by Guest | Nov 21, 2023 | Eat Well, Featured, Recipes, Uncategorized
Scalloped Spiced Sweet Potatoes & Apples with walnuts & cranberries, Potato & Green Chile Stew, White Bean & Spinach Antipasto and Damper Bread are all delicious easy holiday (or any day) recipes to serve every diner at your holiday table. All are visually appealing for a beautiful spread, comforting and nutritious. With the addition of meat dish or dessert, these recipes might happily serve as the entire holiday lunch or dinner menu for most diets.
Spiced Scalloped Sweet Potatoes & Apples with Walnuts & Cranberries (Gluten free and vegan or vegetarian)
People seem forever looking for a better sweet potato or yam recipe; something simple and wholesome (sans marshmallows – please) yet lovely to look at and even better if it’s filled with both nutrition and flavor. This original recipe takes about 10 minutes to prep and bakes without any checking and fussing. It makes an attractive (inexpensive) presentation for a special occasion, and you’ll be delighted with the simplicity and the taste.
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter or vegan margarine, for baking pan
- 2 or 3 medium Oregon garnet yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in ½ inch thick slices
- 3 or 4 large Oregon apples (two types if possible: (Fuji, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious), cored, partly peeled (in strips) and sliced in ¾ inch thick slices
- ¾ cup walnut chunks
- ½ cup raw Oregon cranberries – unsweetened (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup salted butter OR vegan margarine, melted
- ⅓ cup real maple syrup* OR honey *can be substituted for a sugar-free variety
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom OR ground coriander
Generously grease a 9” x 13” oven safe glass or ceramic baking pan with butter or vegan margarine. Preheat oven to 375º F. Place oven rack in center position
Alternate yam and apple slices (scallop) decoratively, in rows, in prepared baking pan
Sprinkle walnuts and cranberries over yams and apples:
In the saucepan melt the butter, combine the butter with maple syrup (or honey) cinnamon, black pepper, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom (or coriander). Pour syrup or honey mixture evenly over all in the baking dish.
Bake, covered with foil, at 375 F. for around 35 – 45 minutes. Remove from oven; uncover and serve. This is healthy, colorful, and almost like eating dessert. A good side dish with poultry, pork, bean and rice herb pilaf or stuffed winter squash. Serves 4. Easily doubled.
DUTCH OVEN DAMPER BREAD (vegetarian or vegan)
Damper Bread is a vintage WW 2 rationing recipe from Australia. Many ingredients were hard to find and had to be purchased with stamps from food ration books. Items like sugar, butter and eggs could cost lots of stamps, so recipes had to be adapted to suit the needed thrift and distribution problems of the time. Notably baked over a campfire by Aussie swagmen, home cooks have learned to love its simplicity and good taste. Typically cooked in a Dutch oven or wrapped in foil over a campfire, this easy oven recipe is a nice fluffy but rustic quick bread for the holiday table. Looks nice too.
- 4 cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoons Salted butter or margarine chilled and cut in cubes
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk OR unflavored unsweetened plant-based milk, soured with vinegar*
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Add cubed and chilled salted butter or margarine
Using your fingers, crumble the fat into the fat until the fat is barely visible.
Pour cold buttermilk in the middle of the flour mixture and stir until combined. Using your hands, combine it together into a sticky ball.
Lightly knead the dough on a floured surface just to form it into a round dough ball.
Heat the oven to 425° F.
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled Dutch oven.
Cut across on the top surface – halfway through into 8 wedges of dough. Don’t cut all the way through.
Close lid on Dutch oven and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes.
Check if the bread is done just by tapping it on the top or bottom with your fingers. It will sound hollow when it’s done.
