, we also have a blog if you‘d like to post a question to us online.
The blog address is www.askguilfordhealth.com


Take care and be healthy.

It’s that time of year when many people look forward to a fresh start in life and resolve to improve their health.   We want your motivation to last more than just a few weeks.  We want to help you make 2011 the year you make good on your New Year’s resolutions and stay on the path to good health.

Whether your goal is to lose weight, exercise regularly, become more organized, spend more time with family, learn how to sew, or stop smoking, you can use this guide to maintain your motivation and avoid common pitfalls.

Bad habits that keep you from reaching optimal health, such as smoking, drinking or overeating don’t have to follow you into the New Year. However, if you don’t want these habits hanging around for another 12 months, you must prepare yourself psychologically.

Experts agree that no matter how stubborn a habit you’ve developed, there are ways to break those negative patterns and keep healthy resolutions throughout the New Year. The key is to keep everything in perspective.

First, focus on realistic goals with measurable results.  Make sure that you envision each goal as small steps that you can manage.

For example, instead of trying to lose 50 pounds, you should focus on losing five pounds at a time. Instead of trying to lose five pounds a week, focus on losing one pound a week.  If your goal is too big, you’ll feel defeated before you even get started.

Our next tip says the key to achieving even your most lofty goals is to get started immediately.   We have found that action precedes motivation, not the other way around.  People often think that they should wait until they are motivated to start doing something good for themselves. They say, ‘I’ll start that diet or fitness program when I’m really well rested and have a lot of energy’. But it doesn’t necessarily work that way.

Rather than waiting for inspiration to act on your goals, go head and take action first; most times, inspiration will follow. Your initial action doesn’t have to be anything big. Just by putting on your sneakers and hopping on the treadmill for 10 minutes, you will make that energy you are “waiting” for materialize.
Once you initiate an action — even the smallest of actions — you pick up momentum and you realize, ‘Hey, this isn’t so bad,’ and it becomes a lot easier to keep moving forward and to stay motivated.

Our third suggestion is to avoid perfectionist thinking.  While we certainly always want to better ourselves, it is healthier to think in positive terms than it is to focus on how much we fall short of our aspirations. In other words, students should view the grade of an A- as better than a B, rather than not as good as an A.  If your resolution is to visit family each week, and you make it on three weekends out of four, you should view this as three times as many visits than you had last year.

Our fourth tip is to view setbacks as lessons for growth. Mistakes can be, and usually are, opportunities for learning. If you fall short of your goals, ask yourself what kept you from achieving them and then try to make corrections. People who rear children understand this “navigational” concept.   In the average household, parents may not get it right the first time. You lay out your expectations and periodically adjust the rules as the kids grow and mature.

Our fifth tip is to keep your resolutions realistic. For example, instead of saying you won’t feed your kids dinner from the drive-thru anymore, resolve to drive-thru less often.

One of our favorite pieces of advice is to tell someone you trust about your resolutions.   We have found that it really does help to share your goals with friends who can gently nudge you in the right direction when you veer off course.   Friends often motivate other friends to stay the course.

Our psychologist friends tell us that we should give our resolutions some meaning.   People sometimes make goals that aren’t personally meaningful to them. Your goal should be something you really desire to change or achieve, not something that society says is good for you to do or your family members would like to see you do. If you don’t have strong, internal motivation within yourself, you won’t be successful.

And last but surely not least, fine-tune your spirituality.   We have learned that it is important to add a spiritual dimension to your goals. For example, if one of your goals is to get fit, you may also resolve to get outdoors more often instead of going to the gym. Time outside will help you get in balance with nature, and will honor both the physical and spiritual sides of yourself.

Happy new year’s resolution!!!
 

Business excellence is “being all you can be” within your organization. Those who advance to the level of business excellence generally exhibit good character, and they do more than their job description says they are supposed to. Pursuing excellence should not be confused with simply finishing a job or task.

When we are conducting long-range planning, we sometimes plan backwards (determine the end result we want, and then work backwards to achieve it). But you do not achieve excellence by backwards planning. Excellence starts with workers of good character who are committed to helping the organization move forward and prosper.

Character develops over time. Many think that much of a person’s character is formed early in life, however some researchers argue that we do not know exactly how much or how early character develops.  Either way, it is safe to claim that character does not change quickly. A person’s observable behavior is an indication of their character. This behavior can be strong or weak, good or bad. A person with strong character shows drive, energy, determination, self-discipline, and willpower. They see what they want and go after it. They attract wholesome followers. On the other hand, a person without strong character may show none of these traits. They generally do not know what they want. Their traits are frequently disorganized, they vacillate, and can be very inconsistent. They generally find it harder to attract followers.

