Community Health Services of Union County, Inc.
Call Us: 704-296-0909
Tis the Season for Flu and Colds
1.Act fast: Take antiviral flu medication with 48 hours of symptoms for the best results.
2.Stay Healthy: Reduce stress and get plenty of sleep to keep your immune system strong.
3.Drink Up: Loosen congestion and avoid dehydration with lots of water-but skip alcohol and caffeine.
4.Don’t Wait: If you or someone you are caring for have trouble breathing, get help immediately.
5.Flush Properly: To avoid infections, use only boiled, sterile, or distilled water in your neti pot.
6.Keep it Clean: To kill cold and flu viruses, disinfect surfaces you often touch.
7.Know the Drill: Learn the flu prevention plan at your child’s school or day care program.
8.Protect Yourself: Have a doctor’s appointment? Wear a mask in the waiting room.
9.Protect Others: Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve, not your hands.
10.Avoid Antibiotics: Remember that antibiotics do not help colds and flu.
Ways to lower your odds of developing Dementia:
*Get your heart going with frequent aerobic exercise like running, walking, or riding a bike. That may help protect the aging brain. “If you can, you want to get sweaty a few times a week.
* Eat right to protect your brain. It is best to combine the heart healthy Mediterranean diet with the blood pressure lowering DASH diet. Anything you can do to make better eating choices, you should do.
* Keep your brain active, especially by involving others. Play strategy games like mah-jongg, bridge, and hearts; find volunteer opportunities; or simply engage people in conversation. Social interaction is huge.
*Don’t wait. It is never too soon to begin buttressing your brain health. Start early and do it continuously to protect your brain.
10 Tips for Eating Right Affordably
As U.S. food prices continue to rise, shoppers are challenged to find more economical ways to buy groceries and prepare healthy meals. Here are 10 tips for stretching your food dollar.
1. Plan Menus and Make a List
A sure way to overspend is by wandering aimlessly through the aisles and tossing whatever looks good into your cart. Instead, plan menus and write a shopping list that corresponds with the store aisles. Look for menu planning and recipe help on your supermarket's website. Many feature tools for planning and pricing meals.
2. Use Coupons and Rewards Cards
Did you know the Sunday inserts in your local paper have anywhere from $50 to $75 worth of coupons in them? Clipping coupons or printing them from websites can save you 10 to 15 percent on your grocery bill.
Also consider joining your supermarket's shopper's club or app. Not only will you enjoy price specials, but you may receive additional coupons for items you regularly purchase at check-out or by email.
3. Buy Store Brands
The Food Marketing Institute reports 60 percent of shoppers say they are economizing by buying store brand products (also known as private label). Private label brands are often 15 to 20 percent less expensive than their national brand counterparts while the quality of the food may match the national brand.
4. Buy On Sale and In Bulk
Cruising the aisle for sales on shelf-stable items or products you use regularly is a great way to save money. However, buy larger quantities only if you have proper storage space and will use the food before it spoils.
5. Compare Unit Prices
Use the "unit price" (price per pound, ounce or pint) to compare national brands with store brands, or bulk and economy-sizes with single-serve or regular-size packages. Many stores show the unit price on a shelf tag.
6. Read Food Labels
Compare nutrients using the % Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts label. Five percent or less is low – try to aim low in saturated fat and sodium. Twenty percent or more is high – try to aim high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
7. Focus on Whole Foods
While processed foods such as whole-grain bread and pasta, canned fruit and tofu are affordable staples, steer clear of highly processed snack and convenience foods. Aim to fill your cart mostly with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein foods including beans and peanut butter.
8. Shop Seasonally
Fresh produce often costs less when it's in season. You also could visit a local farmers market or join a produce club to take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables. For produce not in season, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables (with little or no added salt or sugar) are a nutritious option.
9. Keep Foods Safe and Prevent Food Waste
Use dating information ("sell by" and "best used by") to help select the freshest foods at the market. Put cold and frozen foods in your shopping cart last and store them right away in the refrigerator and freezer. Once you're home, store foods so those with the oldest "sell by" dates will be used first.
10. Pay Attention at the Check-Out
Make sure prices ring up as advertised or as indicated on the shelf label, especially for sale items. Some stores will even give you the item free if they make a mistake on the price.