Happy National Nutrition Month!

Did you know that only 1 in 10 adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations?

Federal guidelines recommend that adults eat at least 1½ to 2 cups per day of fruit and 2 to 3 cups per day of vegetables as part of a healthy eating pattern. Yet in 2015, only 9% of U.S. adults met the intake recommendations for vegetables and 12% of adults met the recommendations for fruit.  These numbers were even lower in Minnesota – only 8.1% of MN adults met the recommendations for vegetables and 11.6% met the recommendations for fruit.

 

Here are some tips to increase vegetable intake:

  • Buy fresh vegetables in season. They cost less and are likely to be at their peak flavor.
  • Stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy cooking in the microwave.
  • Buy vegetables that are easy to prepare. Pick up pre-washed bags of salad greens and add baby carrots or grape tomatoes for a salad in minutes. Buy packages of veggies such as baby carrots or celery sticks for quick snacks.
  • Use a microwave to quickly “zap” vegetables. White or sweet potatoes can be baked quickly this way.
  • Vary your veggie choices to keep meals interesting.
  • Buy canned vegetables labeled “reduced sodium,” “low sodium,” or “no salt added.”
  • Keep a bowl of cut-up vegetables in a see-through container in the refrigerator. Carrot and celery sticks are traditional, but consider red or green pepper strips, broccoli florets, or cucumber slices.

At meals:

  • Plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir-fry or soup. Then add other foods to complement it.
  • Try a main dish salad for lunch. Go light on the salad dressing.
  • Include a green salad with your dinner every night.
  • Shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf, casseroles, quick breads, and muffins.
  • Include chopped vegetables in pasta sauce or lasagna.
  • Order a veggie pizza with toppings like mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, and ask for extra veggies.
  • Use pureed, cooked vegetables such as squash to thicken stews, soups and gravies. These add flavor, nutrients, and texture.
  • Grill vegetable kabobs as part of a barbecue meal. Try tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6645a1.htm?s_cid=mm6645a1_w

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables-tips

2018 Stork Review

March Is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives

Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cancer killer in the U.S. But it can be prevented. Screening helps find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening can also find colorectal cancer early, when treatment is most effective.

Facts about colon and rectal cancer:

  1. In 2019, an estimated 2,300 Minnesotans will be diagnosed and 790 Minnesotans may die from colorectal cancer.
  2. One in 23 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer in their lifetime, one in five of those will be diagnosed under the age of 54.
  3. The American Cancer Society recommends that screening for this preventable cancer should begin at age 45 for adults with average risk. Screening should begin earlier for individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps.
  4. In Minnesota the screening rate for colorectal cancer sits at 73.7%, increasing that by just one percentage point could mean an additional 10,000 Minnesotans would be screened, saving lives in the process.

What can be done to reduce the risk?

  1. Get screened as recommended, starting at age 45, or earlier for those with certain risk factors.
  2. Maintain a healthy weight, and adopt a physically active lifestyle.
  3. Understand the symptoms, and talk with your doctor if you experience blood in your stool, chronic constipation or unexplained weight loss.
  4. Consume a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while limiting red and processed meats.
  5. Limit your alcohol consumption and don’t smoke.

 

If you’re 50 or older-don’t wait. Talk to your doctor and get screened.
Call 320-839-6157 for an appointment or if you have questions.

February is Heart Health Month – Let’s Talk About Cholesterol

Managing cholesterol early in life is key to lowering your risk for heart disease. Here are 4 ways to take control of your cholesterol levels today. #HeartMonth http://bit.ly/2DLXXMZExternal

 

 

Changes to Direct Access Testing

Effective January 1, 2019, the Urinalysis test is being removed from the OAHS Direct Access Testing menu in order to assure that the most appropriate and timely follow-up for a possible urinary tract infection can be completed.   The health of our patients is our priority.  Individuals who are under age 18  can have a urinalysis performed during a provider visit.

Adults 18 years and older can have a urinalysis performed during a nurse visit.  Provider and Nurse visits can be scheduled by calling 320-839-6157.

Medicare Annual Wellness Visit

The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is a 100% covered annual visit under your Medicare benefit. During this in-depth discussion, the RN will review your medical history, medications, vaccinations, and risk factors for illness while creating a personalized prevention plan.

This is a wonderful benefit exclusive to patients with Medicare. Don’t miss out on a benefit you have earned and deserve.

For more information, please call 320-839-6157.

October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It’s that time of year again where everywhere you look you will see something pink. Pink is the official color for breast cancer and thanks to the NFL and other major partners, breast cancer awareness is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, about 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. We can still do more.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of detecting breast cancer early. Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms, and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved.

To schedule your mammogram please call 320-839-6157 today.

National Immunization Awareness Month

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance
to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.

