In this issue:
- NVFC Launches Health and Fitness Advocate Pilot Program
- NVFC, Johns Hopkins Research Project Receives FEMA Grant
- NVFC Booth To Feature Health Screenings, Firehouse Chef at Firehouse Expo
- Green Mountain Strongman Challenge is July 26
- Number of People with Diabetes Increases to 24 Million
- Heart-Healthy Tips: Fitting Healthy Habits Into Your Hectic Life
- Recipe: Ruby Red Grapefruit Salsa
- Calendar of Events
NVFC Launches Health and Fitness Advocate Pilot Program
The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, in partnership with L&T Health and Fitness, is launching a new Health and Fitness Advocate initiative. This program is designed to combat the leading cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths – heart attack – by creating health and fitness advocates within fire/EMS departments.
Fire and EMS personnel who are interested in health and fitness and have the ability to lead and motivate others are sought to take part in one of two Health and Fitness Advocate workshops. Participation is limited to no more than two individuals from each department and individuals should have the support of department leadership.
The two-day workshops are free of charge and will be held at the NVFC headquarters in Greenbelt, MD, just outside of Washington, DC. The workshops will focus on the basic principles behind developing a sound health and fitness program and train first responders to become advocates within their department. As Health and Fitness Advocates, they will encourage and motivate their fellow fire and emergency personnel to adopt heart-healthy behaviors.
To register, submit the registration form, available at www.healthy-firefighter.org. Make sure specify which one of the two sessions you wish to attend: July 19-20 or August 9-10. Space is limited, so register today!
NVFC, Johns Hopkins Research Project Receives FEMA Grant
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a $1 million grant to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) to complete a three-year research project in collaboration with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC). The goals of the project are to identify modifiable barriers to implementing wellness and fitness interventions among firefighters and fire departments and to develop and test a pilot intervention.
Firefighter health and wellness is a priority of the NVFC. The organization launched the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program in 2003, the nation’s only heart attack prevention and awareness campaign targeted at all firefighters, both volunteer and career.
“Heart disease is the number one cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths. This research is the next step in the NVFC’s efforts to combat preventable heart disease in the fire and emergency services, and we are thrilled that it is receiving funding through FEMA,” said Maggie Wilson, Director of Health and Safety at the NVFC. “Thanks to this grant, the NVFC and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health can work together to identify programs and policies that will reduce line-of-duty deaths among firefighters.”
Currently there is a lack of information regarding potential barriers and facilitators to wellness and fitness interventions targeting firefighters. This research is needed to fill the gap in knowledge and develop programs and strategies that work. The researchers will first work to understand firefighter’s beliefs about health, wellness, and fitness, and then identify the barriers and facilitators of implementing effective wellness programs for firefighters at the national, regional, departmental, and individual levels. Once the barriers and facilitators are identified, a pilot program will be developed. Since the information to create the program will be taken from firefighters, it should have a considerable impact on firefighters.
“We are very excited to partner with the NVFC to conduct this research. This project will have a positive and lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of our nation’s first responders,” said Dr. Keshia Pollack, Principal Investigator for the project and Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management at JHSPH. The research team also includes Dr. Shannon Frattaroli, Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, and Dr. David Holtgrave.
JHSPH is the largest school of public health in the world, with a full-time faculty of nearly 450 and an average annual enrollment of more than 1,500 full-time and part-time students from more than 70 nations. The School has cooperative relationships with both private and public organizations at the local, state, national, and international levels, including academic, governmental, and service organizations, all of which enhance the breadth and depth of the School’s curriculum.
NVFC Booth to Feature Health Screenings, Firehouse Chef at Firehouse Expo
Will you be at Firehouse Expo in Baltimore July 24-26? Stop by the NVFC booth (#4702), to receive your free health screenings and sample heart-healthy cooking, as well as learn more about the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and other key NVFC initiatives.
Visit Booth #4702 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. In just minutes, firefighters, EMS personnel, and their family members can find out if they are at increased risk for heart disease. Since the Program launched in 2003, over 14,000 people have been screened.
Chef Joseph Bonanno Jr. will 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. 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. Find out more at www.nvfc.org.
Green Mountain Strongman Challenge is July 26
The 2008 Green Mountain Strongman Challenge to benefit the American Lung Association of Vermont will take place on Saturday, July 26. The American Lung Association of Vermont is inviting firefighters and EMS personnel to compete in the Amateur Fire Truck Pull.
