‘Tis the season for

Holiday gatherings of

fun with family and

friends. It is also a great

time to spread the not-so-

fun flu. The Holiday

season is a time that

many come together in

close quarters and this is a

great way to spread those

unwanted germs.

There are many ways that

you can protect yourself

this holiday season and

stop the spread of flu.

One of the best ways to

protect yourself from the

flu is through vaccination.

The Centers for Disease

Control recommends the

flu vaccine for anyone

over the age of 6 months.

Following daily healthy

habits can also help

protect you from the flu

and other illness.

Wash your hands

often with soap and

water. No soap and

water available, use

an alcohol based hand

sanitizer.

Stay Flu Free

I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e :

Choose Safe Holi-

day Toys

Wash Those Hands

Seasonal Affective

Disorder

Creamy Garlic–

Herb Dip

Make your New

Year’s Resolution

Stick

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2

A collaborative

newsletter

committed to

creating stronger

communities by

creating healthier

employees.

medicine. Flu

symptoms include :

fever, cough and/or

sore throat, runny or

stuffy nose,

headaches, body

aches, chills, and

fatigue.

If you are exposed to

or are caring for

someone with the flu,

talk to your doctor

about preventive

antiviral medication.

It is not too late to

protect yourself from the

flu. Scenic Bluffs

Community Health

Centers still have flu

vaccines available. To

make an appointment call

654-5100. Call today to

keep you and your family

healthy this holiday.

Avoid touching your T

– Zone. This includes

your eyes, nose, and

mouth which are all

portals for germ

entry.

Try to avoid close

contact with sick

individuals.

Make sure that you

get plenty of rest,

exercise, eat healthy,

drink plenty of water,

and manage your

stress.

Cover your nose and

mouth with a tissue

when you cough or

sneeze. Make sure to

dispose of the tissue

in the trash and wash

those hands! No

tissue available,

cough and sneeze

into your elbow.

If you are sick with flu-

like symptoms, stay

home for at least 24

hours after your fever

is gone without the

use of fever-reducing

“2/3 of adults in the

US wash their hands

after using the

restroom”

Wash Those Hands

Choose Safe Toys This Holiday

One of the favorite gifts of

the holiday season is toys.

Toys are a great gift for

children as they can help

build imagination and

coordination. However,

sometimes they can be

harmful. According to

Prevent Blindness

America, “there were

more than 10,000 eye

injuries to children 14 and

younger related to toys

and play activities. Further,

90 % of these injuries were

preventable.”

Finding a toy that your

child will love and is safe

can be challenging.

Prevent Blindness America

offers these helpful hints

for choosing safe toys.

1. Avoid toys that shoot

or include parts that

fly off. Slingshots and

even water guns are

dangerous as they

encourage children to

target other kids.

2. Inspect toys for

solidness. Your child’s

toys should be

durable with no sharp

edges or points. You

want to choose toys

that can withstand

impact.

3. Look for the letters

“ASTM.” This means

the product meets the

national safety

standards set by

American Society for

Testing and Materials

(ASTM).

For more helpful tips on toy

selection for eye safety,

visit Prevent Blindness

America’s website at

www.preventblindness.org

include the tops and

bottoms of your hands, in-

between your fingers,

fingernails, thumbs, and

wrists. Once you have

covered all surfaces rinse

your hands thoroughly

and dry your hands with a

clean towel. Lastly turn

the water off with the

towel and not your hands

so that you do not re-

contaminate them with

germs.

Remembering key times to

wash your hands is also

very important. Make sure

that you wash your hands:

after using the

restroom, or changing

diapers

Simply put, hand washing

is the single most

important thing that we

can do to keep ourselves

and others from getting

sick. It is important to

remember how to

properly wash our hands

and when we should be

washing our hands.

There are several steps we

must take to ensure our

hand washing is effective.

First, you want to make

sure that you wet your

hands with warm water

and use soap. Next you

want to scrub your hands

together for 20 seconds

making sure you cover all

surfaces. Make sure to

cleaning up after, or

playing with your pets

handling money

before and after

eating

after touching your

eyes, nose or mouth.

after coughing or

sneezing into your

hands.

For more information on

hand washing checkout

these helpful websites:

www.henrythehand.com

www.cdc.gov

Have you ever noticed a change in

your mood this time of the year?

Did you know that it could be more

than just the blues?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

is a type of depression that occurs

at the same time every year. For

most people, this starts in the fall

and continues through the winter

months. Less often, SAD can cause

depression In the spring or early

summer.

Symptoms can start out mild and

progress over the season.

Symptoms may include:

Hopelessness

Anxiety

Loss of energy

A heavy feeling in the arms or

legs

Social withdrawal

Oversleeping

Loss of interest in activities

you normally enjoy

Appetite changes, especially

craving high carbohydrate

foods

Weight gain

Difficulty concentrating

While there is no specific cause of

SAD, several factors are believed to

play a role.

Your Biological Clock (circadian

rhythm) There is less sunlight in

the fall and winter which can mess

with our body’s internal clock.

Serotonin Levels. Serotonin is a

brain chemical that affects our

mood. The reduction in sunlight

during the winter months causes

serotonin levels to drop.

Melatonin Levels. Melatonin is a

natural hormone that plays a role

in our sleep patterns and changes

in season can cause a disruption.

We all have days where we feel

down, but if you are feeling down

more often than not, contact your

healthcare provider. There are

several treatments available for

individual suffering from SAD.

Treatment options from your

healthcare provider can include

light therapy, medications, and

psychotherapy.

There also

measures you can

take at home that

may help you as

well.

Make your

home

environment

brighter.

Open the

blinds or curtains and let the

natural light in. Sit close to your

windows.

