Hooray for May! We at the WOW! Program hope that you are enjoying all of the wonderful green that has overtaken our gardens and forests.
Given the green that is all around us, fresh Maine fruits and vegetables can't be far away. In the meantime, experiment with increasing the fiber in your diet using whole grains and beans. This month's
Barley Salad with Lemony Chickpeas, packs a grain and bean two-for-one punch. For other recipes and healthy eating tips, visit the
Bountiful Blog.
As we mention in the 2009 WOW! Calendar, May is
National High Blood Pressure Education Month. One in out of every three adults in the United States has high blood pressure, which is also called hypertension. Hypertension is linked to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and diseases of the blood vessels.
Wondering whether high blood pressure is a problem for you? Be sure to have it measured at least once a year, more often if you have a family history of the problem, or other risk factors. If you can't get to your primary care provider's office, and are an employee at Western Maine Health, check out the "Take Charge" screening being offered by the WMH WOW! Council on May 19.
One way to lower your blood pressure is through exercise. For exercise suggestions in Cumberland County, visit Let's Go and download the "
Get Up and Go Guide." For other areas of the state, check out the Bicycle Coalition
website or
Healthy Maine Walks.
Speaking of walking, join us for the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers (LRCs) "Walk with the Doc" program in Belfast at the
Midcoast Maine Women's Health Conference on Friday, May 15, 2009 at 12:45. Call the LRC at 1-866-609-5183 for more information. There will also be a weekly "
Walk with the Doc" along the Royal River in Yarmouth, on Tuesdays at 11:45, beginning May 19. Read more about Walk with the Doc in the LRC-sponsored "Enlightened Living" column, published in
The Maine Switch.
The MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers also sponsors a bi-monthly column in the Parent & Family newspaper. This month, read about "
Keeping Kids First in Difficult Times."
Worried about the recent H1N1 news (previously called "Swine Flu")? For a pandemic flu checklist, and information about the Southern Maine Regional Resource Center for Public Health Emergency Preparedness, read our
June 2007 WOW! Newsletter.
Are you a Superhero? It's easier than you think. Simply stay on top of your preventive screenings (which include having regular blood pressure readings) to ensure that any health problems are detected early. Click
here for a checklist of of screenings. MaineHealth employees with health insurance can visit their providers for many preventive screenings without paying co-insurance. Getting some of these screenings are also requirements for WOW! Rewards, and "Superhero" status. For more information, visit
www.mainehealth.org/wow.
Finally, for late breaking WOW! news, become a "Fan" of the MaineHealth Works on Wellness (WOW!) Facebook page. Or catch up with WOW! e-news and recipes by visiting our
archive page.
Happy May!
Lisa Belisle, MD, MPH
Medical Advisor, MaineHealth WOW!
