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The January Veggie of the Month is Cabbage Cabbage isn’t a vegetable many people get excited about—or think of—when planning meals. But, it’s a lot easier to work into your meals than you might imagine! And it’s worth getting to know, because its health benefits and unique texture will have you hooked. A Cabbage is...
The December Veggie of the Month is Leek! Leeks aren’t getting the credit they deserve! Did you know they are actually loaded with health benefits? They contain antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer properties. Plus their mild, sweet flavor makes them perfect for soups or any recipe that calls for onion or garlic! A...
Convenience stores are stocked with lots of quick and easy sweet treats. While it might be tempting to grab a surgery snack when you’re in a hurry, you won’t get much nutrition from it. The high sugar content in some processed sweets or candy can actually make you more hungry and even drain your energy. ...
Growing your own vegetables is a great way to stay healthy, save money, and get your whole family excited about nutritious food. But what if you don’t have a yard or space for a garden? Container gardens, or growing your vegetables in pots, is the perfect solution! Grow your favorite vegetables or test out your...
The August Fruit of the Month is Eggplant! Did you know eggplants grow on short vines, similar to tomato plants? But as you might have guessed, they do feel, look, and taste different! Eggplants have a soft, spongy flesh, with a pleasant bitter taste. When paired with other strong-flavored ingredients, eggplants can help balance the overall...
The July Fruit of the Month is Okra! Okra isn’t native to the midwest, but it’s still a yummy fruit we all get to enjoy. Okra is a flowering plant that is almost entirely edible—really! You can eat almost the entire plant! If you’ve ever had gumbo before, you’ve likely tried this delicious food. If...
The June Fruit of the Month is Strawberry! It’s hard to imagine someone who doesn’t love strawberries, but in case you need convincing, this information is for you! The strawberry fruit is a versatile berry that can be eaten raw or cooked—though it’s eaten raw most often. Talk about an easy snack! They’re low-carb and rich in...
The May Veggie of the Month is Artichoke! Artichokes may feel a bit alien at first, but they can be fun and delicious! Not to mention, it’s one of the top vegetables containing the most antioxidants, keeping the whole family strong and healthy. Artichoke is a Great Source of: Fiber—great for liver and digestive health...
The April Veggie of the Month is Asparagus! Asparagus is a stalk-y vegetable that is both nutritious and delicious! It has the potential to grow super fast—up to 10 inches a day—and with all its nutrients, your children may just have a healthy growth-spurt of their own! Once they experience the crunchy, subtly-sweet taste of...
Did you know, when you cook greens, more of the nutrients become available for your digestive system?
Activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations should be a priority for every community! An activity-friendly route means you can safely walk or bike anywhere you need to go—the grocery store, the park, or to work. Any age, any ability, anyone—because walking is good for your physical and mental health. South Dakota is becoming more walkable, thanks...
The average American family spends $4,363 on groceries each year and $3,365 on eating out, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Menu planning can cut your grocery bill drastically as well has help you eat healthier. It does take time on the front end but will save you time and money on the...
Updated June 8, 2020: COVID-19 is affecting the lives of individuals and families in different ways. The Healthy South Dakota Team is dedicated to providing the best information to help you and your family stay safe and healthy.
Times are difficult and situations are constantly changing, but the South Dakota Department of Health is here to provide facts and important information to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. There are many ways to make small changes toward a healthier eating style. Simple swaps can make at-home dishes healthier without sacrificing flavor: Use heart-healthy canola, olive or peanut oil instead of solid fats. Use sharp, reduced-fat cheese and low-fat milk in your macaroni and cheese. Sweeten...
The news is out—grapes are good for you! Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated plants, and have been used for food and wine for centuries. Scientists have found grape vine fossils in the Mediterranean and Asia that are over 60 million years old. Recent studies have shown this “prehistoric” fruit is more than just...
Mark your calendar to attend the Annual WorkWell Partnership Summit in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on May 5th.
The South Dakota Department of Health - Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program is accepting applications from healthcare facilities to implement or improve upon a self-measured blood pressure monitoring program.
Rapid City Regional Health has taken the pledge to be a Breastfeeding-Friendly Business. All 48 South Dakota Regional facilities are showing their support for breastfeeding moms by creating breastfeeding-friendly environments for both patients and employees. Rapid City Regional Health is the first healthcare system in South Dakota to take the pledge system-wide. “As healthcare providers,...