  • NIAM was established to encourage people of all ages to make sure they
    are up to date on the vaccines recommended for them.
  • Communities have continued to use the month of August each year to
    raise awareness about the important role vaccines play in preventing
    serious, sometimes deadly, diseases.
  • Immunization is a shared responsibility. Families, healthcare
    professionals, and public health officials must work together to help
    protect the entire community.

Talk to your health care professional to make sure your family is up to date on all the recommended vaccines.

  • Back-to-school appointments are a perfect time to make sure your
    children are up-to-date on all the vaccines recommended for them.
  • Because vaccines aren’t just for kids, you can take CDC’s Adult Vaccine
    Quiz to find out which vaccines may be recommended for you. Take the
    customized printout to discuss with your doctor at your next healthcare
    encounter.

Big Stone County 1 of 36 on US News community health honor roll

Ortonville, MN — The 2018 U.S. News Healthiest Communities Honor Roll recently recognized Big Stone County as one of 36 communities on their first ever health honor roll.

The honor roll is a component of U.S. News & World Report‘s inaugural healthiest communities rankings, a project conducted in collaboration with Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna’s charitable foundation. The project scores nearly 3,000 counties on approximately 80 indicators across 10 categories: population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food and nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality and infrastructure. Researchers then identified the top 500 healthiest communities.

“At Ortonville Area Health Services (OAHS), we’re proud of our community and to play a key roll in the health of people in our area,” Dave Rogers, CEO of OAHS.

As part of the project, each county was placed into a peer groups based on urban-rural status and economic performance, according to U.S. News & World Report. The groups are urban, high-performing rankings; urban, up-and-coming rankings; rural, high-performing rankings; and rural, up-and-coming rankings.

The honor roll comprises the top-performing communities within each peer group in these specific geographic divisions: East North Central, East South Central, Middle Atlantic, Mountain, New England, Pacific, South Atlantic, West North Central and West South Central.

The communities named to the honor roll “best serve their residents in the face of often complex health-related challenges,” according to U.S. News & World Report. Populations in honor roll communities range from 2,000 people to nearly 1 million. According to U.S. News & World Report, the honor roll communities together have an average life expectancy of 81 years and health insurance coverage exceeding 90 percent.

Here are the 36 honor roll communities.

  1. Allegany County, N.Y.
  2. Bennington County, Vt.
  3. Leelanau County, Mich.
  4. Big Stone County, Minn.
  5. Lexington, Va.
  6. Carson County, Texas
  7. Livingston County, N.Y.
  8. Carver County, Minn.
  9. Marshall County, Ky.
  10. Collin County, Texas
  11. Mono County, Calif.
  12. Dolores County, Colo.
  13. Montgomery County, Va.
  14. Door County, Wis.
  15. Morris County, N.J.
  16. Douglas County, Colo.
  17. Nantucket County, Mass.
  18. Dukes County, Mass.
  19. Orleans County, Vt.
  20. Essex County, N.Y.
  21. Pickett County, Tenn.
  22. Falls Church, Va.
  23. Real County, Texas
  24. Hamilton County, Ind.
  25. Routt County, Colo.
  26. Island County, Wash.
  27. San Mateo County, Calif.
  28. Jefferson County, Wash.
  29. Sibley County, Minn.
  30. Kerr County, Texas
  31. Washington County, Tenn.
  32. Keweenaw County, Mich.
  33. Williamson County, Tenn.
  34. King George County, Va.
  35. Winneshiek County, Iowa
  36. Latah County, Idaho

Do You Focus on Fitness #4Mind4Body?

Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable. So much of what we do physically impacts us mentally –it’s important to pay attention to both your physical health and your mental health, which can help you achieve overall wellness and set you on a path to recovery.

This May is Mental Health Month; Ortonville Area Health Services is raising awareness about the connection between physical health and mental health, through the theme Fitness #4Mind4Body. The campaign is meant to educate and inform individuals about how eating healthy foods, gut health, managing stress, exercising, and getting enough sleep can go a long way in making you healthy all around.

A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, as well as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic health problems. It can also play a big role in helping people recover from these conditions. Taking good care of your body is part of a before Stage Four approach to mental health.

Getting the appropriate amount of exercise can help control weight, improve mental health, and help you live longer and healthier. Recent research is also connecting your nutrition and gut health with your mental health. Sleep also plays a critical role in all aspects of our life and overall health. Getting a good night’s sleep is important to having enough physical and mental energy to take on daily responsibilities. And we all know that stress can have a huge impact on all aspects of our health, so it’s important to take time to focus on stress-reducing activities like meditation or yoga.

OAHS wants everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is always the goal. Living a healthy lifestyle may not be easy, but by looking at your overall health every day – both physically and mentally – you can go a long way in ensuring that you focus on your Fitness#4Mind4Body.

For more information, visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may.

Effective March 1st, OAHS will be a Level 2 Cost Provider for PEIP and SEGIP.

The Good Life here at OAHS

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