To promote health and wellness in our community, the Greendale School District has partnered with the Greendale Health Department, the Greenfield Health Department and Step Up to Better Health to host "Motivation to Move".

The event will be held on March 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Greenfield Public Library, 5310 W. Layton Avenue, and will feature speaker Robert Sweetgall, America's leading advocate of walking for wellness.

For more information on this free event, please click here: http://www.greendale.k12.wi.us/0910/motovation-to-move/assets/motivation-to-move.pdf

GMS Tobacco Fighters Applaud Smoke Free Wisconsin Act
GMS Tobacco Fighters invited Representative Jeff Stone to their school to thank him for his support for the Smoke Free Wisconsin Act. The group presented him with thank you cards signed by Greendale students. Mr. Stone praised the youth for their work in tobacco prevention. He noted that youth and community support for smoke-free air was critical to the passage of the law. The law goes into effect July 5, 2010.

Lighten Up is a fun, team based wellness initiative from Step Up and our partners. The 100 Day Challenge begins January 19 and runs through April 29, 2010. Your team of two to ten adults can compete with other teams in Greendale and across Wisconsin in the Weight Loss Division, Activity Division or Total Fitness Division. Register now. It is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Form a Team: Gather 2 or more co-workers, family members, neighbors, or friends. Choose a team name and a team captain.
2. Choose a Division: Choose the weight loss, activity or total fitness division for the same fee of $16 per person. (The money goes to the Lighten Up program)
3. Register Your Team: Go to www.lightenupwisconsin.com/S10055 The team captain should register on-line first. Then team members can register individually, using the team name or number. Each person enters their activities/exercise at any time and it will be added to the team total.
   

Your registration fee includes a wealth of innovative resources including: interactive website with Team Page, online training log and activity tracker (privacy protected), online food journal, team message board, online health and fitness discussion forum, weekly tips from Wisconsin health professionals, weekly incentive challenges, free participation in the Healthy Holidays Challenge 2010, AND a Headsweats training cap!

If you don’t have a team, join ours. Call the Health Department for the team code numbers.

For questions or more information contact the call Greendale Health Department at 423-2110.

The H1N1 vaccine is now available at the Greendale Health Department for anyone (aged 6 months and older) who wants it. A walk-in (no appointments taken) clinic for H1N1 vaccinations will be held on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 from 2:30-6:00 p.m. at the Health Department. Other dates and times are available by appointment. Please call 423-2110. There is no charge for the vaccine and there is not a residency requirement. Both the injectable and the inhaled versions of the vaccine are available.

Click here to view slideshow...

Over 200 community members participated in the Step Up to Better Health Fun Run/Walk which was held in Greendale on Saturday, October 3. The Greendale Schools, Greendale Health Department, and Greendale Park and Rec Department would like to thank the following sponsors for their help in bringing the community together to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Johnson Bank, CGSchmidt, InSite Consulting Services, National Bakery and Deli, General Mills Gardetto Milwaukee Plant, Heritage Square HealthCare Center, Ferch's Malt Shoppe & Grille, Greendale Panthers Athletic Booster Club and Wear America. Special thanks to the National Honor Society volunteers and Erin Green.  

Here are the award winners for each division and school:

2 mile run overall winners (1st and 2nd place for males and females)

Males: 1st - Alex from Canterbury; 2nd - Zach from GMS

Females: 1st - Jessica from GHS; 2nd - Alyssa from GHS

Canterbury top 2: Alex and Eve

Highland View top 2: Ally and Belle

College Park top 2: Sam (no 2nd place runner)

Greendale Middle School top 2: Zach and Ryan

5K run overall winners (1st and 2nd place for males and females)

Males: Austin with a time of 20:45, Jon with a time of 20:58

Females: Asia with a time of 23:50, Laura with a time of 24:22

Greendale Health Department is now stocking the pneumonia vaccine, Pneumovax. New research on the causes of pneumonia has revealed that people 19 years and older who have asthma (regardless of severity), or who smoke cigarettes are at high risk of developing pneumonia, especially if they get the flu. Additionally, people ages 2-64 who have chronic heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, diabetes, or problems with their immune system should receive the vaccine. These are recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Call the Greendale Health Dept. at 423-2110 for an appointment. The charge for Pneumovax is $45.