8 servings
POTATO & GREEN CHILE STEW (vegetarian or vegan, gluten free)
Economical, quick and satisfying, this stew, adapted from the recipe by Deborah Madison is perfect the day it’s made and even better the next day. Eat with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt on top or prepare with water (instead of chicken broth), pass on the sour cream, and this is a satisfying and comforting vegan meal sprinkled with some shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium large onion, diced
- 2 – 7-ounce cans mild fire roasted diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2-3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large russet potatoes or 1½ – 2 pounds smaller potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch chunks
- ¾ -1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 cups chicken broth OR water
- Sour cream OR plain Greek yogurt to finish, optional
- Chopped fresh cilantro OR parsley, optional
Heat the oil in a wide pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the diced chilies, coriander, cumin, garlic and potatoes along with salt and pepper; stir. Cook together for 3 minutes.
Add the broth or water. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat to a gentle but constant simmer. Cover and cook until the potatoes are completely soft, about 25 minutes.
Taste for seasoning. If desired, mash some of the potatoes to give the dish a creamy background texture.
Pour stew into bowls; add a dollop of sour cream, and the chopped cilantro, if using.
Serves 4
Adapted from original: Deborah Madison/Food 52
WHITE BEAN & SPINACH ANTIPASTO (vegan, gluten free)
This quick well-balanced recipe, is holiday impressive and uses freezer and pantry ingredients along with a few fresh staples. Not only is it budget friendly but takes just minutes to prepare and is a quick flavorful and light meal for warmer days and a colorful side or starter for holiday tables. Serve it alongside crusty bread, garlic toast or warm rolls. This can be easily doubled.
- 1 – 10-ounce package frozen leaf spinach
- 1 – 15 ounce can great northern beans OR other white beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 clove fresh garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives OR finely chopped tops of green onions
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Follow the package directions on the frozen spinach; don’t overcook. Drain, squeeze dry, and finely chop. In a bowl combine the spinach with the beans, bell pepper, garlic, chives, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve chilled, with crusty bread or rolls or garlic toast.
Serves 6 as appetizer, 3 as an entrée.
By: By Kitchen Maven, Judi Berman-Yamada, https://www.facebook.com/Creativepenandpantry/
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.
Gift giving time is just around the corner. Purchasing this pantry friendly cookbook will benefit not only the recipient of the book, but people in need, as well. Living near Tillamook County or even in Portland, you can also purchase the book through Food Roots Farm to Table Marketplace for a sale price below that of following online sellers, and all proceeds will go directly to that non-profit organization. Thank you for your support.
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 | Nov 20, 2023 | Being Well, Eat Well, Featured, Recipes, Uncategorized
Nearly every one of us will celebrate one or more of the upcoming fall and winter holidays, observances, and celebrations just around the corner. This year why not aim for praiseworthy recipes and meals that are also thrifty and nutritious as well as delicious? You need look no further. Following is a menu for a pretty easy breezy meal all the guests will enjoy. Uncle Morrie won’t need to sit in the corner with salad and applesauce while Cousins Burt and Sheila sift through each dish to avoid anything with meat, your granddaughter can’t have most grains, hubby has an Epi-pen handy in case he accidentally swallows nuts, your sister is diabetic and your old friends, the Carters, are vegan. Yikes! The scenario leaves a lot of guests in a post dinner hunger mode that might well ruin the celebration for them and for you.
Turkey, ham, and brisket are not necessarily meal requirements for every holiday meal, and no one needs marshmallows on yams, cheese and butter in every dish or layer cake for dessert. Exotic fruits and vegetables from other areas of the world might be fun for a holiday meal, but if they’re unseasonal where you live, they’ll be not only more expensive but less nutritional due to their long journey to your table.
- Prepare or at least partially prep recipes up to three days ahead, and even longer for items you can freeze.
- Look for what’s available and least expensive at the grocery store, including cuts of meat and eggs.
- Be aware of what’s plentiful and seasonal where you reside. It will be fresher and less expensive.
- When there are sales at the store on dry goods, stock up. We can always have use for canned beans, tomatoes, tuna, fruit, broth, dry milk, nut butters, corn meal, butter, vegetable oil, dry and canned milk and of course flour and baking supplies.
