August 4, 2011
This Month's National Volunteer Fire
Council Heart Healthy News covers
subjects regarding National Firefighter
Health Week, Health
Screenings offered by the NVFC in August,
and their participation in an important Summit
on Firefighter Depression and Suicide, just
to name a few.
National
Firefighter Health Week is August 14-20
Being a first responder isn’t an
easy job. You wake up in the middle of the
night, leave early from important events, and
make many other sacrifices to keep your
community safe. You know that you need to be
ready whenever the next call comes in – and that
you have to be at your physical and mental best
to tackle the challenges at hand. During
National Firefighter Health Week on August
14-20, focus on what you can do to improve
health and wellness and find resources and tools
to keep you strong and ready to respond. As this
year’s theme states, “When it comes to your
health, you’re always on
duty.” Read
full article.
NVFC to Offer Health
Screenings in Virginia, August 11-12
Residents of Virginia who missed
out on free health screenings from the National
Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Heart-Healthy
Firefighter Program this spring have a second
chance. The NVFC will be offering glucose and
cholesterol screenings at the Virginia State
Firefighters Association Conference in Hampton,
VA, August 11-12.Read
full article.
NVFC Participates in
Summit on Firefighter Depression and Suicide
The National Fallen Firefighters
Foundation (NFFF) held a Summit on Depression
and Suicide in the Fire Service in Baltimore,
MD, on July 11-12, 2011. Tom Miller, the
National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC)
Director from West Virginia and a Licensed
Professional Counselor, attended on behalf of
the NVFC. The NVFC has expanded its initiatives
in mental and behavioral health over the last
few years, including offering a Behavioral
Health Workshop in five states this year. Read
full article.
Participate in a
Firefighter Health Study
The Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Health
Research is seeking departments to participate
in their study of health and wellness in the
fire service. The study is looking for
departments that are currently not able to
implement the IAFF/IAFC Wellness Fitness
Initiative, or are planning to implement the
program but haven’t done so yet. The project
will provide valuable feedback to participating
departments as well as information to help with
health promotion programs. Read
full article.
High Sodium, Low
Potassium Diet Linked to Increased Risk of Death
A recent study in the Archives
of Internal Medicine found
that Americans who eat a diet high in sodium and
low in potassium have a 50 percent increased
risk of death from any cause, and about twice
the risk of death from heart attacks. The study
analyzing the relationship being sodium and
potassium intake and mortality rates was the
first of its kind. Read
full article.
Seven Safety
Suggestions for Summer Work
Each change of season brings its
own challenges for outdoor workers. Below are
seven suggestions to help you stay a bit safer
as you work. Use these on the fireground and at
operational training, during any outside work
with your department or workplace, and anytime
you are outdoors. Also check out this important
message from Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator
Glenn Gaines: Click HERE.
Click here to
hear from NVFC 1st Vice Chairman Chief Jeff Cash
on the importance of staying hydrated.
Read full
article.
Did You Know…
That someone in the
United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and
every three to four minutes, someone dies of
stroke? A
stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs
when a clot blocks the blood supply to part of
the brain or when a blood vessel in or around
the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the
brain become damaged or die. It is the third
leading cause of death for American men and
women each year.
You can reduce your risk of
stroke by eating well, staying active, and
quitting smoking – lifestyle choices that also
reduce your risk of heart attack. For more
information, visit www.cdc.gov/stroke.
Find out more about heart disease, stroke, and
your health at www.healthy-firefighter.org.
Heart-Healthy
Firefighter Monthly Challenge: National
Firefighter Health Week 2011
This August, challenge your whole
department to begin or revitalize your health
and wellness program during the National
Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) fifth annual
National Firefighter Health Week, August 14-20.
This national event was created to encourage
first responders to focus on their wellbeing and
raise awareness about the health and safety
issues that affect you as a first responder. View
challenge.
Recipe: Citrus,
Ginger, and Green Tea Sorbet
Calendar of Events
View a
list of events the Heart-Healthy Firefighter
Program will be attending as well as
nationally-recognized dates the Program would
like to acknowledge.
Recipe: Frosted Cake
Courtesy of the
National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute
This Valentine’s Day, treat the ones you love and
satisfy your sweet tooth without damaging your diet
with this heart-healthy chocolate cake recipe.
Remember, moderation is the key to successful,
sustainable weight loss. Unless your willpower is
resolute, it is unrealistic to think a healthy
lifestyle means never eating any desserts again –
just remember to pay attention to the serving size.
To garnish and add a nutritional boost, try adding
fresh fruit such as strawberries on top of this
delectable chocolate cake.
View Recipe.
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Calendar of Events
View a list of
events the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program will be
attending as well as nationally-recognized dates the
Program would like to acknowledge.
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To be removed from the NVFC
Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News list, send an email
to
nvfcoffice@nvfc.org
with the subject line: Unsubscribe - HH E-news.
*The content of this E-news is for
informational purposes only. It is not a substitute
for advice from your physician. You should seek
prompt medical care for any specific health issues;
only your healthcare provider should diagnose a
medical condition and prescribe treatment. You may
also wish to consult with your health care
professional or nutritionist before starting a new
diet or fitness regimen.
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