Did you start 2016 with plans to make changes to improve your health? Maybe it was a pledge to lose weight or quit smoking?
At the Northern Kentucky Health Department, we started 2016 with a new, five-year strategic plan. Part of that plan includes an updated vision statement, in which we aspire to make Northern Kentucky the healthiest region in the nation.
No joke.
So, as we work together to achieve our vision of health for the region, I’d like to give you a few simple ideas of small changes that will make a difference. To improve our health this year, let’s:
Wash our hands.
If available, use soap and water; if not, hand sanitizer works as a second choice. Wash after using the bathroom, before you eat, before you prepare food, and before/after caring for someone who is sick.
Get vaccinated for whooping cough.
Cases of whooping cough increased dramatically in Northern Kentucky late in 2015. Vaccination is one way we can reverse that trend.
All adults and children age 10 and over should get a Tdap vaccine about every 10 years. Parents of teens should make sure their children have received a booster of Tdap. Vaccination with a Tdap is especially critical for school teachers, pregnant women, parents, grandparents and caregivers for infants.
Plus, many people can get vaccinated at the Health Department’s county health centers for free. Call to find out if you qualify and schedule an appointment.
Change what we drink.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are the highest source of added sugar in our diet. Calories that we get from drinks tend not to make us feel full, either, so we end up consuming more calories overall. Water and skim milk are some of your best beverage choices.
Move more, sit less.
Think about ways that you can incorporate movement into your daily routine. Can you park farther away at the store—or even better, walk or bike from home if the store is nearby? When you watch your favorite TV show, could you do so while on a treadmill?
Fall in love with fruits and vegetables.
There’s always a new variety of fruits and vegetables to try, and produce is convenient, too. Fruits and vegetables can be nutritious in any form—fresh, frozen, canned or dried.
Test our homes for radon.
You can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America. Testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. Visit http://www.nkyhealth.org/Services/Radon.aspx to learn how you can get a free testing kit.
Be part of the solution
If you follow these steps, you can prevent disease, promote wellness and protect yourself against health threats—all three of which are part of our mission at the Health Department.
If you’d like to learn more about the Health Department’s strategic plan to improve the health of Northern Kentucky over the next five years or about the many other services we offer to improve health, I encourage you to visit nkyhealth.org.
If Northern Kentucky is going to be the healthiest region in the country by 2020, we’d better get started together now.
Dr. Lynne Saddler is district director of health for the Northern Kentucky Health Department.