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Hot News
Avian Influenza (i.e. Bird Flu) H5N1 is threatening to develop into the next Pandemic Flu. Being prepared is the best defense and Three Rivers District Health Department is dedicated to being prepared. For more information on Avian Influenza, click here or call 502-484-3412.
Got RADON gas? Radon is currently the #2 cause of Lung Cancer in the U.S. and could be in your home!! Radon is a naturally occurring gas that emits from the Earth. Three Rivers District is a HIGH KARST (high risk) area. The only way to know if your home has radon is to test. Test for Radon Today!! Contact 502-484-3412 for more information--Ask about a FREE TEST KIT.
ITS FLU SEASON!!!!
Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent this illness is by getting a flu shot each fall.
Symptoms of the flu include: fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Stomach symptoms are more common in children than adults.
Flu viruses spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually are spread from person to person, though sometimes people become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick. That means that you can pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
THE SINGLE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THE FLU IS TO GET A FLU SHOT!
Remember another way to stop the spread of flu and colds is to:
COVER your COUGH
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Cover
your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or cough or
sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Put your used tissue in the
waste basket. -
Clean
your hands after coughing or sneezing. Wash hands with soap and warm water
or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner.
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There are 1440 minutes in every day, schedule 30 of them for Physical Activity!! Whoever said physical activity is all work and no play? In fact, it can be just the opposite!! There is no need to think of strenuous workouts that are painful and boring. Instead, imagine doing fun physical activities you enjoy and look forward to. Do physical activity for enjoyment and watch the health benefits follow! Just knowing that physical activity is good for us doesn't mean that we'll easily be able to make it part of our daily routines--its sometimes difficult to adopt new habits. Its important to remember that you can start out slowly and work your way up to higher level of activity. Use a sensible approach by starting out slowly. So go dancing, take a walk, take the stairs, ride a bike or whatever will get your body moving. Energize your life!!
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Always be prepared for Mosquito Season!! Did you know that Kentucky is home to 52 species of mosquitoes? Little wonder why people have to do battle with the pesky insects every year and in their own backyard! Mosquitoes breed in small pools and puddles of still water where they can lay hundreds of eggs. But, before they lay their eggs, they help themselves to a blood meal from warm-blooded hosts such as birds, horses, dogs, and humans. What's worse is that while they inflict their nasty bites, mosquitoes may be spreading serious diseases such as West Nile Virus, LaCrosse Encephalitis, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Protect yourself by following these simple tips:
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Drain and remove any and all containers that could hold water--i.e. old tires, garden pots, and saucers.
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Change water weekly in birdbaths, wading pools, and watering troughs. Fill in any areas that puddle.
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Clean your clogged gutters to ensure proper drainage.
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Dress for the occasion--wear light colored long sleeves, long pants, and a hat when you plan to be out at dawn or dusk.
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Use mosquito repellent---follow label directions.
(Department for Public Health educational pamphlet, 2004)
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Secondhand Smoke is Dangerous! While most people recognize that secondhand smoke is harmful, most do not know the real extent of danger. Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals. Sixty are known or suspected cancer-causing agents and more than 100 are chemical poisons. Some of the toxic poisons in secondhand tobacco smoke include acetone, ammonia, aresenic, benzene, butane, cadmium, carbon monoxide, DDT, ethanol, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, lead, mercury, methanol, naphthalene, tar, toluene, and vinyl chloride. There is no safe level of exposure to firsthand or secondhand tobacco smoke. (Kentucky Epidemiologic Notes & Reports, May 2005)
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Three Rivers District Health Department conducts smoking cessation classes!!! Contact 502-484-3412 for information on how to sign up!! Stop smoking for your health and for the health of your family!!