Welcome to the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News. The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program was designed to help firefighters and EMS personnel become more heart-healthy and lower the incidence of heart attack-related deaths in the fire and emergency services. We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it benefits not only you, but others in your department, family, and community.

1. NVFC Heart-Healthy Program Featured on D.C’s Fox 5 News Midday
2. Take Part in the Great American Smokeout on November 15
3. November is National Diabetes Month
4. Have a Happy, Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving
5. Tips: Smoking Cessation
6. Featured Heart-Healthy Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
7. Calendar of Events

NVFC Heart-Healthy Program Featured on D.C’s Fox 5 News Midday

Allison Seymour interviews Chef Kevin Harris and Erron Kinney (l-r) about the NVFC's Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program on DC's Fox 5 News Midday.

Kinney, a firefighter and former NFL player, and Harris, chef and owner of Food for Love, joined Fox 5 News Midday co-anchor Allison Seymour to demonstrate how to cook Georgia Pork and Peanut Chili and Chili Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. Both recipes, created by Harris, are featured in the newly released second edition of the NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook. The recipes show that eating right can (and should) taste, smell, and look great, too. Harris also offered the following heart-healthy cooking tips:

• extra virgin olive oil decreases bad (and increases good) cholesterol
• chilies increase metabolism as well as reduce cholesterol and blood clots
• peanuts are a source of energy and anti-oxidants
• sweet potatoes prevent infection and reduce the risk of age-related diseases

Kinney shared information regarding the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program. About half of all line-of-duty firefighter deaths each year are due to heart attacks, making heart disease the leading cause of firefighter fatalities. The NVFC launched the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program in 2003 to reverse this alarming trend. The Program remains the nation’s only heart attack prevention and awareness campaign targeted at all firefighters, both volunteer and career.

To learn more about the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and order the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook, visit www.healthy-firefighter.org. To view the What’s Cooking segment, visit the Fox 5 web site.

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Take Part in the Great American Smokeout on November 15

Every November, smokers across the country take the first step toward giving up cigarettes by participating in the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Great American Smokeout. With exactly half of the United States now protected by smoke-free laws, and a variety of cessation resources available, there has never been a better time to quit smoking and enjoy the health benefits. Do your part and commit to smoking less or quitting completely on November 15. 

Many resources are available to help you quite smoking. The ACS has developed the Quitline®, a clinically proven, free telephone-based counseling program, at 1-800-ACS-2345. The ACS also encourages smokers to visit www.cancer.org/greatamericans to embark on a personal plan to quit. You may also want to consult with your healthcare provider about the various smoking cessation medications available. Additional online resources include: smokefree.gov; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Cancer Institute; My Time to Quit; American Lung Association; American Heart Association; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Tips on smoking cessation are available in this issue of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-news. More information is available on the Heart-Healthy Firefighter web site and in the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Resource Guide.

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Most people with diabetes have risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol that are linked to heart disease and stroke. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), when combined with diabetes, these risk factors add up to big trouble. In fact, more than 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. With diabetes, heart attacks occur earlier in life and often result in death. By managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol, people with diabetes can reduce their risk.

During American Diabetes Month, which is recognized every November, the ADA is focusing on the “Many Faces of Diabetes” within the community. Each week this month, the ADA is raising awareness about the importance of knowing the risk factors and symptoms associated with diabetes, as well as its serious and life-threatening complications. To help prevent this epidemic from growing further, the ADA is highlighting some of the many faces affected by diabetes and the resources that are available to the public, including caregivers, employees, at-risk populations, and youth. 

In addition, November 14 was World Diabetes Day. The General Assembly of the United Nations passed a landmark Resolution on December 20, 2006, recognizing diabetes as a chronic, debilitating, and costly disease, and designated World Diabetes Day as a United Nations Day to be observed each year. The Resolution invites supporters to fight the diabetes epidemic through public awareness and the development of policies for the prevention, treatment, and care of the disease. The theme for this year’s World Diabetes Day was “Diabetes in Children and Adolescents.”

For more information about National Diabetes Month, visit www.diabetes.org. For more about World Diabetes Day, visit www.worlddiabetesday.org. The National Volunteer Fire Council’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Resource Guide also contains information regarding diabetes; learn more at www.healthy-firefighter.org.

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The holiday season, beginning with Thanksgiving, is a time of celebration and reunions – and a time of overeating. Use these tips to enjoy your feast on November 22 without harming your heart. And give thanks for the firefighters and emergency services personnel in your life!
 
Choose from a cornucopia of healthy cuisines. Many traditional Thanksgiving foods are very healthy when prepared correctly and eaten in moderation. Turkey (skinless) and pecans provide heart-healthy fats and protein; cranberries, yams, and pumpkin are great sources of antioxidants. And whole-grain breads provide valuable fiber.

Create mouth-watering dishes without the fat. If it’s your turn to prepare Thanksgiving dinner, treat your guests to a meal that is both flavorful and healthy. Use vegetable oils instead of butter; add fat-free milk in place of cream; season your sweet potatoes with orange juice and brown sugar; serve raw vegetables with a low-fat dip as an appetizer; and always use whole grains.