- If friends or neighbors have a large supply of certain ingredients or prepared foods and you have something they might use, trade. It won’t cost either of you a penny.
- Ask guests to bring a holiday dish, to share, that they enjoy and possibly prefer.
- Know your limitations. Base your menu on availability of your time, your expertise and whether you’ll have a kitchen helper or be the chief cook and bottle washer.
- Don’t overextend yourself or your budget.
- Or be even more creative and make personal pizzas with easy no-yeast yogurt crusts and toppings you have on hand.
- Or host a taco party and ask guests to bring components, they adore, for the taco fiesta. Have gluten free and vegan tortillas available if possible or ask guests to bring their preference.
Whether for Thanksgiving or any other winter meal celebration, the menu options are endless when the chef steps out of the conventional meal box and goes creative. Here are two thrifty menus that provide dietary options for all your guests. One is a quick and easy menu. The second is a menu plan for the ardent chef, on a budget, who wants to present showstoppers. Both menus are delicious and nutritious and varied to feed all the tastes and dietary needs of your guests while fitting into your budget. Mix and match or prepare just two or three of the dishes listed. It’s all about variation and deliciousness based on what works for you and your holiday crowd.
EASY MENU:
Stove Top Popcorn (gf/vegan)
White Bean Hummus with Rice Crackers (vegan, gf)
*Potato & Green Chile Stew
Zesty Barbecue Glazed Roast Turkey Drumsticks
Steamed Fresh or Frozen Broccoli with* Tamari aioli (veg, gf)
OR
Steamed Peas with mint and lemon butter (veg, gf)
Cornbread (gf) with butter/margarine
Homemade Jam
Chocolate Wacky Cake (vegan)
& Fruit Compote Sundaes (gf)
OR
*Chocolate Love Pudding (gf, veg/vegan)
& *Carrot Spice Cookies (vegan)
ARDENT MENU:
Humble Pumpkin Soup (veg/vegan)
*White Bean & Spinach Antipasto (gf, vegan)
*Gardeners’ Seasonal Company Galette (vegan / veg) &
Gardeners’ Seasonal Casserole (vegan / veg, gf)*Scalloped Spiced Yams & Apples with walnuts & cranberries (vegan/ veg, gf)
*Turkey Meatballs Stroganoff
Herbed Rice Pilaf (vegan, gf)
*Damper Bread with butter/margarine
*Oregon Apple Tart a la Jacques (veg/vegan)
& Maple Pumpkin Pie
OR
*Light Lemon Cheesecake Cups (gf)
& Zucchini Tahini Brownies (vegan)
By: By Kitchen Maven, Judi Berman-Yamada, https://www.facebook.com/Creativepenandpantry/
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 | Nov 16, 2023 | Being Well, Featured, Uncategorized, Work Well
Angelica immigrated from Mexico to America in 2008, seeking a better life. Starting as a seasonal harvester, she soon discovered the many barriers between her and her goals. Realizing she was spending the majority of her wages to cover rent; she became determined to find a path to becoming a homeowner.
Unsure where to start, she went to her local credit union, began asking questions, seeking assistance. She learned that her first step was to build up credit, a process that took her seven months to be in good standing. Another issue arose, however, as her immigration status became another barrier to home ownership. Angelica was persistent with her credit union to provide a home loan, which she received after just weeks of deliberation.
Seeking to reduce her 30-year mortgage, Angelica made a commitment to pay off the house quickly, forcing her to cut expenses, save any funds, take on extra work and continually improve her credit. Through such planning, the house was paid in full in just four years.
Angelica shows that resilience and determination are fundamental traits to using existing systems to one’s benefit. By asking questions, getting advice from people with experience, and careful budgeting, anyone, no matter their financial status, can make their dream of home ownership, or finding financial freedom, a reality.
