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The United Health Foundation released America's Health Rankings last week. Maine ranked 15th overall, up five spots from last year.
Highlights noted by the foundation include:
- In the past year, immunizations among children aged 19 to 35 months increased 25 percent from 68.0 percent to 84.7 percent.
- In the past year, physical inactivity decreased 15 percent from 23.3 percent to 19.7 percent of adults.
- In the past five years, low birthweight increased 13 percent from 6.3 percent to 7.1 percent of live births.
- In the past 20 years, infant mortality increased 13 percent from 6.2 to 7.0 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Since 1990, cardiovascular deaths decreased 46 percent from 408.0 to 218.7 per 100,000 population.
For more information, visit http://www.americashealthrankings.org/ME
US CDC offers 12 simple tips for staying health this holiday season and all year long:
-
Wash
hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. It's flu season. Wash your hands with soap
and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.
-
Manage
stress. Give yourself a
break if you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and out of control. Some of the
best ways to manage stress are to find support, connect socially and get
plenty of sleep.
-
Don't
drink and drive or let others drink and drive. Whenever anyone drives drunk, they put
everyone on the road in danger. Choose not to drink and drive and help others
do the same.
-
Bundle
up to stay dry and warm. Wear
appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm layers, gloves, hats, scarves and
waterproof boots.
-
Be
smoke-free. Avoid smoking and
secondhand smoke. Smokers have greater health risks because of their tobacco
use, but nonsmokers also are at risk when exposed to tobacco smoke.
-
Fasten
seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your children in the car using a
child safety seat, booster seat or seat belt according to their height,
weight, and age. Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip and
encourage passengers to do the same.
-
Get
exams and screenings. Ask your health
care provider what exams you need and when to get them. Update your personal
and family history. Get insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace if you
are not insured.
-
Get
your vaccinations. Vaccinations
help prevent diseases and save lives. Everyone 6 months and older should get a
flu vaccine each year.
-
Monitor
children. Keep potentially
dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items and other objects out of
children's reach. Protect them from drowning, burns, falls and other potential
accidents.
-
Practice
fire safety. Most residential
fires occur during the winter months, so don't leave fireplaces, space heaters,
food cooking on stoves or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan and
practice it regularly.
-
Prepare
food safely. Remember these
simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often, avoid cross-contamination, cook
foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods promptly.
-
Eat
healthy, stay active. Eat fruits and
vegetables which pack nutrients and help lower the risk for certain diseases.
Limit your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt and sugar. Also, be
active for at least 2½ hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at
least 1 hour a day.
For more information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/features/healthytips/index.html
A recently-published study in the JAMA Internal Medicine
shows that fitness in youth may reduce the risk of heart-related death in
middle age.
The study included nearly 5,000 adults who were between 18
and 30 in the mid-1980s when they completed baseline treadmill tests. Over 26
years, data showed that higher levels of fitness and improvement in fitness early
in adulthood are associated with lower risks for heart disease and mortality.
For more information, go to http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2473630
Both influenza A and B strains are currently circulating
nationally. The 2015-2016 vaccine is likely to offer good protection.
Weekly updates on flu cases are available online:
Maine CDC reminds everyone to take everyday preventive measures
against the flu:
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow or into a tissue. Throw the
tissue away.
- Stay home when you feel sick.
-
Get vaccinated. To find a flu vaccine in your area, search http://flushot.healthmap.org/ or
contact your health care provider or pharmacy.
If you have the flu:
- Stay home if you are sick, until you are fever-free
for a full 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medicine.
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow or into a
tissue. Throw the tissue away.
-
Contact your PCP if you have signs of the flu to
discuss possible treatment with antivirals. Although most people can stay home
to recover without seeing a health care provider, it is possible for healthy people
to develop severe illness from the flu. Anyone with the flu should seek medical
attention for:
o
Dehydration
o
Trouble breathing
o
Getting better, then suddenly getting a lot
worse
o
Any major change in condition
For more information, go to www.maineflu.gov
or http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
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