Get outside. Even when it is

cloudy or cold, the outdoor

light can help you. The best

time to get outside is within

the first two hours of waking.

Exercise regularly. This can help

relieve stress and anxiety

which can increase SAD

symptoms. Being fit can help

make you feel better about

yourself and lift your mood.

For more information on SAD visit

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

www.mayoclinic.com

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 small garlic clove minced

Combine all ingredients in a

bowl; beat with a mixer at high

speed for 2 minutes or until

smooth. Serve with your favor-

ite veggies.

Ingredients:

4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream

cheese

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 TBSP minced fresh

chives

1 TBSP minced fresh pars-

ley

Calories: 55

Fat: 4.4 g

Protein: 2.5g

Carbohydrates: 1.5g

Fiber: 0.1g

www.myrecipes.com

Creamy Garlic-Herb Dip

“People who live in

places with long

winter nights are at

greater risk for

SAD.”

Is It More Than The Blues

set you up for failure, so start with

one change at a time.

Talk about it: Share you goals with

friends and family. Sharing you

successes and struggles makes it

easier and less intimidating.

Don’t beat your self up: No one is

perfect and you are bound to have

some setbacks as you strive to reach

your goal. Don’t give up,

there will always be ups and

downs.

Ask for support: Accepting

help from others who care

about you can help you stay

The New Year is approaching and

many find it a time to get out of the

holiday slump by setting resolutions

for the New Year. The New Year is a

time to reflect on the past and hope

to make positive changes in the

future. It is best to set small,

attainable goals instead of an

overwhelming goal. Setting realistic

goals ensures that you can attain

them. The American Psychological

Association offers these tips:

Start Small: Make resolutions you

think you can keep.

Change one behavior at a time:

Taking on too much too quickly can

on track and manage your stress. If

you feel overwhelmed, there are

always trained professionals that can

help. They can help offer you

strategies to adjust your goals so

they are attainable.

Visit the American Psychological

Association for more information at

www.apa.org

238 Front St. Cashton, WI 54619

200 W. North St Norwalk, WI 54648

Phone: 608-654-5100 608-823-7853 608-785-2550

Fax: 608-654-5120

www.scenicbluffs.org

Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers is a private

non-profit organization with two clinic sites offering

services by a staff of highly qualified health care pro-

viders. Our staff includes physicians, nurse practitio-

ners, dentists, dental hygienists, therapists, pharma-

cists as well as a chiropractor.

We offer a full range of medical, dental, chiropractic,

behavioral health and pharmacy services. We also

provide lab and x-ray services, disease screening, and

well child checks. There is often availability for same

or next-day appointments.

Scenic Bluffs is an independent health center. Our

staff has partnerships with area hospitals and clinics

to ensure we provide an active and efficient referral

system to meet the wide variety of our patients

needs.

Make You New Year’s Resolution Stick

Care in your Community

Scenic Bluffs accepts most private insurances, Medicare and Medicaid. We also offer a sliding fee

scale– called our Healthy Neighbor Plan– for our patients who do not have health insurance, have

insurance with limited coverage or high deductibles. Depending on your family’s size and income

the charges for your health care could be reduced.

Winter 2013 Fitness Class Schedule

Step and Sculpt Mondays and Wednesdays @ the Elementary School lobby 1/7-2/27 from 345pm - 445pm 16 classes with Chris Treleven Cost $40

Kickboxing Mix Mondays and Wednesdays at the Cashton Elementary Cafeteria 1/7 to 2/27 from 515pm – 615pm 16 classes with Stephanie Miller Cost $30

The Challenge Continues Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri & Sat @ 5:30-6:30am 1/3-4/27 @ the Cardio Lab 5 classes per week with Heather Olson Cost is $55 per month or $uper $aver deal $200 for all four months Save 10% by purchasing all four months!

Zumba in Norwalk Mondays and Wednesdays @ the SBCHC Gym in Norwalk 1/2 to 2/27 from 530pm – 630pm 17 classes with Jennifer Schmitz Cost $30 (Returning Participants- $25)

Zumba in Cashton Tuesdays and Thursdays @ the Cashton Elementary Cafeteria 1/8 to 2/28 from 530pm – 630pm 16 Classes with Amber McElhose Cost $30 (Returning Participants- $25)

Class Descriptions

Kickboxing Mix: Get both strength and cardio in one workout! Hi/Lo Kickboxing

Mix offers a variety of impact levels in high energy cardio combinations to help build endurance and get your heart pumping! The second half of the class will be devoted to strength circuits to tone that muscle! There's no getting bored here! [no equipment needed]

Zumba™: fuses hypnotic musical rhythms and tantalizing moves to create a dynamic

workout system designed to be FUN and EASY TO DO! The routines feature interval-training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Join the "fitness-party" and make fit-ness fun! [no equipment needed]

The Challenge Continues: Whether your goal is to loose, gain, or maintain- let this class help you achieve your goals in 2013. You have the option of tracking your weight and inches along with wellness tips on nutrition and fitness. The class will incorporate strength, toning and cardio. The week will include Kettlebell on Monday/Thursday and core strength exercises on Tuesday/Friday. Leaving Saturday morning for a 90 minute Cardio/Weight class incor-porating interval stations. [Bring any of this equipment you have: exercise ball, Pi-lates ring, kettlebells, and yoga mat] ****If five days a week is too much of a commit-ment but you are still interested there are punch cards available ($3 per class).

Tread and Sculpt: This heart pounding and high energy level fitness class is a

combination of circuit weights and cardio equipment in addition to the most effec-tive, interval training! [no equipment needed]

CARDIO LAB HOURS Monday-Thursday: 5-7am & 5-8pm

Friday: 5-7am Saturday: 6-10am

$30 for a 3 month Membership! Sign up at the Cashton High School- 340 Coe St.