by Guest | Feb 12, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Uncategorized, Work Well
By Guest Author: Emery Edwards
I’m a perfectionist. I always have been, and I probably always will be in some capacity. So, my health improvement journey has been a struggle. Somewhere in the 21 years before I started trying to change my life, I had gotten this idea that if I couldn’t do it perfectly the first time, I couldn’t do it at all. I’m sure some of you have felt similarly, especially when it comes to your health. There have been countless times where I’d stuck to my goals for a week or two, but I am inevitably confronted with a birthday party, a night out, or anything that might challenge your newly formed habits. I’ve always felt it’s a zero-sum game- I default on my healthy habits one time, and my progress is null, and I might as well give up. Many of us who have embarked on the journey of improving holistic health have experienced this, and it’s okay. What will be more damaging than one day, one week, or one month of falling back, is if you believe that the progress you’ve made up until that point means nothing because you weren’t perfect.
This is where progress over perfection comes in. Recognizing that you are making progress, but you’re not perfect, is the way I’ve been able to transform my habits over the last 6 months. Instead of chastising myself for not exercising one day or eating something that does not serve my body, I recognize that overcoming these habits is a longer journey than I had been led to believe. Crash diets, unrealistic societal expectations, ‘lose weight quick’ schemes, and the like have warped my thoughts about health for a decade, and I know I’m not alone in this. If it has been instilled in you for so long, it will inevitably take more than a couple months to fully change your mindset. Giving yourself grace in this journey of feeling better is more important than absolute perfection. But you must want to feel better to make these changes sustainable.
It takes dedication to make that progress and change your lifestyle. I started with upping my fiber and protein intake through whole foods and reduced the simple carbohydrates and sugars in my diet. It took me mere weeks to feel more present in my body, have more energy, and improve my sleep quality. It took me months, however, to make these practices a daily habit. Instead of giving up when I gave in to the residual cravings, I would wake up the next day and continue with the goals I had been working towards. My world does not stop when I eat a chicken strip, and I promise that yours doesn’t either. Maybe pair that chicken strip with some roasted vegetables like brussels sprouts, broccoli, or a simple garden salad to make it more nutritious. It’s all about adding what you need to satisfy the craving in a healthier way, and after you eat it, move on to meeting your goals. The name of the game is progress, not perfection. But when I tell you, I went from needing a nap in the middle of the day to function to having the energy to take me through the entire day without a yawn, I am telling you the truth.
I am only 6 months into my progress over perfection journey, so I’m no expert. But what I will say is I have never in my life felt as good as I do today, and every day gets even better. I started with my eating because I had no energy to introduce exercise into my routine, now I have too much energy to sleep if I don’t exercise. It’s a beautiful problem to have. I would not have gotten this far if I had given up the first time that I ate something I told myself I wouldn’t. Which probably happened within a week of starting the journey if I’m honest. The name of this game is grace- give it to yourself, to others, and remember that it’s all about your overall progress, not being perfect.
For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Michelle | Jan 25, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Move Well, Uncategorized, Work Well
Intro to Behavior Change, Part 1
Every day we hear the results of another study, telling us what is making us unhealthy. Eat this, don’t eat that. Move like this, not like that. There are, of course, good reasons to become educated about making healthier choices. We are on an unsustainable track both for our own health and for the economic health of our nation. In all reality, our health care crisis – the skyrocketing cost to treat preventable, chronic disease – is a greater threat to our survival than global climate change. As with all things, though, we have made the solution far too complicated for the average person to comprehend.
Let’s get down to the fundamentals. First, we simply have to become more aware of our own habits. How do I feel when I eat this and don’t eat that? How do I feel when I walk up a flight of stairs? How much energy do I have? If the answers to these questions are not the ones you’d like, then it is probably time to start making some changes.
Change is hard. Crazy hard. It’s really inconvenient. That’s how we got into this mess in the first place. It is human nature to take the path of least resistance. It takes time and effort to change the way we live our lives. For most of us, this is where we end up – in a state of knowing we need to do something but not believing that we can really do anything about it. To be successful, we need to make the changes to our habits small, easy-to-adopt, and enjoyable.
Behavior Change 101, Part 2
Awareness. This is where it all starts. We have to stop and look within ourselves to even begin to understand what is and isn’t working. This goes for health and nutrition but also for relationships, self-esteem, work performance, you name it. What is the famous saying? The first step is admitting you have a problem.
