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A community health coalition serving Sagadahoc County, Brunswick & Harpswell

In This Issue
From the Director's Desk
Let's Go! Healthy Celebrations
Smoke-Free Holidays
Helping Those With Mental Health Concerns
Communities Against Substance Abuse
Upcoming Events
December 10, 9:30 AM
Maine Martitime Museum, Bath
 
December 12, 11:00 AM
Mid Coast Senior Health Center

December 19, 7:00 PM
Bath

December 29
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
FMI: 373-6927 

January 8
Camden Snow Bowl
Page of the Month!
snowman-family.jpg
Recipe of the Month
 
 Glazed Squash
 

Ingredients
  • cooking spray
  • 2 pounds winter squash (try acorn, butternut, delicata, or others)
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly spray foil with cooking spray.
  2. Wash the squash, cut in half and scoop out seeds. Cut into 1-inch thick slices and lay on baking sheet.
  3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle squash with half the seasoning mixture.
  4. Bake until sugar has melted, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and turn squash slices over. Sprinkle remaining seasoning mixture over squash and return to the oven. Bake until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
  5. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 90
Total Fat: 0g  
Sodium: 105mg
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Fiber: 2g
Healthy Resources


Access Health

Access Health is a coalition of community partners 
working together to encourage and support healthy and happy lives, with a focus on:
 
  • Physical Activity
  • Healthy Eating
  • Tobacco Use Prevention
  • Substance Abuse Prevention
  • Mental Health Awareness
Find out more!  

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Mid Coast Hospital coordinates Access Health.

Mid Coast Hospital Logo
Access Health 
Coalition
 Members 

Anthony Anderson,  BIW 
Andree Appe l,  Oasis Clinic
Anita Ruff , Oasis Clinic
Mary Booth, MSAD 75 
Marla Davis,  Sagadahoc County Board  of Health 
Mattie Daughtry,   Legislator
Jaki Ellis, Brunswick Champion
Deb King, 
Brunswick 
Downtown Association 
Don Kniseley,  Thornton Oaks
Pam LeDuc, 
Topsham Parks & 
Recreation
Joel Merry, 
Sagadahoc County  
Sheriff 
Karen O'Rourke, UNE 
Jim Peavey, United Way 
Craig Phillips,  Tedford Shelter
Charlie Ault,   YMCA 
Emily Rines, Parent
Steve Trockman, 
Mid Coast-Parkview Health 
Karen Tucker,  
Mid Coast Hunger Prevention 
Samantha Ricker, Bath Champion
Stacy Frizzle, People Plus
Steve Trockman,
Mid Coast-Parkview Health
Kristi Hatrick, First Parish Church
Katherine Swan, Martin's Point
Jon Larssen, Mid Coast-Parkview Spiritual Care Program

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December 2016
 From the Director's Desk
It's our annual reminder - make sure to take care of your health during the busy holiday season! 
We encourage you to be the role model that sends the healthy
Enjoying the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Aglow
snack to the class pot luck, brings a non alcoholic beverage to the neighborhood party, and coordinates outdoor family time. Our December newsletter is full of ideas for inspiration. Maintaining our healthy habits can help  us manage the stress that holidays may bring, and help us ring in the new year healthy and strong!

In good health,
Melissa Fochesato, Director 
Healthy Eating, Active Living
Healthy Celebrations
Melis sa Fochesato, PS-C

Loo kin g for w ays to stay healthy this fes tive season? Try sending  healthy dishes to classroom parties  and fitting in some seasonal physical activity!

Healthy potluck ideas:
  • Fruit and Cheese Kabobs
  • Make Your Own Trail Mix: Provide bags of granola or whole grain dry cereal, dried fruit, and nuts for students to make their own trail mix.
  • Yogurt Parfaits: send in pomegranate seeds, raspberries, kiwis and oranges for a festive twist
  • Chocolate Dipped Oranges
  • Chocolate Pomegranate Bark
  • Have a non-food celebration! Encourage your classrooms to host a dance party, a "jingle run/walk", pajama party or other fun, non food event (see some ideas below).
Healthy activity ideas:
Have a happy, healthy holiday season!  
Tobacco
Smoke-Free Holidays
Linda Christie

The holidays are right around the corner! One of challenges of having guests is asking them to abide by your established household rules. One of the trickiest situations you may encounter is how to deal with a house guest who smokes or uses e-cigarettes.
So how do you handle it when tobacco users visit your home? Following are some helpful tips:
  • First, it can be helpful to talk to the other adults that live in the household about how they feel about the situation. It's important to be on the same page, if possible.
  • Post no smoking signs just inside each entrance to your home.
  • If there is someone in your household who has a particular health problem (such as asthma) that is worsened by exposure to secondhand smoke, let your guests know.
  • Politely tell your house guest to please smoke or use e-cigarettes outside at least 20 feet or more away from the entrances and windows.
  • Provide them with something to put any cigarette butts, debris or ash in so that your children or pets won't be exposed to these lying around your property.
  • If feasible, ask your guests to remove their outer layer of clothing and wash their hands each time they come back inside.  This eliminates exposure to third-hand smoke (residue left on clothing, hands etc.) This is particularly important if they will have direct contact with children or pets.
  • Be prepared to answer simple questions that might come up. Have a basic understanding of what secondhand and third-hand smoke is and why it is harmful.
For more information, please visit the American Cancer Society's  website or this helpful link on house guest rules.
Mental Health Awareness
Helping Those With Mental Health Concerns
Elizabeth Munsey, LCPC-c
 