In addition to the people listed above, Pneumovax is recommended for: people 65 years of age or older; persons having a chronic illness such as cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, alcoholism, chronic liver diseases or cerebrospinal fluid leaks, persons with a weakened immune system, people living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, and people who are Alaska Natives or belong to certain American Indian populations.

Some people who were younger than 65 when they received the pneumonia vaccine may need a second dose at 65 years of age or later if it has been 5 years or longer since they received the vaccine.

The Step Up to Better Health Run/Walk will be held in Greendale on Saturday, October 3, 2009. Click here for the registration form and more information...

The statewide, toll-free DEAD BIRD REPORTING HOTLINE at 1-800-433-1610 has now been reactivated. Questions about dead birds and information on safe handling and disposal can be answered by hotline staff. Do no handle dead birds with your hands.

Mosquitoes get infected with West Nile virus (WNV) by feeding on infected birds and can then transmit the virus to other animals, birds, and humans.

Symptoms

Most people infected with WNV will not have any symptoms. Twenty percent of people who do become ill with the virus have mild symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back.

Symptoms start within 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and typically last a few days. If you think you may have WNV, call your heath care provider to help treat your symptoms.

In rare cases, more severe illness can include muscle weakness, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, coma and potentially death. Older people are at greater risk of becoming severely ill.

Since all mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs and complete their life cycle, reducing or eliminating standing water reduces potential breeding sites, mosquito numbers and the risk for mosquito bites.

Prevention Measures:

Other prevention measures include:

• Limit time spent outside at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Apply insect repellant to skin and also spray clothing as mosquitoes may bite through them.
• Ensure window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquito entry.
• Properly dispose of items that hold water: tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, old tires.
• Clean roof gutters and downspouts for proper drainage.
• Turn over wheelbarrows, wading pools, boats, and canoes when not in use.
• Change the water in birdbaths and pet dishes at least every three days.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs; drain water from pool covers.
• Trim tall grass, weeds and vines since mosquitoes use these areas to rest during hot daylight hours.
• Landscape to prevent water from pooling in low-lying areas.

Are radon levels high in your home?

Radon is a tasteless, odorless, invisible, radioactive gas found in a majority of homes within the United States.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is responsible for an estimated 14,000 preventable deaths per year. Your risk increases if you are a smoker.

Exposure to radon can occur in any kind of building and can be a problem in all types of homes with or without a basement. Radon levels vary from house to house. Just because your neighbor’s house has low levels does not mean yours does. Testing your home is the only way to assure your home is radon safe.

It does not matter how long you have lived with radon, reducing the radon levels in your home will reduce your risk of lung cancer.

The Greendale Health Department has radon kits available for sale. The cost is $10 per kit which includes the test results. Upon presenting your results to the health department from the radon lab, $10 will be returned to you.

Please call Greendale Health Department (414) 423-2110 for your kit as our supply is limited. Non-residents can check with their local health departments or kits can be purchased through the mail, at hardware stores and other retail outlets.

What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person to person, but in the past, this transmission was limited. The current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and spreading from human to human.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with the swine flu.

How does swine flu spread?
Spread of this flu virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose or eyes. Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Children might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What is the best technique for washing hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. When using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
CDC recommends prescription antiviral drugs that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

What should I do if I get sick?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or cough and sneeze into the inner aspect of your bent elbow. Wash your hands often.

If you develop fever greater than 100 degrees, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, contact your health care provider for information or instructions. Call your provider by phone. Do not go to your doctor’s office or emergency room before obtaining instructions.

The Greendale Health Department's Tobacco Prevention Newsletter is now available for download. Click here (pdf)

The Greendale Health Department has received a grant to allow us to more closely track the immunizations of all children in Greendale up to two years old. Most childhood primary doses of vaccines are scheduled to be given by two years of age. Families of children two years and under are sent letters and/or called to be sure the families are aware of the recommended immunizations and that they have access to care that includes immunizations. If we are unable to reach a family by letter or phone, a home visit may be made.

Please help us to keep Greendale a healthy community by working with the public health nurses if they contact you about your child’s immunizations.

The Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) is a secure computerized data system that tracks the immunizations given to people in Wisconsin. The Registry electronically stores an individual’s immunization record in a secure system.