Genetic testing is a relatively new and growing trend, specifically genetic tests sold directly to the consumer without inclusion of a healthcare professional. However, genes are not the only thing that impact our health.
When you are so preoccupied with food and weight that it becomes hard to focus on other important aspects of your life, it could be an early sign of an eating disorder.
For people with diabetes, making the right food choices can sometimes feel complicated or confusing. And while individual dietary needs should always be carefully discussed with your doctor or nutritionist, there are a few go-to diabetes-friendly foods – sometimes called “diabetes superfoods” – that will not only come to the nutritional rescue but may also...
The season of giving is upon us! What can you give this year for good health?
Brookings Health System (BHS) serves the needs of Brookings, SD and surrounding SD communities. Brookings Health System is a non-profit, city-owned health system that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgery, home health, and extended care services. On the main campus, over 475 employees make up this large employer. BHS received the South Dakota Department...
On August 1-7, South Dakota will join the rest of the nation and countries around the globe in celebrating World Breastfeeding Week. The goal of the annual observance is to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies worldwide.
FFC Headquarters in Brookings was able to replace two unhealthy vending machines with a healthy snack bar through the SD Healthier Vending & Snack Bar project. Check out this article to learn more about their success, challenges, and lessons learned.
It’s true! There are things you can do right now to help prevent Type 2 Diabetes and the best part is that making these choices can also lower your risk for other diseases and health-related problems. Let’s start with the basics: Always talk to your doctor or health care professional first. There are certain risk...
Each month new information, tips, and recipes focused on good nutrition for young children are shared.
Body Mass Index or BMI is an inexpensive and fast way to determine your weight category - underweight, normal or healthy weight, overweight and obese.
We know breastmilk is best for baby because the benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition – but breastfeeding takes teamwork. Support from dad, family, friends, physicians, and business owners can all play a critical role in making breastfeeding successful. Knowledge is one of the most powerful tools. No matter what your role –...
Check out this video to learn about important food safety tips when cooking at home.
Think of your daily activities. Which activity is so important you should devote one-third of your time to doing it? Probably the first things that come to mind are working, spending time with your family or doing leisure activities. But there’s something else you should be doing - sleeping.
Over the next 20
Over the next 20 years, the number of adults over the age of 65 will increase dramatically. Gerontology is the study of the biological, psychological and social components of aging. SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialists are devoted to providing programming and information to equip SD communities to meet the opportunities and challenges of an aging population.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed a ready-to-go communication toolkit designed to engage school staff and parents in school wellness. The toolkit includes flyers, presentations, newsletter articles and social media posts for sharing news about a local school wellness policy. The materials can be personalized to make them specific to local school wellness policy activities.
Each local educational agency that participates in the National School Lunch Program or other federal Child Nutrition programs is required by federal law to establish a local school wellness policy for all schools under its jurisdiction.
Have you heard the buzz on inflammation? It is a hot topic right now. Information is all over the place on the importance of avoiding inflammation. So, what is it? How do you know if you have it?
Six individuals were recognized for outstanding teaching in health and physical education at the SHAPE South Dakota Convention held October 26-28, 2016 in Deadwood. The honorees include: Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Nikki Heinz – Yankton School District Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year Stacy Anderson – Madison School District Secondary...
On July 29, 2016, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service finalized a new set of requirements governing school wellness polices. The ruling affects all schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program and must be completed by June 30, 2017. Wellness policies are written documents drafted by individual school districts which guide their “efforts to establish a school environment that promotes...
Dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health — but taking supplements can also involve health risks. While some dietary supplements are well understood and established, others need further study. Before making decisions about whether to take a supplement, talk to your healthcare provider. What are dietary supplements? Dietary supplements include ingredients such as vitamins, minerals,...
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and more than one out of three people have prediabetes, but nine out of ten don’t know they have it. Could you be one of them? Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Your...
Cancer affects almost everyone whether it’s a friend, family member, neighbor, classmate, co-worker, or you. But what if there were things we could do that could potentially help us protect ourselves and our families from cancer? It is not one magic super food or a new drink, pill, supplement, or drug. It is eating healthy...