You don’t have to become a Yogi (yoga instructor, not the bear) to become aware. You don’t have to take special classes (although that might help). You don’t have to change the kind of person you are (although you probably will in the end). You just need to be open to the idea of changing.
We see things more clearly when we take a step back and give them our undivided attention. Take a few moments each day to breathe. Just be. Relax. In doing so, the busyness of the world, the noise of our self-talk, the daily to do list, they all disappear and we are simply left with ourselves and the truth. Layers of thought, emotion, and even traumatic events are often responsible for the “dis-ease” that causes disease. Without going through this process, it may not matter what changes we make to our nutrition or exercise habits. Our bodies seek balance. This applies to our emotional state as well. When we are out of balance, there are a whole host of physiological processes that go off-line as well.
Unfortunately, the typical American lifestyle does not lend itself to mind-body balance. It can seem overwhelming to understand what is out of balance and what we need to do about it. This is where awareness is key. At some point, most of us have tried to determine how many calories, grams of protein, fats or carbohydrates or how many minutes of high or low intensity exercise we should be getting each day. And, statistics show that this hasn’t worked out so well for most of us . . . at all.
So, how do we identify and make the changes we need to make? Pay attention to your own body and mind. What you think and feel, what you read, and what you hear others say all provide clues if you are tuned in. Listen to that voice in your head, that gut instinct that kicks in and says, “Hey, that’s what I need to do. I can do that.” I call it the When-Harry-Met-Sally-Moment – “I’ll have what she’s having.” Pay attention to what inspires you and follow that thread.
Tips for Successful Behavior Change, Part 3
Why we want to make changes is almost as important as what we want to change. The “why” often determines our chances for success. If we are making a change for our spouse or boss, or as a quick fix (think high school reunion), we might not be as emotionally invested as we need to be successful over the long term. You need to have good reasons to make any lasting change. Maybe it is to be around to see your kids or grandkids grow up or maybe it is about improving your quality of life. Whatever it is, it needs to be meaningful to you.
Setting SMART goals is key to successful behavior change. SMART is an acronym for research-based characteristics that significantly increase the likelihood of reaching one’s goals. They should be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-Bound
For example, if I want to walk 2 miles a day but am currently completely sedentary, I need to break down my goal into manageable pieces. I also need to be realistic. How far can I, and more importantly, will I, walk each day. Maybe it is just a daily walk to my mailbox for the first week. Then, I can walk to the end of the block, then 3 blocks, and so on until I have achieved my goal. It is important to set a time frame for each level of goal attainment. This can be daily or weekly. It needs to be short enough to generate immediate success but also long enough to form a new habit as a foundation for the next step and that usually takes about 8-10 weeks.
Work with your strengths and interests when approaching changes. If you like to cook, then it makes sense to find healthy recipes you would enjoy making. If you hate cooking, it will be important to simplify what nutrition changes you are making so that you can still be successful. It can be as simple as choosing the prepared veggie tray and a container of hummus from the grocery store. This principle is especially important when it comes to physical activity. If you enjoy being outdoors, consider walking or hiking. If you like people, music or dancing, you could join a group fitness class. If you want something more mindful, try Tai Chi, Qigong or Yoga. The key is to look for ways to integrate a positive, healthy change with your personality, interests and strengths.
One of the reasons people struggle with behavior change is because they have been unsuccessful in the past. Three common reasons for this are 1) Setting unrealistic goals 2) Giving up after the first setback, or 3) Taking on too many changes at once.
To avoid these, it is important to set a narrow list of ridiculously small goals. This allows us to celebrate mini victories which perpetuate future successes. BJ Fogg, a researcher at Stanford University, calls these “Tiny Habits.” He uses an example for someone who wants to develop the habit of flossing their teeth. He suggests flossing one tooth each night after brushing your teeth. Just one tooth. This is based on the fact that a 3 second action of flossing one tooth is perceived as much more doable than the 30 second action of flossing all of our teeth and, therefore, we are more likely to stick with and succeed at the development of this new habit. As sad as this example is, he is 100% right (and he has the research to back that up.) This says a lot about human nature and explains a lot when it comes to why behavior change is so difficult.
