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Cervical Cancer is Highly Preventable

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Cervical Cancer is highly preventable due to the HPV Vaccine and screening tests. However, every year in the United States, about 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and almost 4,000 die from this disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex and skin to skin contact and can cause cervical cancer. At least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives. To learn more about the HPV vaccine and cervical cancer, click here for an informational video.

Jefferson County Public Health offers both cervical cancer screenings and the HPV vaccine through its Family Planning program. Call to make an appointment with Jefferson County Public Health at 303-232-6301. For more information, please visit, Jeffco.us/health.

A Deadly Killer

January is National Action Radon Month.  You can’t see, smell or taste radon gas, but it can seep into your home.  Radon  is one of the leading causes of lung cancer, second only to smoking.  Jefferson CountyPublic Health urges everyone in the community to protect their families and have their homes tested for radon.    The Environmental Protection Agency and JCPH offer the following suggestions for taking action.

• Test your home - EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon.  Testing is easy and inexpensive. Learn more about  testing your home with a kit from Jefferson County Public Health.  Call 303-271-5700.
  
• Spread the word - spend time during National Radon Action Month encouraging others to learn about radon and test their homes.  Tell your family and friends about the  health risk of radon.  Encourage them to test their homes.
  
  
• Buy a radon-resistant home - If you are considering buying a new home, look for builders who use radon-resistant new construction. Read  more about radon-resistant new construction, "Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide to Build Radon-Resistant Homes".

For more information, call 303-271-5700 or email John Moody at jmoody@jeffco.us

Cutting Calories? Drop the Soda!

If you are cutting calories, you may want to take a look at what you are drinking. It is easy to lose track of the calories you are consuming in the drinks you have. Cutting back on sugary drinks can cut over 600 calories a day! Check the nutrition label on your drink. What you find may surprise you!

For a general idea, check out the chart below. (Find more information by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Imagine, if you skipped drinking your soda 2 times a day and replaced it with water… You could save up to 284 calories every single day!

If you are watching the drinks you consume, you may also want to pay attention to your caffeine intake. Especially when it comes to energy drinks. Keep in mind that these drinks are not only loaded with caffeine but other stimulants like vitamin B and sugar. For more information, see the Jefferson County Public Health brochure on caffeine.

Perfect Time to Quit!

Anytime is the perfect time to quit smoking, however a lot of people are inspired by the New Year.  For those who want to quit, there are several helpful resources available.

• Colorado Quitline - 1-(800) QUIT NOW – This service offers free phone coaching over multiple sessions to help you quit with a trained cessation specialist.  It also includes help to get nicotine patches.
• The American Legacy Foundation’s web-based support offers another free resource for those ready to quit.
• Kaiser Permanente has a series of free webinars to support quitting. Break Free for Life, Freedom from Tobacco, and Quit Tobacco Successfully are designed for the busy person who wants to customize their own plan and get ongoing support.
• For spit or chew tobacco users, try www.mylastdip.com for a self-help approach to quitting.
• High school students wanting help with quitting should check with their school counselor or contact the American Lung Association of Colorado about Not On Tobacco groups. These 10 session series help teens with skills and resources to navigate the quitting process and stay quit. Visit www.notontobacco.com or call the Colorado office of American Lung at (303) 388-4327.
• Get more resources on how to quit here.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers in general.  But there is good news for those who can drop the habit.  Quitting smoking has immediate as well as      long-term benefits for you and your loved ones.  Don’t give up and don’t be afraid to ask for help or utilize the resources listed above! For more information on tobacco, please visit us online at jeffco.us/health.

Do You Know Your BMI?

A new year is here.  For many, this means a New Year’s resolution to shed some extra pounds.  Loosing those pounds can help prevent and control high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and stroke!

But exactly how much do you need to lose?  One of the best ways to find out is by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI). We’ve taken the calculation out of the equation and provided a simple BMI chart below!

Find your height and weight to get your BMI. A high BMI (over 25) usually means you have a higher amount of body fat and a higher health risk.  

If your BMI is higher than 25, and you would like to lower it, there is help. Visit Eat Right.org for tips on weight loss and JCPH Nutrition Services for healthy eating information.   Enjoying the beautiful outdoors in Jefferson County is another way to not only reduce your stress and get fresh air, but a great start to getting active and lowering your BMI.  Check out Jeffco Outdoors for a list of parks and trails that are close to you!

7 Germie Places and Things. . . Dring the Holiday Season

During the holidays many are busy with celebrations, family get-togethers and lots of shopping. It is also the season for colds and flu. So, Jefferson County Public Health has created a list of the seven germiest places during the holiday season.



via Storify http://sfy.co/cC2k -- December 18, 2012 at 11:40AM