Tag Archives: fruits

From Other Blogs: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, protect your hearing, flu & more.

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A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.

Be Informed. Be Empowered.

Do you ever find yourself wondering what is right for you when it comes to breast cancer screening or treatment? Having the right information about prevention, screening, and treatment for breast cancer can help you decide what’s best for you.

As we observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to highlight how promoting the right tools not only gets the word out about breast cancer, but also empowers you in making the best decisions for your health.  —  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s The Topic Is Cancer blog

October is “National Protect Your Hearing Month.”

October is “Better Hearing and Speech Month,” a time to raise awareness about what you need to do to protect your hearing.

Did You Know?

Repeated exposure to loud noise over the years can damage your hearing—long after exposure has stopped.

This is just one of the many informative facts available on CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health’s new hearing loss website: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/default.html. — From the CDC’s Your Health — Your Environment blog

Never Miss a Flu Vaccine. Here Are the Reasons #WhyIFightFlu

The reason #WhyIFightFlu? It saves lives.

Americans experienced one of the most severe flu seasons in four decades last year with flu activity remaining high well into March 2018. Millions of Americans became sick with the flu, an estimated 900,000 were hospitalized, and 80,000 died from flu and its complications. — From the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) blog

3 Reasons Why Handwashing Should Matter to You

Most of us are familiar with the parental-like voice in the back of our minds that helps guide our decision-making—asking us questions like, “Have you called your grandmother lately?” For many that voice serves as a gentle, yet constant reminder to wash our hands.

Handwashing with soap and water is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to loved ones. — From the CDC’s Public Health Matters blog

School Lunch: Lots 2 Love

While many students were busy enjoying summer vacation, our nation’s hardworking school nutrition professionals were also staying busy, dedicating their time to training and meal planning for the upcoming school year. During National School Lunch Week (October 15-19), USDA recognizes the tireless effort and love that goes into preparing school lunches for 30 million children.

Well before our youngsters headed back to class, this past summer both the Minnesota Department of Education and the Montana Department of Public Instruction made the most of their Team Nutrition Training Grant funding. This is important funding that provides culinary job skills training for their respective school nutrition professionals. The trainings help school managers and cooks prepare healthy meals that use local foods in their menus, while reflecting regional and local food preferences. — From the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) blog

5 tips to get more fruits and vegetables in your diet

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 90 percent of adults and children do not consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Palmetto Health Heart Hospital dietitian Lisa Akly offers these tips to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. — From Flourish, Palmetto Health’s blog

DHEC in the News: Flu activity, dangers of carbon monoxide, fruits and vegetables

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Here’s a look at health and environmental news from around South Carolina.

South Carolina seeing a high level of flu activity, according to the CDC

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – Cases of the flu are on the rise in the Palmetto State.

According to information from the Centers for Disease Control, South Carolina is one of three states seeing a high volume of influenza-like illnesses. The state is also seeing regional flu activity.

The data was for the week ending Dec. 2, the most recent information available from the CDC. The other two states seeing high influenza volumes are Mississippi and Louisiana.

Warming up cars in a garage could be fatal; Midlands family now using tragedy to teach

Columbia, SC (WACH)–During the Winter, some might warm up the car on the cold mornings and it’s possible you might leave it in the garage. That could potentially be a deadly decision. According to DHEC, just last year, there were 46 carbon monoxide-related deaths in South Carolina. A Midlands family experienced one of them. Now they’re using that tragedy to teach.

General Interest

Vast majority of Americans aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables: CDC study

Washington — Nearly 9 out of 10 U.S. adults don’t consume the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers examined data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and estimated the percentage of daily fruit and vegetable consumption by state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends adults eat at least 1-and-a-half to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day.

Fresh Fruits and Veggies This Summer

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By Mary-Kathryn Craft

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It’s that time of year when fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful throughout the Palmetto State.

Eating fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet can reduce your risk for diseases such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Check out this map from the S.C. Department of Agriculture to find fresh S.C.-grown produce near you.

Starting this month, DHEC’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program will provide checks that can be used to purchase fresh, S.C.-grown produce at local farmers markets. Find authorized markets accepting WIC checks near you with this map.

If you’re looking for easy and creative ideas for preparing fruits and vegetables, look no further than your local farmers market. Nutrition education specialists and dietetic interns from DHEC’s Office of Professional and Community Nutrition are offering free cooking demonstrations throughout the state this summer.

The next demonstration is scheduled for June 13 at the Kershaw County Farmers Market at 222 Broad St. in Camden.

To see which fruits and vegetables are in season, find tips on choosing the right piece of produce and get recipes, check out this guide.