To summarize, there are some tricks to successful behavior change:
- Become aware of what you want to change and why
- Set SMART goals
- Make changes that fit your personality, strengths and values
- Start small (REALLY small) and build on your successes
Written by Michelle Jenck, M.Ed., Certified Behavior Change Coach
For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Dec 14, 2023 | Featured, Uncategorized
By Kitchen Maven, Judi Berman-Yamada
https://www.facebook.com/Creativepenandpantry/
A person with a definite sweet tooth, as a pre-teen I went on my first diet and reportedly cried out for
“chocolate cake” in my sleep. True story. And don’t get me started on pie, baked my first that same year.
Intent to have my cake and eat it too – whenever the craving arose. Thanksgiving breakfast at our house is
always my homemade Maple Pumpkin Pie, crowned with Chantilly cream and blackberries, a definite holiday
morning indulgence. But the pie contains no sugar, just 2/3 cup real maple syrup and the crust is wholewheat.
My dad had a real love-hate relationship with sugar, fat and all baked goods, resulting in heart disease and my
father-in-law, who also loved sweets, suffered from Type 2 diabetes. Taking a hint from them and an interest
in living a reasonably healthy active life, as a “foodie”, inspired me. Researching recipes and finding ways of
adapting and crafting healthier slightly less sweet versions turned into a favorite pastime.
Granted, keeping in mind the variety of dietetic restrictions at our celebratory tables can be daunting, but
these straightforward, easy dessert recipes could be the crowning glory of the meal and a success with
everyone at your table. How sad it would be if anyone had to go without their holiday dessert.
FROZEN FRUIT BERRY COMPOTE
This slowly simmered virtually all berry compote bubbles away into syrupy goodness a day or two before the holiday gathering. Top some vanilla ice cream with a dollop and sprinkle with toasted almonds, chocolate chips, coconut or sprinkles – whatever floats your boat.
- 32 ounces mixed frozen berries
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup real maple syrup OR other natural sweetener (Agaves nectar, honey, sugar)
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-quart saucepan
Put frozen berries, water, maple syrup and salt in saucepan. Set heat at medium, stirring every 15 minutes
until all berries are defrosted and floating in liquid. Stir every 15-20 minutes. Once the fruit and liquid simmer
constantly, turn heat down to medium-low, stirring every 5-10 minutes or until no watery liquid remains and
the berries are suspended in syrup. When you draw a wooden or silicone spoon across the bottom of the
saucepan, the syrup will separate showing the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Allow compote to cool to slightly warm and refrigerate in a closed container. Delicious on vanilla ice cream,
white or chocolate cake and over pancakes, waffles, or plain yogurt. 8-10 servings as a topping.
LIGHT LEMON CHEESECAKE CUPS
When it comes to both thriftiness and weight loss baking individual sweet and savory treats is
really a great idea. Whether it’s dinner rolls or tarts, biscuits, frittatas or cheesecakes, minis
set easy limits on overindulging. And individual treats go farther because diners know exactly what a serving looks like. This makes 12 mini cheesecakes, but doubling is easy as long as you
have two muffin pans.
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs – about 5 sheets (regular or gluten free)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat or low fat
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted OR gluten free flour OR corn starch
- 2 large eggs, room temperature & lightly beat
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Line the 12-cups of a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, stirring to combine well.
Distribute crumb mixture evenly in the 12-cupcake liners. Press down the mixture in each cup.
Using an electric mixer, combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the applesauce, yogurt, lemon juice, zest and flour until mixture is well blended. Add eggs. Beat just until eggs are well blended into mixture. Give the batter one last stir and divide it into the cupcake liners.
Bake in a preheated oven from 20-28 minutes (depending on your oven), or until the cheesecake centers are almost set. Cool to room temperature and then cover the entire pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove cakes from pan using a small offset spatula or fork.
Enjoy with toppings of your choice. May be served in the liners or removed from liners onto small plates.
12 servings
Original: Kitchen Maven
SPICED CARROT COOKIES
This easy, tasty little rationing recipe can be served, simply, as written with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or turn them into thumbprint cookies by rolling the balls of cookie dough in chopped nuts or unsweetened coconut, pressing in a thumbprint, and filling them with jam for a colorful presentation. Either way, this
is a great recipe to make with kids and will certainly have them looking at carrots in a different way.
Grease cookie baking sheets or line with parchment.
Preheat oven to 390 degrees F.