A strong person can be good or bad (a gang leader is an example of a strong person with a bad character, while an outstanding community leader is one with good strong characteristics). An organization needs workers with both strong and good characteristics, people who will commit to the company’s future and show that they can add value.

Recently a patient of the Guilford County Department of Public Health asked the following question:  “As a job candidate, how can I get a competitive edge?  I need health insurance and I need to take care of my family, I have an upcoming interview and I really need to ace it.”
Here are interview tips from your friends in Public Health:  This astute applicant has already determined that as a job candidate, you need to have a competitive edge.  It is not enough to simply look good on paper if you do not fare well during the actual face to face interview. 

Our first tip is to always prepare for the interview before meeting with your potential employer.  This includes researching the company via their website, speaking with current employees, and reading any publications they have distributed.  You will want to pay particular attention to the hierarchical placement of the position for which you are applying; but familiarize yourself with the entire corporation. 

Just as you are researching the company, by way of calling your references, the company will research you also.  Always make sure they will only hear positive comments and complimentary accolades from those whom they contact.  If you are doubtful as to what a reference may say about you, choose another reference.  All references need to give a glowing reflection of your character, and should have knowledge of your technical skills along with your interpersonal attributes.

Bring a fresh copy of your resume to the interview, and of course make sure it has been reviewed by someone familiar with your line of work.  The last thing you want to do is to have misspellings or omissions on your resume.  Along with your resume, bring a pad and pen for any notations you may want to make, along with the most positive attitude you can muster.

Before the interview, practice potential questions that you may be asked.  There are many websites in the internet with sample interview questions (and appropriate answers) for all types of jobs.  Always review these questions and prepare responses that are relevant to the position you are seeking.  Practice your responses in front of a mirror, and pay attention to your body language as you deliver your responses.  Also make sure you practice speaking clearly; don’t mumble or use slang terms.

At the end of the interview if you are asked whether you have any questions, always have one prepared.  Of course, you do not want to ask salary related questions at this point, but do ask questions that show your enthusiasm and initiative.  For example, you might want to ask whether this company values employees who volunteer for corporate events that help local charities.  You may also ask the interviewer to give you an idea of a typical day in this corporation.

Upon leaving the interview, extend your hand, offer a solid handshake, and express your continued interest in the position.  When you return to your home, immediately send a thank you note to each person with whom you interviewed.

Now sit back and wait for the phone to ring…you have just aced your interview!!

Caution: Watch those Calories from Beverages:If you watch what you eat, but not what you drink when on a diet, you are making a mistake. Nutritionists estimate that the average American gets a fifth of daily calories from beverages. Choosing high calorie drinks can ruin your weight loss plan. Let’s quickly analyze a few good (and not-good) beverages:

On July 30, Guilford County Board of Health heard a very enlightening speech from Dr. Pam Silberman.  Dr. Silberman is the CEO of the NC Institute of Medicine.  Silberman discussed Health Care Reform and its implications for Public Health agencies in North Carolina and nationwide.  Recently,  the US Department of Health and Human Services issued regulations requiring new private health plans to cover evidence-based preventive services and eliminate cost-sharing requirements for such services (deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments).  These new rules will help Americans gain easier access to services such as blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests; many cancer screenings; routine vaccinations; pre-natal care; and regular wellness visits for infants and children.

These requirements will hopefully allow more Americans to receive the high-quality preventive care they need to stay healthy, avoid or delay the onset of disease, lead productive lives, and reduce health care costs.  Our government has laid the foundation to help transform the health care system from a system that focuses on treating the sick to a system that focuses on keeping every American healthy.

Statistics show that chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75 percent of the nation’s health spending. These types of conditions are often preventable.  Traditionally, Americans take advantage of preventive services only about 50 percent of the time. Not having insurance or having to pay deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments for the services decrease the likelihood that preventative services will be utilized.

Silberman explained that under the new regulations, new health plans beginning on or after September 23, 2010, must cover preventive services that have strong scientific evidence of their health benefits, and these plans may no longer charge a patient a copayment, coinsurance or deductible for these services when they are delivered by a network provider.

Public Health agencies in North Carolina look forward to being a viable part of our nation’s reformed health care system!

You know you’re courting nutritional disaster if you order the fettucine alfredo or double bacon cheeseburger when you’re eating out. But what about unhealthy foods right in your own refrigerator? If you’re like most of us, it probably holds some basic food products that are adding extra calories, salt, fat, and/or sugar to your everyday diet — perhaps without you even realizing it.

