RCAHD Health Updates Newsletter



12.11.24

Health updates for residents of the

Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD)

Alleghany, Botetourt, Covington, Craig, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Salem

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Managing Stress at the Holiday Season



As we approach the holiday season, the days can be filled with festive celebrations and interactions with friends and loved ones. Even as we celebrate, it is very common to feel added stress.

Tips for managing stress at the holidays

• If you feel a disconnect emerge between your actual situation and a fantasy version of the holidays, keep an open mind about what the holidays are meant represent, and consider focusing on what makes you feel grateful in the present moment. Studies have shown that feelings of gratitude, even for small things such as sunshine, a hug, or a warm bath, can reduce the risk of depression and increase feelings of well-being.
• Being constantly on the go can leave you feeling exhausted. Accept your limitations, manage your time and don’t be afraid to say no to plans that don’t fit into your schedule. Recognize that you are in control of your expectations and reactions, and that you can decide when to take a break from the busy season, with music, exercise, a hobby, or whatever else feels right for you.
• The holiday season can amplify feelings of loneliness, especially if friends or family live far away. Joining with others through avenues such as volunteering can help kindle feelings of connection in your community. Acknowledge feelings of loss or grief, especially if they are recent, while trying to focus on celebrating happy memories, or creating new memories. Gently remind yourself that as circumstances change, traditions will change as well.
• With dinners, parties, and cookie trays at every turn, our eating habits are challenged during the holiday season. Eating a healthy diet through it all with plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fresh fruit can help keep you on track (5 tips for healthy holiday eating). Try to get as much sunlight as possible. Eating and sleeping well can also help stabilize your mood. Avoid alcohol and drugs- it is a myth that they reduce stress; in fact, they often worsen it.

The “holiday blues” can stem from a variety of sources: current events, personal grief, loneliness, illness, financial concerns, relationship issues, even a lack of sunlight. Stress from the holiday blues can worsen symptoms of a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, or a substance use disorder. More serious mood changes lasting two weeks or longer might be an indication of seasonal affective disorder.

Read more about "SAD"- Seasonal Affective Disorder (National Institute of Mental Health)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, find support. Whether with friends, family, a counselor, or a support group, talking can help. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress by talk or text, and prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.

Local Resources

Understanding that you are not alone may help to put things in perspective and help you move to a place of acceptance.

On an ongoing basis, the Roanoke chapter of the National Alliance of Mental Illness facilitates a monthly virtual peer support group on the first Mondays (https://www.namiroanokevalley.us/). The Adult Care Center of Roanoke offers a monthly caregiver support group. Visit your local community service board (Blue Ridge Behavioral Health and Alleghany Highlands CSB) for community suicide prevention and behavioral health trainings.

Whether you feel excited, happy, anxious, or stressed about the coming holiday season- or a combination of them all- please know that you are not alone. By taking small actions each day, you can make your mental wellbeing a priority. (updated from 2023)

Learn More | Take Action

Take a free online course in Mental Health First Aid

With this free online course of five sessions of study at your own pace, learn mental health tools using the "RAPID" Model: Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition. These skills, including a module on self-care, can be used to respond in a variety of settings, from at home to the workplace and beyond in the wider community. Developed in collaboration with instructors at Johns Hopkins University.

Take the Surgeon General's Five-for-Five Connection Challenge

The Surgeon General is encouraging you to prioritize your relationships with the Five-for-Five Challenge. Take 5 simple actions over 5 days that express gratitude, offer support, or ask for help from others. Many people feel lonely and isolated, but simple actions to strengthen relationships can help foster better social connections. These social connections are associated with improved heart and brain health, protection against depression and anxiety, and even lowered risk of premature death. 

The season of cold temperatures has arrived!

Take steps now to winterize your home. 🏠 Key Tips:

• Inspect your chimney for safe use.
• Insulate your attic to keep heat in.
• Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows to seal out drafts.
• Clean out gutters to prevent ice dams.
• Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors (with battery backups).
• Insulate exposed pipes to avoid freezing.
• Gather emergency supplies for possible power outages.

Consider helping your neighbors and those who are most vulnerable with winterization assistance as you are able!

📚 Learn more about winter safety

RCAHD Health Situation Update

By The Numbers (as of 12.10.24)

Your Roanoke & Alleghany Health Districts public health team has been monitoring an increase in local cases of several illnesses, above the typical numbers for this time of year:

 

Foodborne

We are currently seeing more cases than usual of foodborne illnesses. No single cause for the increase of cases has been identified. Following steps for home kitchen food safety aids prevention.

·   56 cases of campylobacter (average yearly total: 25-30 cases)

·   37 cases of salmonella (average yearly total: 20-25 cases)

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Cases of pertussis continue to significantly increase locally and across the country. We strongly encourage parents to make certain their children are up-to-date on their routine immunizations. Pregnant women, infants, and people with underlying conditions are also at greater risk of severe illness.

·  25 cases of pertussis (average yearly total: 3-4 cases)

Respiratory Illness

VDH's respiratory illness surveillance tracks the number of emergency department visits for viral illnesses such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV and other respiratory illnesses such as cough and pneumonia.

Respiratory activity appears to be picking up. It is not too late to get vaccinated with this year's updated doses- visit your pharmacy or call your local health department for an appointment!



• We are also currently seeing steep increases in ER visits across the state among children ages 4 and under for RSV and other respiratory illnesses.

According to VDH, respiratory illness activity in Southwestern Virginia remains elevated at moderate levels, as of 12.07.24.

Tips for Toy Safety

More than 150,000 children were treated in U.S. emergency rooms last year from toy-related injuries. Follow these tips to ensure all holiday gifts are safe for kids: 

• Make sure any toy you buy is age appropriate. Children under 3 should not use toys with small parts that can easily go into a mouth. Try fitting toy parts through a toilet paper roll—toys smaller than that pose a choking hazard. 
• Inspect all toys for safe construction. 
• If you’re gifting a bike, skates, or scooter, add a helmet to the package!

Family Nutrition: Celebrate the holidays with a bowl of Pozole

Consider adding this Mexican-inspired recipe to your meal line-up. Pozole is a hearty soup traditionally served during the holiday season, but can also be enjoyed year-round. This version comes together with just 20 minutes of prep time and uses beef, but pork or chicken could be substituted.

Pozole Soup

Find more inexpensive, nutritionist-vetted recipes at Virginia's Eat Smart, Move More website

Small steps guide progress

Supporting wellness for all

We are public health

Encouraging trends

Fewer ODs recently

Naloxone saves lives

Fresh food can boost health

And grateful for the gift of

Refrigeration

Submit your entries!

RCAHD Haiku Contest: 



New Year’s Resolutions

As we ring out the old and ring in the new, we want to see your health-related New Year’s resolutions in haiku format.

We’ll share some of our favorites on our social media channels and in the next email newsletter.

• Simply reply back to this newsletter to submit your haiku. Up to two haiku may be submitted per resident.
• Teachers and parents: We welcome youth entries!
• Submit your haiku by 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30.
• Submissions should follow the format of a haiku (a three-line poem with 17 syllables, written in a 5- /7- /5- syllable count).

As you celebrate the season, please note that RCAHD offices will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24 - Wednesday, Dec. 25, and Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Best wishes for a healthy season from your local RCAHD public health team!

RCAHD Health Updates Newsletter

Holiday season publication schedule:

Dec. 11

Jan. 8