This fact sheet provides general information on the break time requirement for nursing mothers in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which took effect when signed into law on March 23, 2010. This law amended Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Hospital routines can help or hinder new mothers and babies while they’re learning to breastfeed. Each state receives an mPINC report that identifies opportunities for states to better protect, promote and support breastfeeding mothers and infants. mPINC is administered every two years to monitor and examine changes in maternity practices over time at all hospitals and birth centers.
The Baby- Friendly Hospital Initiative describes Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding that have been shown to increase breastfeeding rates by providing support to mothers.
Contains food, health, and fitness information.
Many babies and toddlers absolutely love playing with touch-screen technology—and it’s no wonder! The touch screen provides instant gratification with its cool images, movements, and sounds appealing to their senses. Many parents are understandably thrilled with this interactive technology because they’ve heard (mostly through media ads) that babies can learn letters, numbers, words, and concepts....
Unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays in as little as 15 minutes. Yet it can take up to 12 hours for skin to show the full effect of sun exposure. If you or your child’s skin looks “a little pink” today, it may be burned tomorrow morning. To prevent further burning,...
Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States and are in the top five leading causes of death in South Dakota. Many people mistakenly think of heart disease and stroke as conditions that only affect older adults. However, a large number of younger people suffer heart attacks...
HealthyChildren.org is a parenting website backed by 64,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. You'll find information regarding the American Academy of Pediatrics many programs and activities, policies and guidelines, publications and other child health resources.
Childhood obesity in South Dakota has quadrupled in adolescents and more than doubled in children over the last 30 years. This infographic illustrates some of the contributing factors and what we can do to support healthy behaviors that can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.
A resource of games that are great for any outdoor event and rainy days too.
A resource of simple and group games for toddlers.
A resource of games that can be used for birthday parties, rainy day get-togethers, or anytime you find yourself with a bunch of energetic preschoolers on your hands.
Encourage children to get outside wherever they can, as often as possible, and start building their own memories. Learn 50 ideas to help kids reconnect with the outdoors.
http://www.cdc.gov/aging/
The CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health has released a new online version of the School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide (SHI). The SHI allows schools to assess their policies and programs in relation to physical activity and physical education, healthy eating, tobacco use prevention, and unintentional injury & violence prevention.
Helps school policymakers and educators make informed decisions about health issues affecting the academic achievement and healthy development of students and the effective operation of schools.
Provides a variety of resources for school administration related to policy development.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest suggests rewarding students in the classroom need not involve pizza parties, candy and other foods that undermine children's diets and health and reinforce unhealthy eating habits. This site provides some suggestions for alternative rewards.
Are you looking for FREE, standardized lesson plans, games and activities for a variety of subject areas and for grade levels kindergarten through 12th grade? Do you want to ensure a rewarding and guaranteed career for your students? South Dakota’s health care industry is projected to need nearly 13,000 jobs by 2014 – an increase of nearly 30% from 2004 to 2014. The South Dakota Departments of Education, Health, Labor and the Board of Regents have been working collaboratively to address the critical need for healthcare workers in the state. Health Occupations for Today and Tomorrow (HOTT) was created to increase students’ awareness of the wide variety of health careers available to them. Find valuable information as well as a wide variety of prepared, standardized lesson plans and activities. Check out this example of one on nutrition and physical activity.
An interactive after-school program designed to teach young people ages 11 to 13 about the complex media world around them and how it can affect their health
The Centers for Disease Control has worked with the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, and the National School Boards Association to develop comprehensive guidance and resources for food allergy and anaphylaxis management in the school setting.
Programs for classrooms and gyms
KidsHealth and Nemours share Sesame Workshop's commitment to helping young children establish healthy habits. The kit helps incorporate healthy physical activity and nutrition habits into the everyday routine. The familiar Sesame Street characters will help you achieve your goals by keeping your students' interest and attention as they learn!
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/sgr.htm
The South Dakota Department of Health and the Department of Education ask schools to submit student height and weight data for kindergarten, elementary and high school students. The voluntary program to track childhood obesity in South Dakota has been underway since 1998. Data reports from previous years surveillance along with information about submitting data for the current school year.
The Division of Child Care Services provides assistance to low income families who need help with child care costs while parents work or attend school. They also provide oversight, technical assistance and support in promoting safe, healthy and caring environments for children through licensing, registration and quality improvement activities.