What do Demi Lovato, J.K. Rowling and Jim Carey all have in common? They have all overcome mental health challenges and gone on to publicly speak out about their journey in hopes of helping others to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health.

Mental health concerns affect 42.5 million Americans - 18% of our total adult population.  Individuals of all race, age, gender and socioeconomic status can be affected by mental health concerns. 

The symptoms of mental health concerns often appear as small changes in thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are uncharacteristic of an individual.  These changes are often times noticed by family, friends, co-workers, teachers or even by the individual themselves, long before the mental health concern has been diagnosed.  Signs and symptoms can often times vary depending on the diagnosis and other factors or circumstances that may be happening within a person's life at any given time.
Some signs of a possible mental health concern can include; feelings of sadness, guilt or excessive worrying, withdrawal from family and friends or loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, extreme tiredness or problems sleeping, unusual behaviors, mood changes, unexplained changes in eating habits, problems with concentration or memory and thoughts of suicide. Symptoms can also manifest as physical ailments, such as; stomach pain, headaches or other unexplained pains.  While having one or two symptoms should not be cause for concern, if the symptoms are causing difficulties at work, school or home, a doctor or mental health clinician should be consulted. 

How can you help?  All you need is knowledge and understanding.  The best way to help an individual who may be exhibiting mental health concern is to increase your mental health knowledge, so you will be aware of what changes to look for in others. Early intervention can delay symptoms, prevent hospitalizations and result in better mental health outcomes for individuals. 

Also, learn about the mental health resources, formal and informal, within your community. Local crisis services are dedicated to serving those in need by providing therapeutic mental health interventions, but mental health resources can also include non-therapeutic interventions that will be beneficial to individuals as well.  

With the right information, knowledge and resources, anyone has the ability to help someone who may be suffering with a mental health concern. Find out more about resources and upcoming Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings by visiting Access Health's Mental Health page.

Communities Against Substance Abuse 
When Your Kids are Home for the Holidays!
Jennah Godo, MS, PS-C

While your kids are home for the holidays, remember, house rules still apply! How do you set household expectations with young adults without awkwardness or perception of taking away your child's independence?

Chat with your kids early about their overall well-being and share
family2.jpg your expectations while they are home. Some examples include agreement on curfew, checking in on evening plans or guests, and your rules on tobacco or substance use. Winter break is also a smart time to see how the first semester or months out of the house went.  Having a discussion at home can go a long way in protecting their overall health and wellness.

Here are some resources you might find useful:


Holiday Mocktail Fun
Andrea Saniuk-Gove, PS-C

Keep your holiday gatherings fun and safe this December by including non-alcoholic beverages.  We've rounded up a few festiv e favorites that both adults and kids are sure to enjoy!  The drinks below are all non-alcoholic and will certainly add some holiday cheer to your celebrations.  Enjoy!

Christmas Morning Punch
  • 2 Cups Orange Juice
  • 2 Cups Cranberry Juicemartini_drink.jpg
  • 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
  • 1 Cup Ginger Ale
Combine all ingredients into a pitcher  and serve cold.


Frozen Hot Chocolate
  • 2 Cups Milk
  • 3 Hot Cocoa Packets
  • 3 Cups Ice
  • Whipped Cream
  • Chocolate Curls or any other toppings
Place milk, cocoa mix and ice in a blender. Blend until mostly smooth. 
  1. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and chocolate curls.


Cran-Kringle
  • 3 oz. Berry Flavored Seltzer Water
  • 1 oz. Cranberry Juice
Combine over ice. Stir and garnish with a candy cane.


The Grinch Punch
  • 2 13 oz. Packets Unsweetened Lemon-lime Soft Drink
  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 1 12 oz. Can Pineapple Juice
  • 1 12 oz. Can Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, Thawed
  • 1/2 Liter Lemon-Lime Soda
  • Ice
  • Red Sanding Sugar for Glass Trim
Pour 2 quarts of water in a 1 gallon pitcher.  Add the soft drink mix and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the pineapple juice and lemonade and stir well.  To top the rim of a glass, dip the top in water then dip into the sanding sugar.  Just before serving, add the lemon-lime soda and ice.  Serve and Enjoy!
 

Access Health
66 Baribeau Drive, Suite 7
Brunswick, ME  04011
Phone: 207-373-6957