Some of the country’s strongest people will converge at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex to put themselves against heavy, massive, and at times immovable objects. The truck pull is a signature event in the world of strongman – mighty humans using muscle power to pull huge vehicles – and as strongman contests became more popular, a lot of people discovered that you didn't have to be 6'-6" tall and weigh 350 pounds to enjoy harnessing up and pulling to your heart's content.
The challenge of the Amateur Fire Truck Pull is to pull a fire truck 50 feet in 90 seconds. The challengers are normal, everyday fire fighters. The prize for competing is pride and bragging rights. Trophies will be given to the top individual who pulls the truck the fastest and the top team who pulls the truck fastest.
Register for the Amateur Fire Truck Pull at http://lungvt.org.
Number of People with Diabetes Increases to 24 Million
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately two years, according to new 2007 prevalence data estimates released June 24 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This means that nearly 8 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes.
In addition to the 24 million with diabetes, another 57 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts people at increased risk for diabetes.
“These new estimates have both good news and bad news,” said Dr. Ann Albright, director of the CDC Division of Diabetes Translation. “It is concerning to know that we have more people developing diabetes, and these data are a reminder of the importance of increasing awareness of this condition, especially among people who are at high risk. On the other hand, it is good to see that more people are aware that they have diabetes. That is an indication that our efforts to increase awareness are working, and more importantly, that more people are better prepared to manage this disease and its complications.”
Diabetes is a disease associated with high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production that causes sugar to build up in the body. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the country and can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations.
Among adults, diabetes increased in both men and women and in all age groups, but still disproportionately affects the elderly. Almost 25 percent of the population 60 years and older had diabetes in 2007. And, as in previous years, disparities exist among ethnic groups and minority populations including Native Americans, blacks, and Hispanics. After adjusting for population age differences between the groups, the rate of diagnosed diabetes was highest among Native Americans and Alaska Natives (16.5 percent). This was followed by blacks (11.8 percent) and Hispanics (10.4 percent), which includes rates for Puerto Ricans (12.6 percent), Mexican Americans (11.9 percent), and Cubans (8.2 percent). By comparison, the rate for Asian Americans was 7.5 percent with whites at 6.6 percent.
The data are an update of diabetes prevalence estimates last reported two years ago and now published in the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet developed by CDC in collaboration with multiple agencies under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies.
CDC also is releasing estimates of diagnosed diabetes for all counties in the United States. Derived from the agency's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) and census data, the estimates provide a clearer picture of areas within states that have higher diabetes rates. Nationally, the data indicate increased diabetes rates in areas of the Southeast and Appalachia that have traditionally been recognized as being at higher risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke.
“These data are an important step in identifying the places in a state that have the greatest number of people affected by diabetes,” said Dr.Albright. “If states know which communities or areas have more people with diabetes, they can use that information to target their efforts or tailor them to meet the needs of specific communities.”
CDC, through its Division of Diabetes Translation, funds diabetes prevention and control programs in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and eight U.S. territories and island jurisdictions. The National Diabetes Education Program, co-sponsored by CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), provides diabetes education to improve the treatment and outcomes for people with diabetes, promote early diagnosis, and prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
For more information on diabetes, please visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes. To access the National Diabetes Fact Sheet and county-level estimates of diagnosed diabetes, click on the "data and trends" link at the left.
Heart-Healthy Tips: Fitting Healthy Habits Into Your Hectic Life
13 Tips to Get More Nutrition and Fitness into Your Day
Courtesy of SparkPeople.com
By
By Life Coach Mary Guarino, Ph.D.
There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do. And it can feel like an added stressor when you are trying to integrate healthy habits into your already hectic schedule. But if you make time for healthy habits, you’ll find yourself with extra reserves of energy that will lower your stress and help you get through life’s challenges.
Here are a few things you can start doing right now to make healthy habits a relatively painless part of your routine:
- Drink water throughout the day. You don’t hear this nearly enough: water is an all-purpose wonder-substance. It’s great for your skin, your digestive system, and circulatory system, and aids in weight loss and cellulite reduction. If you feel fatigued during the day, it’s often because you aren’t hydrated properly. Drink water throughout the day, sipping from a large bottle or glass. If you have it nearby, it’s easy to remember. If you don’t like the “taste” of water, keep a supply of lemon so that you can add a slice to your water – it cuts any bitterness, adds a bit of vitamin C and makes it taste more festive!