To watch Angelica’s interview visit https://tillamookcountywellness.org/work-well/financial-wellness
For more information on upcoming classes, visit our website at https://tillamookcountywellness.org/work-well/financial-wellness and follow Tillamook County Wellness on social media.
by Michelle | Aug 6, 2020 | Eat Well, Recipes, Uncategorized
When is the last time you went on a picnic? I mean an honest to goodness, basket full of goodies, let’s feed the ants picnic? I thought so. It’s been a while, huh? Me too. There is something so delightful and memorable about a good old fashion picnic that I think we all need to slow down and with proper COVID-19 safety precautions make them happen more often.
Eating outside can take a simple walk and turn it into an enjoyable adventure, a romantic occasion or just a welcome change of pace. A picnic doesn’t really have to be a big production; you can just grab some peanut butter and celery sticks and head for the park or you can plan a bit and make it just a wee bit more special. Taking the time to enjoy life outside, particularly in these warmer summer months, is a great way to invite healthy lifestyle into your life.
There are many great foods to take but there are several wrong foods to avoid for picnics; foods that will spoil, foods that are meant to be very cold, or piping hot, since you can rarely guarantee either; and foods that require labor-intensive eating methods. (Messy is bad) Stay away from these foods and you will find your outdoor meals much more relaxing and fun.
There are the classic picnic foods that many of us grew up on and are devoted to like potato salad, sandwiches and watermelon. They are easy to fall back on. Yet I encourage us to expand our picnic repertoire and embrace some new and very easy foods. (Let’s keep it easy so we’ll actually do this!) I have compiled a list of some deliciously easy foods for your gastronomic soirée out into the great outdoors. Hopefully all these ideas will stimulate you to get out and enjoy nature and tasty food in this beautiful season. Go picnicking for a better tomorrow and life!
~Salad in a jar~
Get a large mouth mason quart jar and assemble a salad in it in this order; dressing on the bottom lettuce on the top with the details in the middle. If the lettuce mix touches the dressing it gets all wilty and gross, so dressing in first, then use a hearty veggie like shredded cabbage, carrots or peapods next. Layer from there with bite sized yummies like celery, cucumber, nuts, cheese, cherry tomatoes, apple chunks tossed in lemon juice, black olives, berries and sprouts. (avocados don’t work to well in this mix) Think color and flavors. Then, when you are ready, just dump your salad out of the jar on a plate and voila! A perfectly portable salad.
Use your imagination on salad in a jar but here are a few examples to get you going:
-One of my favorite salad combinations: in this order in the jar, raspberry vinaigrette, peapods, shredded carrots, chopped hazelnuts, strawberries, finely diced red onions, feta cheese and spinach on top.
-A Caesar salad jar would go together something like this; Caesar salad dressing, shredded carrots, diced celery, chunks of grilled chicken breast, or salad shrimp, green onion, parmesan cheese, and top off with romaine. (Skip the croutons or bring them along in a separate baggie. They get all mushy in the jar.)
-Cobb salad in the jar; Red wine vinaigrette, celery, red cabbage, fresh corn kernels, red bell pepper, red onion, boiled eggs, bacon bits, chopped ham, grilled chicken breast and romaine. If you want avocado, bring a whole one and cut it up on the salad right before you eat it.
More picnic options
– Caprese salad skewers; on bamboo skewers thread washed cherry tomatoes, marinated mozzarella balls and basil leaves. So good you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before!
-Lightly steam a bunch of veggies like asparagus, green beans and carrot sticks and serve with your favorite dip. Or puréed jarred roasted red peppers with feta, marjoram or oregano and parsley, olive oil and garlic for the dip. Nom nom
-Try fresh skewers. Grill or cook chicken breast, tofu or a nice steak then cut into bite sized pieces. Skewer on bamboo skewers with fresh cherry tomatoes, pineapple and cucumbers. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
-Bake your favorite brownie or cheesecake in the small one cup jars. After they are cool, top with a berry jam and fresh berries and put the lid on. Portable heaven.
