by Renee Aufdermauer | Jul 26, 2024 | Being Well, Featured
As we close our Health Literacy campaign, we reflect on the vital role of personal health literacy in enhancing our community’s well-being. Personal health literacy is more than just understanding health information—it’s about effectively finding, interpreting, and using that information to make informed decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
Thanks to the support of the Knight Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program, we’ve been able to shine a spotlight on health literacy over the last 3 months. Our goal has been to help you understand how and when to access the best care for the best possible health outcomes. Here’s a summary of the key topics we’ve covered:
Take Charge of Your Health
Health literacy means making informed choices about your well-being. From understanding prescriptions to navigating healthcare systems, knowing how to make the best health decisions is crucial.
Your Primary Care Provider is Your Advocate
Regular check-ups with your provider are essential for maintaining health and catching problems early. Your primary care provider offers personalized advice, tracks your health history, and supports your well-being. Establishing a strong relationship with your provider ensures you receive timely care. Aim to visit your primary care provider at least once a year—don’t wait for issues to escalate.
Where to Go for Care and When
Understanding where to seek care is vital. For serious issues, head to the Emergency Room. For immediate but less severe concerns, Urgent Care is the place to go. For regular check-ups and ongoing health management, your Primary Care Physician is your go-to. Making quick and informed decisions ensures you receive the right care at the right time.
Your Health is Important, and So Is Your Voice
When visiting your provider, communicate openly. Share your concerns, ask questions, and discuss any symptoms or issues you’re experiencing. Your input is crucial—if you’re unsure about something, ask for clarification or explore other treatment options. Don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion if needed. Being actively involved in your healthcare conversation ensures you get the care you deserve.
Health Screenings for Cancer Prevention
Regular health screenings are essential for early detection and prevention of cancer. Early detection can save lives. Schedule screenings based on your age and risk factors to stay ahead of potential health issues. Knowing what screenings are recommended and when to get them can significantly impact your health outcomes and even save your life.
Stay Informed and Engaged
We encourage you to keep checking back on our website for ongoing information and resources. Your health is an ongoing journey, and staying informed is key to making the best decisions for your well-being. For more information on health literacy and resources available to you, visit https://tillamookcountywellness.org/be-well/health-literacy
By increasing your health literacy, you’re taking a significant step toward better health and a more informed approach to healthcare. Stay proactive, stay informed, and most importantly, take charge of your health!
For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook or Instagram.
by Guest | Jul 12, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Move Well, Work Well
Occupational Therapy is an often misunderstood or unheard of rehabilitative therapy. It is not just about our jobs and work we do. The easiest way to say it is therapy for anything that occupies your time. If there is anything you can’t do that you want to do, then come to us and we will help you get back to doing it. Sleeping, cooking, hobbies, socializing, travel, etc. are all things that occupy your time. There are many ways we can help by analyzing the activity and then finding other ways to do it, using exercises and strengthening to make it more possible, or using devices or equipment to make it possible. We can come to your house and do an evaluation if home modifications or larger equipment is needed, or you can come to see us in outpatient therapy to work on improving function in your life.
Occupational Therapist use more of a wholistic approach to therapy. We don’t just look at the physical, but also the psychological and sociological aspects of a person to help them. What do they enjoy, what is important to them and what they think and believe are important things to be considered. When we can’t do what we enjoy due to pain, or loss of ability this affects the whole person. We can help to deal with chronic pain management as well as behavioral management to work with the person as a whole. We are also Qualified Mental Health Practitioners and can help with depression, anxiety, or other diagnoses associated with these issues.
The best way to get a referral is through your primary care provider (PCP). Employees can self-refer, also. We’re working to increase provider awareness about our services, but your always welcome to ask questions. If you have any questions or need advice on what to say to your PCP, feel free to contact Timothy Patching at patchitr@ah.org. We’re here to help you every step of the way!
by Renee Aufdermauer | Jul 5, 2024 | Eat Well, Featured, Recipes, Uncategorized
Give this Healthy Peach Ice Cream from the ‘Little Sunny Kitchen’ blog a try! Made with only 4 ingredients in just 5 minutes—no ice cream maker required!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups frozen peaches
- 3 Tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- 1/2 cup natural yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Add the frozen peaches, honey or agave, yogurt, and lemon juice into a food processor and process until creamy. Serve immediately or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Resource: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/five-minute-peach-ice-cream/
by Guest | Jun 21, 2024 | Eat Well, Featured, Lunch & Snack Recipes, Recipes, Uncategorized
These kid-friendly strawberry chia yogurt pops offer a delicious, healthy way to cool down on a hot summer day! With a winning combo of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, gut-healthy probiotics, and muscle-strengthening protein, this will surely be your new favorite treat to beat the heat.
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped strawberries
3 Tbsp honey
2 cups 2% or whole Milk Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2 tsp vanilla
6 popsicle sticks
Chia seed garnish (optional)
Instructions:
In a bowl, using a fork, mash ⅓ cup of the strawberries. Add honey and mash to soften. Stir in yogurt, chia seeds and vanilla.
Spoon and divide yogurt mixture into molds, tapping on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Sprinkle with more chia seeds on top (if using) and insert popsicle sticks.
Freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours. To remove from mold, dip casing into cup of warm water to loosen yogurt pop.
Tip: For a fun decorative look, slice one strawberry. Fill molds halfway and slide a slice directly on wall; top with remaining yogurt mixture.