Health care providers can access this information to determine which immunizations are due at a given time. Parents and legal guardians can also access this information via the internet. Your health care provider can help you to register to access your own records. Public and private health care providers can access WIR only after they have been trained and have signed a confidentiality agreement administered through the Wisconsin Department of Health.

WIR is easily accessible on Internet Explorer. It allows immediate access to your immunization history. If you move within the state or change providers for your immunizations, your immunization history is available to your new health care provider via this registry. By using WIR, duplication of immunizations can be prevented as well as keeping one up to date on needed immunizations.

If you have further questions about the Wisconsin Immunization Registry call Greendale Health Department at 423-2110 or visit http://dhfsWIR.org.

For your New Year’s resolution, consider giving your health a boost by resolving to avoid environments where you and your family would be exposed to second hand smoke.

Dr. Robert Shepard, co-author of the landmark Helena Heart Study, recently spoke to a group of Greendale and Greenfield residents about second hand smoke and heart disease. His study, now confirmed by 10 other studies, showed that exposure to second hand smoke increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease in non-smokers by about 30%. After only 20 min exposure to second hand smoke, the platelets in a non-smoker are as “sticky” as a smoker’s. This stickiness can cause the platelets to clump together to form clots that can block the arteries in the heart, causing a heart attack. This stickiness can take up to 24 hours to decrease to normal levels. In addition, second hand smoke causes inflammation in the inside of the artery, problems with the ability of the blood vessels to dilate, and increases cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels, further contributing to heart problems.

In Helena (Montana) and other cities, states and countries, it has been demonstrated that enacting smoke free workplace laws leads to an immediate decrease in the number of hospital admissions for heart attacks. Wisconsin is nearly surrounded by smoke-free states. Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa, have smoke-free workplace laws to protect the health of their citizens and Michigan is working on one. Twenty four states and 24 foreign countries, including Ireland, also protect their citizens with smoke-free laws. Wisconsin does not.

More information can be found at: www.ittimewisconsin.org; www.tobwis.org; www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.anr.org

Available FREE from the Health Department: Make It Your Business: Strategies for a Tobacco-Free Workplace in Wisconsin. This is booklet describes 3 steps for making your workplace tobacco-free, how to use your company’s health plan to help employees quit, ideas for implementing policies, materials and resources.

Lighten Up Wisconsin (and Greendale)
January 19-April 28, 2009

Kick Off Event: January 8, 2009
Greendale High School MPR, 7 p.m.

Lighten Up is a fun, team based wellness initiative from Step Up and our partners. Your team of two to ten adults can compete with other teams in Greendale and across Wisconsin in the Weight Loss Division, Activity Division or Total Fitness Division. Take advantage of a wealth of innovative resources to jump start small, realistic and permanent changes in exercise and eating habits. It is as easy as 1-2-3:
1 Form a Team: Gather up to 10 co-workers, family members, neighbors, or friends. Choose a team name and a team captain.
2 Choose a Division: Choose the weight loss, activity or total fitness division for the same fee of $15 per person. (The money goes to the Lighten Up program)
3 Register Your Team: Watch for more information about registration. You will be able to register on-line or at the Kick-Off event at Greendale High School on January 8, 2009
Your registration fee includes a wealth of innovative resources including: interactive website with Team Page, online training log and activity tracker (privacy protected), online food journal, team message board, online health and fitness discussion forum, weekly tips from Wisconsin health professionals, weekly incentive challenges, free participation in the Healthy Holidays Challenge, AND a t-shirt!

For more information contact the call Greendale Health Department at 423-2110.

Flu clinics held in the Community Room in Health Department lower level:

For flu shots for children aged 6 months through 18 years, contact the Health Department for an appointment.

Flumist (inhaled flu vaccine) is available for children aged 5 through 18 years.

For residents unable to leave their homes, flu shots can be given in the home. Contact the Health Department for more information.

The Wisconsin Student Immunization law was recently changed. Two different vaccine requirements were added which may affect your child’s compliance with the law. The change will go into effect this fall with the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. Parents are required to have their children vaccinated or claim a waiver by indicating their choice on the Student Immunization Record and returning it to their child’s school.

The new requirements are:

• 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) for students entering 6th, 9th , and 12th grades and
• 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine for students entering kindergarten, 6th and 12th grades. Students who have had chickenpox disease are not required to get this shot.