In this issue:
- NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Work Group Meets
- NVFC Booth To Feature Health Screenings, Firehouse Chef at FDIC
- Get Fit During the National President’s Challenge: March 20 – May 15
- Tips: Know the Risk Factors and Symptoms of Diabetes
- Recipe: El Diablo Sausage and Lentil Stew
- Calendar of Events
NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Work Group Meets
The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Work Group met on February 12 at the NVFC headquarters in Greenbelt, MD, to review the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and provide input and guidance on its current and future direction. The Work Group consists of NVFC Board members and professionals from several health and safety-related organizations.
The meeting began with a briefing on the successes the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program has had over the past year, including updates on the Sounding the Alarm for High Cholesterol program, Heart Fair, and Fired Up For Fitness Challenge. Work Group members then brainstormed on future Program initiatives, such as Adopt-the-Program and the Health & Fitness Advocate Program. Both of these new features are still in the planning phase.
Adopt-the-Program is designed to promote a heart-healthy way of living for entire departments. Participating departments will have access to special tools and resources to aid in their commitment to health. The Health & Fitness Advocate Program is designed to foster health leaders in local departments. It includes a two-day workshop to prepare designated department advocates to cultivate the skills necessary to develop a sound health and fitness program at their department.
“Each Work Group member provided valuable input towards the direction of our new programs as well as our current initiatives,” said Maggie Wilson, NVFC Director of Health and Safety. “We are excited to move forward with the next stage of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program.”
The Work Group meets twice a year to provide oversight for the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program. The next meeting will take place this summer. View full list of Work Group members.
NVFC Booth To Feature Health Screenings, Firehouse Chef at FDIC
The NVFC is bringing its interactive booth to FDIC, and this year it will be better than ever. The booth (#91) will continue to feature important components of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, including health screenings and cooking demonstrations, as well as draw in other key NVFC programs.
Stop by Booth #91 to find out your blood pressure, cholesterol, and body composition numbers. These free screenings are conducted by L&T Health and Fitness, an award-winning fitness management and health promotion company.
Chef Joseph Bonanno Jr. is joining the booth to provide cooking demonstrations and samples of tasty, heart-healthy meals. Well-known as the Firehouse Chef, Bonanno is the author of The Healthy Firehouse Cookbook and The Firehouse Grilling Cookbook. He is a 21-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department and is a certified fitness trainer and nutritionist. Chef Bonanno will prepare several dishes, including El Diablo Sausage and Lentil Stew, Pasta Il Pompiere, and Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya. Learn more about Chef Bonanno at www.chefbonanno.com.
In addition to the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, stop by the NVFC booth to learn how to increase your department’s capacity through Fire Corps, find valuable resources for your department, and learn more about the National Junior Firefighter Program. Applications for the National Junior Firefighter Scholarship and Grant Program are now being accepted – learn more at the NVFC booth, from the brochure in your FDIC registrant bag, and online at www.nvfc.org/juniors. The deadline for the applications is May 15.
Get Fit During the National President’s Challenge: March 20 – May 15
The National President's Challenge is a six week physical activity challenge developed to encourage Americans to get moving. The Challenge is a great way to encourage your department, family, or community’s commitment to being heart-healthy by adopting an active lifestyle.
The Challenge promotes a variety of activities, allowing anyone to create a fitness program that works for them. The program begins on March 20 and ends on May 15 during National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.
Anyone age six and older is invited to join the Challenge, be active five days a week, and log their progress on their personal activity tracker for at least six weeks of the eight week program. Youth ages 6-17 should aim for at least 60 minutes of activity five days a week, and adults 18 and older should aim for 30 minutes of activity five days a week.
Sign up individually or as a group with your department or family on the National President’s Challenge web site at www.presidentschallenge.org anytime between March 1 and April 3.
Becoming heart-healthy means you can better serve those who depend on you. Challenge yourself to keep your heart strong all year round with the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program’s Fired Up For Fitness Challenge.
Tips: Know the Risk Factors and Symptoms of Diabetes
More than 20 million people in the United States have diabetes. But did you know that more than 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke? March 25 is American Diabetes Alert Day, an annual, one-day call-to-action sponsored by the American Diabetes Association to raise awareness that diabetes is serious, and it is important to find out if you are at risk.
It is estimated that about a third of the people who have diabetes in the U.S. do not know they have it. For many of these more then 6 million people, the warning signs or symptoms are so mild that they do not notice them. Symptoms of diabetes include:
- increased thirst
- increased hunger
- fatigue
- increased urination, especially at night
- weight loss
- blurred vision
- sores that do not heal
Knowing if you are at risk for developing diabetes can help you watch for these warning signs. There are many common risk factors of diabetes. The more of these that you have, the more likely you are to develop diabetes. Some of the risk factors are:
- having a family member with the disease
- blood pressure that is 140/90 or higher
- HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels below 35 mg/dL or triglyceride levels above 250 mg/dL
- having a history of cardiovascular disease
- having other conditions associated with insulin resistance
- having had previous tests showing impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG)
Symptom and risk factor tips courtesy of National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases
Recipe: El Diablo Sausage and Lentil Stew
Courtesy of Joseph T. Bonanno Jr.
www.chefbonanno.com
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage
8 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Hot red pepper sauce to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Pierce the sausage casings with a fork and add to the pot. Cook until they are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pot and drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat. Cut the sausages into ¼-inch slices and return to the pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often until the onion softens. Add the chicken broth, water and lentils. Stir, then bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and spices. Increase the heat to return the pot to a boil, stirring often. Reduce again to low and simmer about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.
Put out a bottle of your favorite hot pepper sauce to spice things up even more.
Serves 6-8
Tip: Because this is a stew, you can slide it off the heat when a call comes in and return to it later without ruining the dish.
Calendar of Events
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 16-18, 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.