Provides information on health and lifestyle.
Adult Services and Aging (ASA) provides information on services and assistance for disabled adults and older South Dakotans to live independent, meaningful and dignified lives.
Contains age-related health information that is easy to access. The senior-friendly website features large print, short, easy-to-read segments of information and simple navigation.
Supports health, prevention, and wellness programs that help older adults remain as healthy and independent as possible in their homes and communities.
Information, advocacy, and benefits for people age 50 and over.
Ideas on ways you and your child can get heart healthy together.
www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5807a1.htm
The Community Guide is a credible resource with many uses because it is based on a scientific systematic review process and answers questions critical to almost everyone interested in community health and well-being such as:
- What interventions have and have not worked?
- In which populations and settings has the intervention worked or not worked?
- What might the intervention cost? What should I expect for my investment?
- Does the intervention lead to any other benefits or harms?
- What interventions need more research before we know if they work or not?
www.cdc.gov/healthycommunitiesprogram/communities/sah/index.htm
Growth charts and online training modules.
Growth charts consist of a series of percentile curves that illustrate the distribution of selected body measurements in children.
A program designed to help parents and caregivers of teens and preteens improve family eating and activity habits.
south.sanfordhealth.org/centersofexcellence/Childrens/CommunityServices/CHILDServices
www.sdstate.edu/tll/frn
south.sanfordhealth.org/centersofexcellence/Childrens/CommunityServices/CHILDServices
Early Childhood Training Network
Early Childhood Connections
Designed to assist employers in implementing prevention and wellness strategies that will lead to specific, measureable health outcomes to reduce chronic disease rates.
Publications that highlight how social and economic factors impact our health.
Healthy People provides objectives for improving the health of all Americans by 2020.
(Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and Environmental Change) develop and implement population-based strategies to help prevent or manage risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, obesity and arthritis.
Get a personalized nutrition and physical activity plan. Track your foods and physical activities to see how they stack up. Get tips and support to help you make healthier choices and plan ahead.
Helping mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education. Includes professional section.
www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763763749/
State-by-state data for health professionals, legislators, employers, business owners, community advocates and family members to work together to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. Measures support in key community settings and offers current data on Healthy People 2020 breastfeeding goals.
Tracks childhood obesity in SD via voluntary data collected from kindergarten, elementary, and high school students. Full reports and summaries are available.
CDC offers a variety of widgets for use on websites and blogs that supply health information directly to your page. CDC provides updates on an ongoing basis.
There are programs across the state designed to provide support and education to parents, teachers and childcare providers. Check out a program near you! Region 1, Rapid City: Early Childhood Connections Region 2, Pierre: Early Childhood Training Network Region 3, Aberdeen: C.H.I.L.D. Services Region 4, Brookings: Family Resource Network Region 5, Sioux Falls: C.H.I.L.D. Services
Region 1, Rapid City: Early Childhood Enrichment Programs
Early Childhood Connections is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation established in the summer of 1995 to offer a variety of services that provide support and education to child care providers, teachers and parents involved in the care of children.
Site offers variety of information for childcare.
Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition is a national movement designed to give parents, caregivers, and entire communities a way to help children 8 to 13 years old stay at a healthy weight.
Collaborative partnership between the South Dakota Departments of Education and Health. Through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they develop partnerships and coordinate programming to improve the health and educational outcomes of young people.
An evidence-based curriculum for after-school and community recreation settings that includes lessons and activities to motivate heart-healthy behavior in children in grades K-5.
Healthy South Dakota has developed a series of Worksite Wellness Displays to make it easy to share health and wellness information. The displays are provided in power point format and include a list of supplies needed as well as applicable handout links to the particular topic addressed. Displays will easily fit on a 6’ table...
Monthly worksite wellness newsletter from the South Dakota Department of Health—Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. November 2022 Diabetes Awareness Month WorkWell Grantee Spotlight October 2022 Breast Cancer Awareness Month Funding Opportunities September 2022 Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Exercise Your Brain August 2022 Healthier Worksite Funding: Harvest of the Month & Breastfeeding Friendly...
The Healthy Communities program recently conducted a community needs assessment workshop to provide tools and information for communities on: Capacity building Building collaborations Sustainability Evaluation planning The community needs assessment process Implementing a needs assessment Resources from the training are posted here for community review and use Table Top Exercise What Collaboration Means for a...