These foods are on this month’s “bad’ list because they are high in trans fats, saturated fat, sugar, and/or salt.

1. Mayonnaise
It’s really easy for the calories and grams of fat to add up when you’re slathering on this condiment.  If you absolutely must use mayonnaise, limit your usage to one teaspoon per dish.

Mayo can have 360 calories and 40 grams of fat in a 1/4-cup serving!

Depending on the dish, try substituting mustard or even salsa on your dish. Light mayo may also be ok, used sparingly.   It only has 35 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per tablespoon.

2. Soda and Other Sweet Drinks
Who needs “empty calories?” Sweetened beverages are the epitome of “empty calories.”  Soda, sweet tea, and fruit drinks generally contribute no nutrients, but plenty of calories. Plain water is best for hydrating the body, and should make up most of what we drink each day. But there are several beverages without calories, like green and black teas, that not only hydrate but contribute healthy antioxidants.

3. Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol calories are empty calories (see above) because the body can’t use them as energy. The liver is forced to break alcohol down into fatty acids, which then accumulate in the liver. One glass of wine (8 ounces) has around 170 calories and a bottle of beer (12 ounces) has 150.  Each 1 and 1/2-ounce shot of liquor (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) has about 105 calories, not including any soda or mixers you might drink along with it.

4. Processed Lunch Meat
Lunch meats, including deli cold cuts, bologna, and ham, make the unhealthy list because they contain lots of sodium and sometimes fat, as well as some preservatives like nitrites.

Processed meat — defined as any meat preserved by smoking, curing, or salting or with the addition of chemical preservatives — is linked to an increased risk of colon cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Further, the sodium in one small serving of lunch meat (one slice of bologna or five slices of salami) ranges from 310 to 480 milligrams. A diet high in sodium is thought to increase the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke.

Instead, try freshly roasted and sliced turkey, chicken, or roast beef in your sandwiches. Roast your own, or look for deli brands low in nitrates and sodium.

5. Hot Dogs and Sausage
Another “processed meat.” Hot dogs and sausage tend to contain lots of sodium (520-680 milligrams per 2-ounce serving) and fat (up to 23 grams total fat and 7 grams saturated fat per serving). Most Americans take in more than double the recommended amount of sodium recommended, according to CDC statistics.

6. Whole-Milk Products
While dairy products contain protein, calcium, B-12, and riboflavin, whole-milk products also have ample amounts of fat and cholesterol. If you drink 16 ounces of whole milk a day, for example, it adds up to 1,904 calories, 105 grams of total fat, 59.5 grams saturated fat, and 315 milligrams of cholesterol in a week’s time.

7. Gourmet Ice Cream
Even if you stick to the modest 1/2 cup serving size suggested on the box, it can send your daily totals of saturated fat, total fat, and calories into overload. A serving of one name-brand Chocolate Chip Cookie flavor for example, has 260 calories, 14 grams of fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 65 milligrams cholesterol, and 23 grams sugar.  For a healthy dessert, enjoy some fresh fruit with plain yogurt.

8. Creamy Salad Dressing
Do you use “full bodied” ranch, thousand island, or blue cheese dressing?

Each two-tablespoon serving of these traditional creamy dressings adds about 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, and 380 milligrams of sodium to your salad. By the way, most people drizzle on double this amount of dressing (1/4 cup).

9. Stick Butter or Margarine
If it can hold its shape in stick form, your butter or margarine is probably high in saturated fat, because it’s the saturated fat that makes fats more solid at room temperature. In years past, most margarine also contributed high amounts of unhealthy trans fat, though many have been reformulated. Switching to canola oil or olive oil in your cooking and baking when possible is the best option because these are “smart” fats — rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fat. But if you need a spreadable fat on the table or in a recipe, try a reduced-fat margarine with no trans fat and low amounts of saturated fat.

10. Frozen French Fries
Just one small serving (3 ounces) of some popular potato products, like tater tots, or curly fries contains 8 to11 grams of total fat, around 3 grams of saturated fat, 390 to 540 milligrams sodium, and about 190 calories. And many potato lovers eat double this amount in one sitting.

Your best bet is to eat unprocessed potatoes, like baked potatoes or roasted red potatoes, because they give you all the nutrients of potatoes without added fat, saturated fat or sodium.
 

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Tom is divorced and lives alone. He proudly defines himself as a “recluse.” After a stressful day at work, his normal routine is to rush home, munch on fast food from the drive thru, and spend the evening playing computer games or watching television.

