March is National Nutrition Month

Details: Published on Monday, 27 February 2017 11:10

The Andrew County Health Department would like to encourage you to eat healthy by offering these 5 tips to kick bad eating habits to the curb.

1.) Eat Breakfast

The key to a good breakfast is balance. Include lean protein, whole grains and fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. For example, oatmeal cooked with low-fat milk and sliced almonds and berries or crust-less quiche with mixed veggies, low-fat cheese and a slice of whole-wheat toast.

2. Cut Back on Caffeine

Too much caffeine can interfere with sleep, can make you jittery and can cause you to lose energy later in the day. Skip unwanted calories and sugar by drinking it as plain as possible.

3.) Bring Lunch to Work

Preparing the week's lunches over the weekend — bake chicken, chop veggies, steam rice. Make sure your options include a combination of lean protein and carbohydrates.

4.) Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and veggies add color, flavor and texture, plus vitamins, minerals and fibers to your plate. Don't let winter stop you from enjoying produce either. It might be harder to find fresh options, but frozen and canned are great alternatives.

5.) Cook Dinner at Home

Making meals at home doesn't have to zap the last bit of your time and energy. The trick is to plan ahead. Use shortcuts such as pre-cut or frozen veggies and keep staples on hand such as low-sodium broth, herbs and lemons for flavoring. A quick and easy idea is to turn leftover beef into stew with beans, no-salt-added diced tomatoes and pre-cut veggies.

This project is/was funded in part by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Maternal and Child Health Services Contract #DH150006012 and is/was supported by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant #B04MC28109, Maternal and Child Health Services for $9,095,311, of which $0 is from non-governmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Prevent Drowsy Driving

Details: Published on Thursday, 16 February 2017 09:43

2017 Drowsy Driving Prevention Campaign

Drowsy driving is a dangerous behavior that can result in serious injury or death. But despite the risks, drowsy driving is far to prevalent.

Drowsy driving is estimated to contribute to a s many as 1.2 million collisions, resulting in potentially 5,000 to 8,000 fatalities per year.

Take a Break. Drive Awake.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 2015 Traffic Safety Culture Index, 1 in 3 drivers (31.5%) admitted to driving within the prior 30 days when they were so tired that they had trouble keeping their eyes open.

February is American Heart Month

Details: Published on Sunday, 29 January 2017 11:53

February is American Heart Month. The Andrew County Health Department wants you to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by knowing your ABCS.

Heart disease and stroke are the first and fourth leading causes of death in the United States. Heart disease is responsible for 1 of every 4 deaths in the country. The good news is that heart disease and stroke can be prevented, and February - American Heart Month - is a great time to refresh your memory on the small but important actions you can take.

A: Aspirin

Talk to your health care provider and team to see if taking an aspirin each day is right for you.

B: Blood Pressure Control

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. One in three American adults has high blood pressure - that's about 70 million people. Unfortunately, less than half of people with high blood pressure have their condition under control. Work with your health care team to find out if you have high blood pressure. If you do, take steps to reduce it:

Get active by exercising for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
Eat a heart-healthy diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium, saturated and trans fats, and cholesterol.
Follow your health care provider's instructions when it comes to taking medicines or measuring your blood pressure at home.

C: Cholesterol

High cholesterol affects 1 in 3 American adults. Getting a simple blood test is the only way you can know if you have high cholesterol. Your doctor can suggest steps you can take to prevent high cholesterol or to reduce your levels if they are high.

S. Smoking

Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk of heart disease. If you're a smoker, quit as soon as possible, and if you don't smoke, don't start. Get help from 1-800-QUIT-NOW or SmokeFree.gov.

Learn more about Million Hearts and ways to protect your heart during February and throughout the year at MillionHearts.hss.gov

Federal Safety Standard for Infant Sling Carriers

Details: Published on Tuesday, 17 January 2017 14:44

CPSC Approves New Federal Safety Standard for Infant Sling Carriers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – To help keep infants and babies safe, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a new federal mandatory standard intended to improve the safety of infant sling carriers and prevent deaths and injuries to young children.

Infant sling carriers are worn by the parent or caregiver and are designed to carry an infant/toddler in an upright or reclined position. Slings generally are intended for infants and toddlers between 8 and 35 pounds. Designs typically range from unstructured hammock-shaped products that suspend from the caregiver’s body, to long lengths of material or fabric that wrap around the caregiver’s body.

The new federal safety standard incorporates the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International (ASTM F2907-15), Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Sling Carriers, with one modification regarding label attachments. CPSC’s rule modifies the ASTM standard to make warning labels more permanent by preventing the labels from being attached to the sling carrier along only one side of the label.

The mandatory standard contains several requirements for sling carriers including:

loading to ensure that the sling can carry up to three times the manufacturer’s maximum recommended weight,
structural integrity to ensure that after all testing, there are no seam separations, fabric tears, breakage, etc., and
occupant retention to prevent the child being carried from falling out of the sling during normal use.

In addition, the standard requires sling carriers to come with warning labels and instructional literature. These requirements include:

pictures to show the proper position of a child in the sling,
a warning statement about the suffocation hazard posed by slings and prevention measures,
warning statements about children falling out of slings, and
a reminder for caregivers to check the buckles, snaps, rings and other hardware to make sure no parts are broken.

Between January 2003 and September 2016, 159 incidents were reported to CPSC involving sling carriers; 17 were fatal and 142 were nonfatal. Of the 142 nonfatal incidents, 67 reports involved an injury to the infant during use of the product. Among the 67 reported nonfatal injuries, 10 involved hospitalizations.

The effective date for the new mandatory infant sling carrier standard is one year after the final rule is published in the Federal Register.

CPSC advises parents and caregivers to be cautious when using infant slings for babies younger than four months of age. Slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies.

In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of still developing neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can hold the baby in a position that blocks the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocates a baby within a minute or two.
Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.

CPSC recommends the following tips to parents and caregivers when using infant sling carriers.

Make sure the infant’s face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling’s wearer.
If nursing the baby in a sling, change the baby’s position after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of the sling and the mother’s body.
Be vigilant about frequently checking their baby in a sling, always making sure nothing is blocking baby’s nose and mouth and baby’s chin is away from her chest.

The Commission is required by The Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act, Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), to issue consumer product safety standards for durable infant or toddler products. In the past seven years, the Commission has approved new federal safety standards for durable infant or toddler products, including full-size cribs, non-full-size cribs, play yards, baby walkers, baby bath seats, children’s portable bed rails, strollers, toddler beds, infant swings, handheld infant carriers, soft infant carriers, framed infant carriers, bassinets, cradles and portable hook-on chairs.

The Commission voted 3-2 in favor of the standard on January 11, 2017.

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