When food and drinks interact with medication, the medication may not work sufficiently or the drug can become too powerful as the body has trouble handling it properly. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics mentions these common examples of food and drug interaction: Grapefruit juice interacts with several drugs and may affect the way the...
Findings might one day benefit patients who go through therapy to build up resistance to allergen. A type of treatment to help build up resistance in people with peanut allergy might leave telltale signs in the people’s immune-system DNA, a new study reveals. The findings suggest that a blood test for these DNA changes could...
Researchers can’t say for sure, but brain bleeds were more common among those with low levels of the vitamin. In a small study, French researchers have found that people deficient in vitamin C might be at greater risk for bleeding in the brain, also called hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes make up only 15 percent of...
Children more likely to listen to peers than adults, study suggests. When older kids teach younger children about nutrition and the benefits of exercise, the little ones seem to lose weight and gain knowledge about healthy living, Canadian researchers report. Such a program — called Healthy Buddies — was tested in Manitoba elementary schools. It...
You can use them to count carbs, log blood sugar, but users say they’re no substitute for patient knowledge and a doctor’s care. Managing diabetes requires a great deal of time, memory and math skills. There are carbohydrates to count, medication doses to calculate and blood sugar levels to track. Today, there are numerous applications...
Half the parents of overweight or obese children don’t think their kids have a weight problem, a new analysis reveals. A review of 69 previous studies found that nearly 51 percent of parents with overweight or obese children tended to underestimate their child’s excess weight. “They thought their children were of normal weight when their...
Sugar can be ‘hidden’ in savory foods as well as desserts and soda, experts note Doctors have long thought extra sugar in a person’s diet is harmful to heart health because it promotes chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes. But the added sugar Americans consume as part of their daily diet can — on...
The South Dakota Obesity Toolkit (2014 Revised Edition) has been updated by the South Dakota Department of Health and other partners to include the most current and credible resources and research surrounding overweight and obesity! The toolkit is designed to help practitioners interact with patients and together develop customized, personalized approaches to managing obesity with...
CDC Obesity Maps – Obesity trends among adults www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/index.htm
The Obesity Maps depict self-reported obesity prevalence among U.S. adults. This section offers obesity data maps by state and territory, Powerpoint slides and information about the data methodology and previous years.
CDC has an online tool to calculate BMI for kids and teens (age 2 through 19). It displays numeric results, a graphic that shows the weight category, and plots the BMI on a printable growth chart. Check BMI-for-age annually, or more often if recommended by the child’s healthcare provider. Tracking growth patterns over time can...
We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) is a national movement designed to give parents, caregivers, and entire communities a way to help children 8- to 13-years-old stay at a healthy weight. Research shows that parents and caregivers are the primary influence on this age group. The We Can! national education program provides...
Making time for a heart-healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming. But the good news is that making a few small simple lifestyle changes can lead to heart-healthy habits that require little thought or effort. You know your family better than anyone, so use that knowledge and get creative in how you can work heart-healthy habits into your...
TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) is a set of lifestyle changes that can help you lower your LDL cholesterol. TLC includes: A cholesterol-lowering diet (the TLC diet) Weight management Physical activity The TLC diet recommends: Limiting the amount of saturated fat, trans-fat, and cholesterol you eat Eating only enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy...
There are thousands of health-related websites on the Internet. Some of the information on these websites is reliable. Some of it is not. Some of the information is current. Some of it is not. Choosing which website to trust is worth thinking about. How do I find reliable health information online? As a rule, health...
Has your doctor said you have high cholesterol? Then you know you need to change your diet and lifestyle to lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Even if your doctor prescribed a cholesterol drug to bring levels down, you’ll still need to change your diet and become more active for heart health. These...
Fiber for constipation When it comes to tackling constipation, it doesn’t have to be prune juice. There are plenty of other delicious, natural solutions to help keep you regular. Fill up with fiber-rich foods like cherries, peppers, beans, wholegrains, lentils, and nuts to help the digestive process. Fiber may have other health benefits too, including...
The obesity epidemic in America is a national health crisis. More than 60% of adults and nearly ONE in every THREE children are overweight or obese. Did you know obese children are more likely to become obese adults, with associated costs and life-threatening consequences? In fact, children today may be on track to have a...