Like Tom, Anna is divorced and lives alone. But when she has had a bad day at work, she doesn’t go directly home to nest in an empty house. Instead, she asks her good friend Betty to meet her at a neighborhood eatery. They have a fun meal, share stories about their hobbies and lives, and share a few laughs.

Both Tom and Anna have their favorite ways of relaxing after a trying day, but Tom’s way of dealing with stress is more hazardous than Anna’s. People who receive emotional help from their friends live longer and healthier lives than those who isolate themselves. None of us should totally isolate ourselves from friends and family.

Health and social ties
Research has shown that a person who has friends has a better chance of staying healthy than someone who has no support system. Companionships or alliances seem to drastically reduce the risk of disease by lowering heart rate and stress levels. It has also been shown that a person with strong social bonds who does get sick has a better chance of surviving a serious illness.

Why? It may be that people with solid support systems actually have stronger immune systems. Stress is known to wreak havoc on the body. Closeness to others may help defuse the effects of stress. Another theory is that people with strong support systems tend to take better care of themselves. Friends may encourage each other to change unhealthy habits. They also help each other during illnesses and other difficult times.

Friendship confers both physical and mental health benefits. People with strong friendships tend to suffer less from depression,

Depression is not saved for the elderly; strong evidence of the power of emotional detachment is a condition known as “non-organic failure to thrive.” It occurs in babies who are emotionally neglected - their physical needs may be taken care of, but they are not held, cuddled or spoken to. These babies often don’t grow properly, and they become listless, depressed and prone to illness. Many develop long-term learning and behavior problems.

Maybe friends are the best medicine for all of us!

Hey parents, now is the time to start deciding with your children what they will do after school closes for the summer.  Maybe they will like some of these ideas:

1 Go to little league ballgames
2 Spend time each day helping others
3 Become a photographer
4 Learn to cook
5 Compare a book to a movie
6 Visit a farm
7 Take a walk and record the sounds
8 Make your own soccer or football camp
9 Start a band
10 Go backpacking or camping
11 Go outside and find 10 different kinds of flowers
12 Create a web site
13 Help an elderly person with house or yard work
14 Visit the zoo
15 Learn a foreign language
16 Build a tree house
17 Have a family game night
18 Make a movie
19 Find a pen-pal
20 Plant something and watch it grow
21 Visit a tourist spot near your home
22 Research your family tree
23 Act in a play
24 Throw a cultural heritage block party
25 Make a bird feeder
26 Organize a bike safety clinic
27 Spend time with your grandparents
28 Attend a first aid class
29 Sign up at your local library for their Summer
   Reading Program
30 Start a collection

Tom is divorced and lives alone.  He proudly defines himself as a “recluse.” After a stressful day at work, his normal routine is to rush home, munch on fast food from the drive thru, and spend the evening playing computer games or watching television.
Like Tom, Anna is divorced and lives alone. But when she has had a bad day at work, she doesn’t go directly home to nest in an empty house. Instead, she asks her good friend Betty to meet her at a neighborhood eatery. They have a fun meal, share stories  about their hobbies and lives, and share a few laughs.

Both Tom and Anna have their favorite ways of relaxing after a trying day, but Tom’s way of dealing with stress is more hazardous than Anna’s. People who receive emotional help from their friends live longer and healthier lives than those who isolate themselves.  None of us should totally isolate ourselves from friends and family.

Health and social ties
Research has shown that a person who has friends has a better chance of staying healthy than someone who has no support system. Companionships or alliances seem to drastically reduce the risk of disease by lowering heart rate and stress levels.   It has also been shown that a person with strong social bonds who does get sick has a better chance of surviving a serious illness.

Why? It may be that people with solid support systems actually have stronger immune systems. Stress is known to wreak havoc on the body.  Closeness to others may help defuse the effects of stress.   Another theory is that people with strong support systems tend to take better care of themselves. Friends may encourage each other to change unhealthy habits. They also help each other during illnesses and other difficult times.

Friendship confers both physical and mental health benefits. People with strong friendships tend to suffer less from depression.

Depression is not saved for the elderly; strong evidence of the power of emotional detachment is a condition known as “non-organic failure to thrive.” It occurs in babies who are emotionally neglected - their physical needs may be taken care of, but they are not held, cuddled or spoken to. These babies often don’t grow properly, and they become listless, depressed and prone to illness. Many develop long-term learning and behavior problems.

Maybe friends are the best medicine for all of us!