- 2 tablespoons margarine OR butter (Earth Balance for vegans)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoon grated raw carrot
- 12 tablespoons all-purpose OR whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg
- 1-2 tablespoons water, as needed
- Nutmeats or raisins, optional
- Confectioners’ sugar
Cream the margarine and sugar together with the vanilla extract
Mix in the grated carrot
Whisk the flour together with the dry ingredients
Fold the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture. If mixture is too dry, stir in the water
Drop dough by Tablespoon sized scoops onto greased or parchment lined cookie baking tray
and press the dough down a little
Top each with a nutmeat or a few raisins, if using
Bake in oven for 10- 15 minutes. Cool on racks
Sprinkle or toss with confectioners’ sugar, if using
Yields Two dozen cookies/Easily doubled
CHOCOLATE DEPRESSION CAKE (a.k.a. Wacky Cake)
This is a well-used and well-loved old recipe that became popular during the hard times of the 1930’s and through the war times of rationing. Very likely, over the years, it made many a child smile. Although it uses minimal ingredients, it’s still a great tasting, frugal, recipe today. And it’s vegan. If desired, sprinkle top of cooled cake with powdered sugar, top with whipped cream or frost with ganache and decorate with berries.
- 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour OR white whole wheat flour OR all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar OR white vinegar
- 1 cup cold coffee OR cold water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray or oil only the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan
or 9-inch round cake pan.
Sift together the dry ingredients into a medium bowl. If you don’t have a sifter, use a fine metal
strainer. Sifting the dry ingredients helps make the cake light.
Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl or pint liquid measuring cup. Stir well to combine.
Then immediately pour liquid over the dry ingredients. Whisk or stir to combine, just until no
dry ingredients show. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30
minutes. Test with cake tester or toothpick after 25 minutes. Only a few crumbs should cling.
Allow cake to cool completely on a cooling rack (one to two hours) before cutting.
Historical Recipe/Original Source Unknown
FRESH OREGON APPLE TART a la JACQUES
This utterly simple tart is homage to my favorite chef, Jacques Pepin. My adaptation of his
recipe (Maman’s Tarte) isn’t low calorie, but it boasts more fiber and less sugar than the
original. As with the original, it’s delicious, quick, economical and contains commonly available
ingredients. Use whatever apples you have. They don’t have to be perfect, just juicy. This
rustic tart goes well with some sharp Cheddar, melted a bit, with vanilla or rum ice cream and
with whipped cream. Serves 6 – 8
CRUST:
- Butter for baking pan
- 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour OR
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour + ½ cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, room
- ¼ cup milk, lukewarm
- 1 large egg, beaten
FILLING:
- 3 large apples or 6 small apples:
- Golden Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith or what have you – peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
- 2 Tablespoons butter OR margarine, melted
- 5 teaspoons granulated sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon OR 3 Tablespoons warmed apricot jam
Butter a 9-inch ovenproof glass pie plate OR 7” x 11” glass baking dish OR 9” tart pan. Preheat
the oven to 400 F. Position rack in center of oven.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar, salt, and baking
powder. Add 1/3 cup shortening into the dry ingredients. Mash it into the dry ingredients with a spoon or spatula until smaller clumps form. Then, using your fingers, rub the shortening into the flour mixture to produce the texture of coarse sand.
Add lukewarm milk and egg. Stir until just combined. Press the dough together with your hands, and transfer
to the pie dish or baking pan. Press the dough evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. A sheet of
plastic wrap and bottom of measuring cup are helpful to press evenly and keep dough from sticking. Don’t
leave the dough too thick around the bottom edge and up the sides.
Refrigerate until firm, around 30–35 minutes
Remove crust from refrigerator. Arrange apple wedges, over crust, overlapping slightly in straight rows or in
circles pressing them evenly over the crust. Cube extra apple wedges and fill in spaces. Brush apples, evenly with melted butter. Combine 5 teaspoons granulated sugar and ground cinnamon and
sprinkle evenly over buttered apples OR melt apricot jam and brush over apples. Place tart on center rack of oven. Lower oven heat to 350 F. Rotate tart halfway through baking. Bake until crust is golden, and apples are tender when poked with a knife, 40-50 minutes.
Remove the tart from the oven. Cool for at least 15 minutes, on cooling rack, before serving. Delicious as is, or
with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or melted thinly sliced Cheddar.
6-8 servings.
Adapted from original: Chef Jacques Pepin
Many recipes in my posts are found in my cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging
Times”. The book is available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. All (100%) of
author royalties from retail sales of my cookbook go directly to the Oregon Food Bank,
Tillamook Services, to assist families and individuals experiencing food insecurity. Purchasing
the cookbook will benefit not only the recipient of the cookbook, but people in need, as well.