Submitted by: Lewis Martin, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition Director with Oregon Dairy Counsel
by Guest | Jun 20, 2024 | Being Well, Featured
The term women’s health covers more than just pap smears and mammograms. This category of healthcare has a wide scope covering care for people with a uterus from menstruation to pregnancy and osteoporosis, along with all of the health screenings in between. Women’s health aims at improving health over the lifespan with treatments and screenings beginning in the teen years and spanning the rest of a person’s life. The terminology for the women’s health category is evolving to recognize transgender and non-binary people. The women’s health category is inclusive for all people based on anatomy, not gender identity.
An Ounce of Prevention
One of the best things a person can do to take care of themselves is get routine screenings. Ideally, everyone should check in with their healthcare provider annually for a well check, but other screenings vary by age and circumstance. Routine health screenings serve to detect warning signs of potential health issues before they become serious problems. This allows the medical provider to work with the person on getting any needed treatment. Health screenings also help catch medical conditions early, which makes them easier to treat.
The typical preventative visit includes:
Additional Adolescent Screenings
Parents sometimes stop well-child checks when their kids become teens, but really they shouldn’t. When pre-teens begin noticing physical changes, a healthcare provider can help answer questions and discuss expectations for developing bodies. This is also the transition into adulthood with health screenings. All the above screenings become relevant. Additionally, the potential for sexual activity in teens also must be addressed. Things that may begin screening in adolescents:
- When someone becomes sexually active, they need screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) at least once a year and with every partner change. In Oregon, chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common STDs with syphilis on the rise.
- Counseling for STDs.
- Screening for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
- Screening for intimate partner violence is recommended at least once a year in women/persons of reproductive age.
- Contraception Counseling is recommended for anyone not seeking a pregnancy in the next year. Gender-affirming hormone therapy is not adequate for contraception.
Routine Women’s Health Screenings
As the transition into adulthood continues, so does the transition of screenings. Continue with annual health checks, and now add the pap smear, which screens for cervical cancer.
- Cervical cancer screening from age 21 to 65 years.
- Pap alone every three years in ages 21 to 29
- Over age 30 testing with pap smear and for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Screening for diabetes in overweight or obese people who don’t have symptoms starting at age 35.
- Breast cancer screening for the average at-risk person beginning at age 40.
- Colorectal cancer screenings now start at age 45.
Pregnancy-specific screenings:
- Intimate partner violence screening remains important during pregnancy.
- Screening for hepatitis B at the first prenatal visit.
- Gestational diabetes screening and healthy weight gain counseling during pregnancy.
Older Adult
Older, wiser, and still getting health screenings. The older adult stops getting cervical cancer screenings after age 65 if they have been cancer free. STD screenings may continue as needed. A discussion with the healthcare provider may lead to discontinuation of colorectal and breast cancer screenings in 70 to 80-year-olds based on prior history and risk factors.
- Urinary incontinence screening. Women have come to believe incontinence is normal in aging. It is not.
- After menopause, osteoporosis becomes a risk due to the drop in hormones. Current screening guidelines recommend starting assessment at age 65 for average risk. Persons at higher risk, such as those with a family history of osteoporosis, begin screening at a younger age.
- Lung cancer screening for people with a 20-year smoking history.
Taking care of yourself remains the cornerstone in staying healthy to provide care to the ones you care about. Whether it is your husband, children, or dog. Check with your healthcare provider and stay up to date with your routine screenings.
To learn about preventive health across the life span, click HERE.
Resources:
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2021). Health Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals (Committee Opinion No. 823). https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2021/03/health-care-for-transgender-and-gender-diverse-individuals
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2024) Rethinking Drinking. (NIH Publication No. 23-AA-3770). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/NIAAA_RethinkingDrinking.pdf
Oregon Health Authority. (2024, June 11). Oregon’s Weekly Communicable Disease Report. https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/oregon.public.health.division.acute.and.communicable.disease.pre/viz/WeeklyCommunicableDiseaseReport/ACDPWeeklyReport
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (Accessed June 15, 2024). A & B Recommendations. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations
Health Resources & Services Administration. (2022) Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines. https://www.hrsa.gov/womens-guidelines-2016
Author: Leanna Coy, FNP-C, Family Nurse Practitioner and Health Content Writer
by Guest | Jun 14, 2024 | Eat Well, Featured, Lunch & Snack Recipes, Recipes
Parmesan Herb-Baked Salmon
For Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness month this June, we invite you to nourish your mind with the brain-boosting benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids found in Salmon! This easy-to-make recipe combines flaky salmon with a savory coating of parmesan that will save you time brainstorming what to make for dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 whole wild salmon filet with skin, 1 1/2 inches thick (2 lbs)
- 1/4 cup light mayo
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easiest cleanup.
- Combine mayo, Parmesan, garlic and herbs in a small bowl.
- Place salmon, skin side down, onto lined baking sheet. Cover salmon with another piece of parchment or foil. Partially bake salmon for 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven and remove top piece of parchment paper.
- Spread the top with the Parmesan herb mixture.
- Return to oven uncovered and bake until the top has browned, and the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- The salmon should register 135º F when checked with an internal thermometer probe, about 15 to 18 minutes if the fish is 1 1/2 inches thick, less or more depending on the thickness.
Resource: https://www.skinnytaste.com/parmesan-herb-baked-salmon/
Lewis Martin, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition Director with Oregon Dairy Counsel