- Cut back on the amount of soda and coffee you drink. Sugar and caffeine dehydrate you and create energy rushes followed by crashes, which are ultimately energy-depleting. Substitute with drinks like green tea or 100% fruit juice.
- Replace high-sugar foods with low-sugar versions. Cutting back on the amount of refined sugar you consume helps reduce calories and weight gain and also helps you avoid the energy slumps that come from sugar withdrawal. Items high in refined sugar include most soft drinks, cereals, baked goods, and of course, candy and ice cream. Look for low-sugar or no-sugar versions of these, or simply opt for healthy snacks instead.
- Stock up on healthy, portable snacks. When you are grocery shopping, pick up bags of baby carrots, string cheese, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, single serving packs of applesauce, yogurt, wholegrain crackers, peanut butter, turkey jerky, etc. Having healthy portable snacks around will help you avoid bad vending-machine, convenience store and fast-food options. Read some more portable snack ideas.
- Take the time to plan healthy meals for the week. Spend 15 minutes or so to map out your meals. Keep it simple. Then, when you shop for groceries, make your purchases based on the meals you will make during the week. This will help you avoid relying on less healthy take-out or fast food choices. Learn even more grocery store tips.
- Purchase frozen, ready-to-cook ingredients. Frozen fruits and vegetables have high vitamin and mineral content because they don’t sit around losing these nutrients for long before they are preserved. Although you’ll want to keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables around, it’s great to have frozen produce available for quick meal additions and smaller servings. Also, some grocery stores offer frozen boneless chicken breasts and a wide variety of seafood items in re-sealable packages. These are great for quick, healthy meals.
- Pack your lunch the night before. You'll have given yourself the gift of extra time in the morning and you will assure that you have a healthy meal during the day. Don’t forget to pack snack items so you can avoid the vending machine.
- Cook double batches of whatever you’re cooking. When you prepare dinner, especially on weekends, cook extra and freeze to use for another dinner or lunch. Then, you'll have a healthy meal ready to go when you are.
- Give yourself some slack. If you are stressed out about preparing healthy meals every day, use what some experts call the "80/20" rule in your eating. If 80 percent of what you eat is healthy, then allow yourself to take it a little easier for the remaining 20 percent. You and your diet will survive.
- Fit in exercise whenever you can. Experts recommend that adults exercise a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week. Aim for this amount, but don’t kick yourself if you can’t meet this goal. Any amount of exercise is better than none. No time to go to a gym? Build a stock of exercise tapes – many have routines that you can complete in 20-40 minutes. Use hand weights or do crunches, leg-lifts, and lunges while watching television. Or invest in an exercise bike – you can pedal while catching up on your reading. Think of what would be most interesting to you and what best fits your schedule and budget.
- Take a walk break during the day. Even 20 minutes can make a difference in your energy level, plus it gives you time to clear your head. If you walk with a friend or colleague, it also gives you time to socialize.
- Whenever possible, walk. Increase the amount of time you can walk, versus sit or drive. It doesn’t take that much extra time to park a bit farther from the store entrance, or to make a personal visit to a colleague rather than phoning, instant messaging, or e-mailing.
- Get enough sleep. Even if you gain more time in your day by cutting back on sleep, you will be less effective throughout the day, as your energy level and cognitive functioning will be reduced. Insufficient sleep also makes you more susceptible to illness. By getting enough sleep, you become more efficient during the time you are awake.
Begin integrating some or all of these habits today. Make them part of your normal routine. You’ll be surprised at how little time is involved and how much better you’ll feel!
SparkPeople.com is a free weight loss and fitness web site that helps people transition from dieting to living a healthy lifestyle. This article has been reprinted with the permission of SparkPeople, Inc.
Recipe: Ruby Red Grapefruit Salsa
Courtesy of Chef Tomas James Smith, Oregon Electric Station Restaurant, Eugene, OR
Ingredients:
Red grapefruit, skinned and sectioned
5 oranges
1 lime
½ pineapple, peeled, cored, medium diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Preparation:
- Deseed and skin all fruits.
- Cube cut the fruit.
- Mix all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator.
Calendar of Events
Below is a list of events the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program will be attending as well as nationally recognized dates the Program would like to acknowledge.
Firehouse
Expo
Baltimore, MD
July 22-27, 2008
Fire-Rescue
International
Denver, CO
August 14-16, 2008
National
Firefighter Health Week
August 18-22, 2008
National Cholesterol Education Month
September
World
Heart Day
September 30
American Diabetes Month
November
Great
American Smokeout
November 20
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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.