Living near Tillamook County or even in Portland, you can purchase the book through Food
Roots Farm to Table Marketplace for a sale price and all proceeds will go directly to that non-
profit organization.
Amazon.com: Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times: 9780578310763: Berman-Yamada, Judith, Berman-
Yamada, Judith: Books
Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times by Judith Berman-Yamada, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
(barnesandnoble.com)
by Guest | Dec 5, 2023 | Eat Well, Featured, Lunch & Snack Recipes, Recipes, Uncategorized
Here’s a beginner’s guide to help you create an appealing charcuterie board for your upcoming event.
- Plan for the board size according to your group. It’s better to overshoot on size than to run out of room
- Place the cheeses in strategic spots. If you pull them out of the refrigerator an hour or so ahead of time the room temperature makes for better flavor. They can be used to prop up any potentially rolling items like berries
- Add any small decorative bowls (dips, olives, anything you’d like the flavor to stay contained)
- If you are going to add any meat you will want to curve or curl them
- Arrange crackers and condiments
- Fill in all the gaps with fruit and veggies
- Add nuts and/or chocolate.
- Add garnish!
Harvest Charcuterie
- 1 8-ounce wheel of brie
- 4 ounces Manchego cheese, sliced into ¼ inch triangles
- 5 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
- 1 cup seedy crackers
- 8 dried breadsticks (halved if necessary, to fit on board)
- 2 cups black grapes
- 3 figs, halved
- 1 cup berries (blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
- ½ cup olives
- ¼ cup gherkins
- ¼ cup dried ginger pieces
- 1 tablespoon pepitas
- 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
- Garnish with rosemary, basil, or any leafy lettuce
Charcuterie is an art medium and you are the artist.
Enjoy!
Artist/Author: Christine Webber
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
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by Guest | Nov 30, 2023 | Being Well, Featured, Uncategorized
The seventh annual Tillamook County Giving Guide was delivered to every mailbox in Tillamook County the week of November 20th. The Guide features profiles of over 45 nonprofits and includes a list of over 120 organizations that are doing amazing charitable work in our communities. The Giving Guide is distributed to encourage year-end giving, and to provide information about the valuable resources and services available from the diversity of organizations. There are many ways to give, and so much good work throughout the county.
Interested in animals? Check out Animal Haven by the Sea, Tillamook Animal Shelter or Tillamook K9 Rescue. Organizations that support children – Bay City Arts Center, CASA, Coast Kids, CHILD and many more. Seniors – we have information about Senior Meals Programs in North County, Rockaway Beach and Tillamook. Health, Environment, Recreation, Social Services – there truly is something for everyone. Their missions cover all the sectors of our society: health and wellness, sustainability, environment, conservation, food security, women, children, animals, and arts and cultural. One of the most valuable things you can give is your time. Volunteering will also provide well-being benefits that “something missing” connection to your community.
All things connect and the 2023 Tillamook County Giving Guide provides many opportunities to connect with your community to support with your dollars and your time, these vitally important organizations. Your generosity is needed and appreciated!
The “Tree of Life” paintings featured on the cover, and throughout the Giving Guide, are from Sitka Center’s Youth Program and visually show how we are all connected to each other, our community, and to nature.
We know the people who people our local nonprofits work hard to provide a wide variety of services, that enhance our lives here in Tillamook County. Besides their various services, our local nonprofits add other value to our community by providing jobs, a trained and inclusive workforce, volunteer opportunities, internships and training, and places and events where we gather socially. And more subtly, but no less importantly, because they work together, they are helping to create a culture of collaboration, partnerships and communication.
How about a donation in the name of your family member or friend to a local nonprofit? Or a membership in one of the organizations that will give your gift recipient all kinds of benefits throughout the next year? The donation will benefit many in our community.
Here is YOUR opportunity to give back. Donate time or money or simply share these valuable resources and services with those that need them. If you don’t see your favorite nonprofit on a page, check the list, and if you don’t see a local nonprofit please contact us to add it to the online list. We thank you in advance for your support of our local nonprofits that enrich our lives and community!
Fulcrum Community Resources’ (fulcrumresources.org) mission is to foster the transition of the Nehalem Bay community to a sustainable future. Our volunteer group initiates and coordinates local programs in north Tillamook County on the north Oregon Coast. We also sponsor others’ projects that fit with our mission and goals. We see Fulcrum, not as a hub, but as an enabling node – one of many groups locally who are organizing and creating projects. Our guiding philosophy is that the most effective and innovative projects are initiated at the grassroots community level.
