Dear Lake County Residents:

Your heart plays a big role this month. Not only is there Valentine’s Day, but February is American Heart Month, a time to focus on preventing cardiovascular disease and stroke. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, contributing to about 610,000 deaths every year.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a major cause of heart disease and stroke. People with high blood pressure are four times more likely to die from a stroke and three times more likely to die from heart disease, compared to those with normal blood pressure.

For this month, I particularly encourage you to make blood pressure control your goal. High blood pressure often shows no signs or symptoms, which is why having your blood pressure checked regularly is important. It's easy to get your blood pressure checked. You can get screened at your doctor's office and drugstores or even check it yourself at home, using a home blood pressure monitor. If you know you have high blood pressure, take these steps to help get it under control:

• Ask your doctor what your blood pressure should be. Set a goal to lower your pressure with your doctor and talk about how you can reach your goal.

• Take your blood pressure medicine as directed. If you are having trouble taking your medicines on time or paying for your medicines, or if you are having side effects, ask your doctor for help.
  
  
• Quit smoking—and if you don't smoke, don't start. You can find tips and resources at the Health Department’s Tobacco Free Lake County web page.
  
  
• Reduce sodium intake. Most Americans consume too much sodium, which can raise blood pressure. Read about ways to reduce your sodium and visit the Million Hearts® Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Resource Center for heart-healthy, lower-sodium recipes, and meal plans.

February is a great month to take new steps that you can continue throughout the year to help reduce your chances of heart attack and stroke. 

Sincerely,

Tony Beltran
Executive Director
Lake County Health Department/
Community Health Center

Patients going to the North Chicago Health Center now have more appointment options with extended hours on Monday evenings. The Center, which previously closed at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, is now open until 8:30 p.m. for the convenience of its patients. Located at 2215 14th Street in North Chicago, the Center is one of eight operated by the Health Department. Click here for more information about the health centers.

In this month's Healthy Lake County program, learn more about how 12,000 pounds of prescription drugs were collected and disposed of last year, when the next low-cost pet vaccination clinic is scheduled, and how the Health Department is there for individuals in crisis 24 hours a day. It takes just four minutes. Click here to watch.

The Health Department will offer reduced water testing rates in observance of National Ground Water Awareness Week.  Between March 7 and 18, the Department is offering a reduced rate for well water testing for private well owners. Click here for more details.

The Health Department is reminding residents to take extra precautions for their pets in bad weather.  A new law under the Humane Care for Animals Act went into effect January 1, making it a Class A misdemeanor offense for owners who expose their companion animals to extreme heat or cold conditions for prolonged periods of time, creating a life-threatening situation. Click here to read about precautions you can take.

Patients seen through providers at the Health Department are being encouraged to take advantage of the electronic health record portal called My Lake County Care. Once patients create a secure login, they can see their lab results, find immunization records, check upcoming appointments, see their medications, request an appointment and see their most recent bill by logging in to the system. Each patient may also use a search function to learn more about a condition. Click here for more information. 

One of the great joys of parenthood is watching your child take his/her first step or saying “bye-bye” for the first time.  But, some parents worry whether their children are reaching certain developmental milestones at the right time. The Health Department’s Child and Family Connections program encourages parents to talk with their child’s doctor at every visit about the milestones their child has reached, and what to expect next. They can also ask the doctor to conduct a five-minute screening that will help assess whether the child should receive any type of early intervention.

Child and Family Connections (CFC) serves families with children under the age of 3 with suspected developmental delays. The program links families to early intervention services and teaches families how to play with their children to help them learn essential skills in specific areas of development. Click here for more information about the program.