So now that you are armed with all these abundant ideas, get out there and enjoy the great outdoors with fun food and family time! Remember to follow current COVID-19 safety guidelines, keep a physical distance of 6ft from anyone not in your immediate household, wash your hands often, and don’t forget to bring your face covering when you are out!
If you are looking for places to picnic, check out and play in our “Explore Your Outdoors” bingo activity. To make it fun and easy, our team has assembled a list of 24 area locations and activity suggestions for local day trips and outings. Most locations are family-friendly and highly accessible to people of all abilities, and game information and materials are available in both English and Spanish, visit tillamookcountywellness.org/bingo for more information!
AUTHOR: Dana Zia, The Golightly Gourmet
For more local health and wellness inspiration, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
by Michelle | Jul 2, 2020 | Being Well, Move Well, Uncategorized
Imagine if there was a map that included all the outdoor recreation amenities and trails in Tillamook County. How cool would it be to have a convenient way to find places to hike, ride, paddle, bike and bird watch within minutes from where you live?
Thanks to a partnership between Tillamook County Wellness (TCW), Visit Tillamook Coast, Northwest Youth Corps and the U.S. Forest Service, having access to this exciting resource is closer than you might imagine. Beginning in January 2020, efforts have been underway to build a GIS database and map for all recreational opportunities throughout Tillamook County. GIS Intern, Samantha “Sam” Goodwin and TCW Access to Physical Activity (APAC) Co-Chair, Marty Wisehart, were recently interviewed on KTIL’s Tillamook Today show to share more about the project.
View from Pacific City Pathway Trail
“There are hundreds of recreation activities in Tillamook County,” Goodwin stated in her interview, “but right now people have to search all around from individual sites like State Parks or the Oregon Department of Forestry to find what there is to do here.” Sam has worked with local, state and federal agencies to gather all that data and put it into one system. In the process, she has discovered many local waysides, waterfalls, parks and community pathways for which there is no official information.
“We’re building a one-stop place for recreation,” says Sam. “This is really meant to help locals get out and enjoy activities and the natural beauty we have here.” Nan Devlin, Executive Director for Visit Tillamook Coast, states that “what is good for locals is also good for visitors and vice versa,” noting that Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) revenue directed to her organization is being used to support this work.
In addition to his leadership role with TCW, Marty Wisehart is President of the Tillamook Off-Roads Trails Alliance (TORTA), which has secured funding to build more than 30 miles of mountain biking trails in the Siuslaw forest near Sandlake in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. Trail building is slated to begin this Fall with access to trails anticipated by Summer 2021. TORTA has been actively involved in increasing community access to recreation, especially for kids and youth, by building trails and helping coordinate Trails Day events. According to Marty, “we have so many recreation assets here and a lot of it is just not known.” He adds, “It’s not enough to build opportunities for people to get active, we have to make sure people have the information they need to decide if an activity is right for them – if they need special gear, how easy or hard the trail is, and so on. The more information we can give to people, the more likely they will feel confident about trying something new and that’s really what we want to see.”
The map includes details for all trail types, surfaces and difficulty levels, as well as access for people with disabilities. It will be sortable by different types of activities, including boat launches and water trails, making it easier for people to plan outings. And, for people worried about their secret destinations being discovered by the masses, county leaders acknowledge this is already happening. County Commissioner, Bill Baertlein emphasizes, “Visitors are already coming and will continue to travel here to enjoy our trails and outdoor recreation. This map and the processes supporting it will help us get out in front of the issue and be proactive rather than reactive.” Leaders also state that having more places on the map helps spread activity around, preventing heavily visited areas from being “loved to death.”
Tourism leaders agree that increasing recreation within the local population instills a sense of pride and ownership, creating stewards who help protect these beautiful places. North Coast Tourism Management Network’s volunteer beach and trailhead ambassador program is one example, as are volunteer opportunities through the local chapter of Trailkeepers of Oregon. For information on how to volunteer as an ambassador contact Arica Sears at icom@thepeoplescoast.com and to learn more about Trailkeepers visit https://www.trailkeepersoforegon.org/get-involved/.