The Tillamook County Giving Guide is produced in partnership with Fulcrum Community Resources, and Tillamook County Pioneer. The Giving Guide is mailed to every address in Tillamook County around the Thanksgiving holiday. Additional copies are available at Tillamook County Library branches and other locations throughout Tillamook County. It is available online at the Tillamook County Pioneer (www.tillamookcountypioneer.net) or North Coast BBQ (www.northcoastbbq.com).
Author: Laura Swanson, Board Member, Fulcrum Community Resources
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 22, 2023 | Being Well, Featured, Uncategorized, Work Well
For many people, the holiday season is filled with opportunities to gather with family and friends. Some gatherings may have alcoholic beverages as a drink option for adults who are the legal age to consume alcohol. If you are the legal age to consume alcohol and are offered an alcoholic beverage, I encourage you to take a moment to ‘Rethink the Drink’. Rethinking the drink will allow you time to reflect on the role alcohol plays in your life, plays in the lives of those around you, and will allow you time to consider if there are any changes that you would like to make concerning alcohol.
Drinking alcohol can be harmful to a person’s health. Alcohol use has both short-term and long-term health risks. Examples of short-term health risk include poisoning, accidents, and unsafe sexual behavior. Examples of long-term health risk include memory problems, increased risk of cancer, weakened immune system, and mental health problems. According to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), “More than 2,000 people in Oregon die from alcohol-related causes every year”. The OHA adds that the number of people who die from alcohol-related causes is three times higher than the number of people who die from other drug overdoses. To address this concern, the OHA created a campaign called ‘Rethink the Drink’. The target audience for this campaign are adults who are at the legal age to consume alcohol. One of the main components of this campaign is a website. People who visit the website can learn about excessive alcohol use, health consequences of excessive alcohol use, and learn where to get support for excessive alcohol use. The campaign’s website is www.rethinkthedrink.com.
My top takeaways from this campaign are:
- Excessive drinking includes underage drinking, drinking while pregnant, binge drinking, and heavy drinking. According to the OHA, 1 in 5 people in Oregon drink excessively. Excessive drinking increases a person’s risk of an alcohol use disorder, certain cancers (colorectal, prostate, breast, cancers of the mouth, etc.), heart disease, and liver disease.
- Excessive drinking includes both binge and heavy drinking. Binge drinking for a male is five or more drinks on one occasion. Binge drinking for females is four or more drinks on one occasion. Heavy drinking for a male is fifteen or more drinks per week. Heavy drinking for a female is, eight or more a drinks per week.
- Not all drinks have equal alcohol content. Alcohol calculators can help a person understand how many standard drinks are in each drink. For more information about standard drinks, review the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at www.niaaa.nih.gov.
- A person can become more aware of their behaviors involving alcohol by utilizing the track, count, and shift method. Step 1, track the number of drinks, step 2, calculate the total alcohol in each drink, and step 3, get advice and/or shift to healthier options.
- Alcohol treatment services are available to help individuals explore how drinking impacts their life. The campaign’s website has an alcohol treatment navigator link. This link will take you to the NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. On the website community members identify resources in their area. The resources featured on the website include alcohol treatment programs, counselors, therapists, and doctors. One local provider located on the navigator is the Tillamook Family Counseling Center, to learn more call (503) 842-8201.
I encourage adults to spend time this holiday season having conversations with youth about the dangers of excessive drinking. These conversations can make a big impact in the prevention of underage alcohol use.
Tips for having conversations with youth about alcohol:
- Learn about the harms of underage drinking. To learn about this topic, I recommend the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) website to review ‘Get the Facts About Underage Drinking’. The website can be accessed at www.niaaa.nih.gov.
- Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) website and review the ‘Talk. They Hear You’ campaign. This campaign can be found at www.samhsa.gov.
- Have conversations with youth early and continue the conversations into early adulthood.
- Integrate topics about alcohol into everyday conversations.
- Educate youth on the harms of underage alcohol consumption.
- Help youth feel confident declining alcohol by roleplaying scenarios that they may be offered alcohol.
- Let youth know that they can come to you if they have questions about alcohol.
Author: Janeane Krongos, Tillamook Family Counseling Center
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