Serve smaller portions. You can’t always control how much butter Aunt Myrtle put into the mashed potatoes, but you can control how much goes on your plate. Portion sizes have more than doubled for many foods in the last 20 years. To learn more about portion sizes, take the Portion Distortion Quiz available from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Take the time to taste the sweet potatoes. Enjoying a leisurely meal catching up with your family and friends can be good for the heart in more than one way. When you eat more slowly, taking the time to savor each bite, your body realizes that it is full faster, and you will eat less while still feeling satisfied. After you finish the first round, wait a few minutes to verify that you are still hungry before going for seconds. 

Got water? Drinking water offers many health benefits, and can be especially helpful when trying to eat less. Sipping water while eating, and taking time to drink more between helpings, cleanses the palate and helps you feel full faster. Plus, water is always an excellent calorie-free alternative to ciders, sodas, and other beverages. Try adding a sugar-free tea or fruit powder mix for flavor.

Enjoy your own game of football. After a long, heavy meal, it’s tempting to settle in and watch your favorite team throw the pigskin on Thanksgiving. Watch the game, but during halftime go for a walk to see the autumn leaves or have your own game of flag football with the neighbors. Taking care of your heart is easy when it means enjoying the great outdoors while spending time with loved ones.

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Tips: Smoking Cessation

Just thinking about quitting may make you anxious. But your chances will be better if you get ready first. Quitting works best when you're prepared. Before you quit, START by taking these five important steps:

• S = Set a quit date.

Pick a date within the next two weeks to quit. That gives you enough time to get ready. But it's not so long that you will lose your drive to quit.

• T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.

Quitting smoking is easier with the support of others. Tell them how they can help you. Here are some ideas:

• Ask everyone to understand your change in mood and remind them that this won't last long. (The worst will be over within two weeks.) Tell them that the longer I go without cigarettes, the sooner you’ll be your old self.
• Does someone close to you smoke? Ask them to quit with you, or at least not to smoke around you.
• Do you take any medicines? Tell your doctor and pharmacist you are quitting. Nicotine changes how some drugs work. You may need to change your prescriptions after you quit.
• Get support from other people. You can try talking with others one-on-one or in a group. You can call into a hotline or log-into a support chat online.

• A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.

Most people who go back to smoking do it within three months. You may be more tempted when you are stressed or feeling down, so it helps to know what your triggers are. Plan for how to deal with the urge before it hits. You should also expect feelings of withdrawal. These feelings will go away in time.

• R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.

Getting rid of things that remind you of smoking will also help you get ready to quit. Try these ideas:

• Make things clean and fresh at work, in your car, and at home. Clean your drapes and clothes. Shampoo your car. Buy yourself flowers. You will enjoy their scent as your sense of smell returns.
• Throw away all your cigarettes, matches, lighters, and ashtrays.
• Have your dentist clean your teeth to get rid of smoking stains. See how great they look. Try to keep them that way.
• Don't use other forms of tobacco instead of cigarettes.
• Light or low-tar cigarettes are just as harmful as regular cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco, cigars, pipes, and herbal cigarettes also harm your health. For example, bidi cigarettes are just as bad as regular cigarettes. Clove cigarettes are even worse. They have more tar, nicotine, and deadly gases. All tobacco products have harmful chemicals and poisons.

• T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.

Quitting "cold turkey" isn't your only choice. Talk to your doctor about other ways to quit. Most doctors can answer your questions and give advice. They can suggest medicine to help with withdrawal and point you to places to find support. (The National Cancer Institute's Smoking Quitline can help, too. It can help you find support in your area). If you cannot see your doctor, you can get some medicines without a prescription that can help you quit smoking. Go to your local pharmacy or grocery store for over the counter medicines like the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, or nicotine lozenge. Read the instructions to see if the medicine is right for you. If you're not sure, ask a pharmacist.

Courtesy of www.smokefree.gov

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Courtesy of Chef Kevin Harris of Food for Love, Inc.

Ingredients

½ tsp ground chipotle powder
3 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp sea salt
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large 2-inch dice
¼ C plus 2 1/3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red pepper
1 bunch green onions, cut 2-inch long
¼ C clover honey
¼ C cider vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
to taste sea salt
to taste black pepper

Cooking Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 450˚.
• Mix the chipotle powder, paprika, and salt and set aside.
• Toss the sweet potatoes in the olive oil. Spread potatoes evenly on a sheet pan, and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Roast 15-20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are lightly browned and firm, but fork tender. Cool to room temperature and set aside.
• Heat skillet to the smoking point with one teaspoon of olive oil. Sear peppers and onions on one side to brown. Remove and set aside.
• Combine honey, vinegar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss with the sweet potatoes, peppers, and onions.

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Visit the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program at the NVFC booth at these upcoming events:
Fire Department Instructors Conference
Indianapolis, IN
April 7-12, 2008

Fire Expo
Harrisburg, PA
May, 2008

Firehouse Expo
Baltimore, MD
July 22-27, 2008

Fire-Rescue International
Denver, CO
August 14-16, 2008

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*The content of this E-news is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for advice from your physician. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues; only your healthcare provider should diagnose a medical condition and prescribe treatment. You may also wish to consult with your health care professional or nutritionist before starting a new diet or fitness regimen.