Thanks to an extension of funding and on-going support from the sponsoring agencies, the GIS mapping project will continue until all identified locations are completely mapped and approved by governing agencies. Next the group will determine how users can access the map platform on-line. Michelle Jenck, Tillamook County Wellness Coordinator indicates there is a plan to include a page or link from their new website scheduled to launch this summer.
Like & follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. New Tillamook County Wellness website coming soon!
by Michelle | Jun 10, 2020 | Being Well, Uncategorized
We have seen many news media reports in recent months referencing the topics of underlying health conditions and health disparities. Factors underlying these issues are varied, complex and heavily intertwined. Tillamook County Wellness uses data and best practices to influence those factors in ways that lead to improved health for all people, especially those with a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. As a program of Tillamook County Public Health, our partners work to improve health drivers at every level so that people can live happier, healthier lives. This involves strategies from multiple approaches and an understanding of what drives health at individual, population and public levels.
Population Health vs. Individual health – They are tied together! Individual choices, attitudes, and behaviors impact both our personal health and the health of our community. Individual behaviors contribute to cultural norms and these can be “contagious.” The more we see people doing something, the more likely we are to do the same thing.
Population Health vs. Public Health – Both work to improve the health of the public itself and fall under the umbrella of the field of health systems work.
Population health is a broad focus on understanding the conditions and factors that influence the health of populations over lifetimes. Population health also measures patterns and implements policies for the overall health and wellbeing of society. Healthcare professionals work to improve the health of populations by preventing disease, promoting healthy lifestyles, and addressing health inequities. Some outcomes that population health responds to are improving the health of the people with limited resources, implementing cost-effective strategies to address health disparities, and developing practice guidelines for practitioners. Providers use population health solutions to identify risk factors and coordinate specific care needs for patients.
Public health – According to the American Public Health Association (APHA), Public Health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. Public Health works on a more personal level than population health. It promotes wellness to the public by encouraging patients to live healthier lives. Public Health workers also educate people to help prevent unhealthy habits, like smoking and substance use, from getting out of control. For example, social workers, nurses and caseworkers work with the healthcare industry in providing government assistance and counseling to the public under the public health umbrella.
Our community Wellness work combines facets of population and public health when addressing the health of our community. We follow the CDC’s research-based guidelines based on numerous factors that drive health.
Health Is More Than Health Care!
Health is more than what happens at the doctor’s office. A wide range of factors influence how long and how well we live from education and income, to what we eat and how we move, to the quality of our housing and the safety of our neighborhoods. For some people, the essential elements for a healthy life are readily available; for others, the opportunities for healthy choices are significantly limited.
According to the CDC, health care provided in a clinic setting accounts for less than 20% of our health. Our community and environment and social determinants of health, like housing, access to healthy food, income, educational attainment, and social supports among other things, can account for more than 50% of our health outcomes. Even outpacing genetic predispositions.
Across the country there are significant differences in health outcomes, from one county to the next, from one state to the next, and among racial/ethnic groups. For example, Blacks, Native Americans and Hispanics have consistently faced barriers to opportunity and good health. Increasing opportunities for everyone can reduce gaps in health. For example, providing better access to high-quality education and enrichment opportunities boosts skills that are key to landing a good job and for upward economic mobility. Additionally, early childhood care and education, good nutrition, physical activity and social-emotional learning contribute to significantly better health later in life.
Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty and discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.
Health disparities are differences in health or in the key determinants of health, such as education, safe and affordable housing and food security.
We are fortunate there are many dedicated and highly energized community partners working to improve community conditions for inclusive and equitable access to better health. There is more work to be done.
We want to be part of the solution to address community and population health! Tillamook County Wellness is committed to bringing people together to look at the many factors that influence health, and to pursuing strategies that can improve health for all and to make changes that will have a lasting impact. If you’d like to join us, please email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org.
For more local health and wellness information, visit tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
