Learn more about Suicide Prevention Month: Shining A Light in the Dark (By Abigail Smedly, CCPH)
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and though this can often be an upsetting topic, it’s an important one to address in order to both prevent and heighten awareness efforts. Suicide is a deeply distressing event that can affect individuals from all backgrounds, communities, and cultures, regardless of age or gender. However, with increased awareness, education, and support, we can take…
Spring Cleaning Begins Within: Mind, Body, and Spirit :Spring and Chinese Medicine: Wisdom for Cleansing, Renewal, and Peace of Mind (by Jacqueline Allen, Two Roots Acupuncture) In the Northern Hemisphere, we have officially crossed the vernal equinox and moved into the season of spring. The duration of light each day now exceeds the dark and continues to increase, an…
What the Health Blog- Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Field (By Andrea Carlstrom, Director, Chaffee County Public Health) Now that the public health system is settling into a routine disease control mentality on how we all learn to live with COVID-19 and future variants of it, I’d like to share a few lessons that I have learned (or confirmed) along…
Learn more about Loneliness Can Be Lethal (by Molly Bischoff)
Loneliness Can Be Lethal (by Molly Bischoff) Did you know, loneliness can have the health effects on a person equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day? Read that again, 15 cigarettes! (Source: https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20180504/loneliness-rivals-obesity-smoking-as-health-risk) This is a very alarming yet enlightening statement. Thus, your physical health is directly affected by your perceived social interaction with others. Individuals who feel socially isolated…
Getting Clear on What Health Actually Is Can Help You Clarify Next Steps (by Prita Chanda Klco) I went to the doctor recently for a routine check-up. I was asked to give a “medical reason” (a disease or a problem) for making the appointment. In a system where disease is more billable than health, it’s easy to spend most of…
Learn more about Opening Up Our Community: The Great Divide (Lori Weckbaugh)
Opening Up Our Community: The Great Divide (By Lori Weckbaugh) As individuals we consciously and intentionally have created safety in the COVID-19 environment that has surrounded us. We have listened and acted in the way that suits our safety plan. What now? Pay attention to the thresholds you are crossing in the coming days, because as you unconsciously do so,…
Learn more about Sticking with healthy habits at home (by Rebecca Rice and Bev Orrill)
Sticking with healthy habits at home (by Rebecca Rice and Bev Orrill, Chaffee County Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coaches) During these unprecedented times of social distancing and protecting yourself and others by staying home, it’s important to set and stick with healthy routines. Consider these tips: Plan physical activity breaks • At a minimum, set a timer or reminder to…
Learn more about How to Communicate in the COVID-19 Health Crisis (by Lori Weck)
How to Communicate in the COVID-19 Health Crisis (by Lori Weck) Fear, panic, and fortunetelling dread are common when we feel unsafe, physically and emotionally, and the frequent news alerts likely have you feeling unsafe. How do you change unconscious reactive responses when you or your family perceive themselves to be in danger? Try using a skill all pilots use…
Learn more about A Peer’s Perspective: Good from Bad (by Jill Davis)
A Peer’s Perspective: Good from Bad (by Jill Davis) “When life gives you lemons, order the lobster tail!” – Ziad K. Abdelnour The older I get the more it becomes crystal clear that life isn’t always going to play out the way I’d like. Oh, to be able to avoid the tragedies and traumas that can pummel my otherwise serene…
Learn more about How to Have Excellent Family Meetings (by Lori Weckbaugh)
How to have excellent family meetings! (by Lori Weckbaugh) You know that something needs to change, because they are ignoring your message or fighting with you or their siblings. Children become willing to respond to messages for change when they are hearing good news We all want to hear what’s right with us rather than what’s wrong Affirmations build self-esteem…
Learn more about A Peer’s Perspective: The Ritual of Should (by Jill Davis)
A Peer’s Perspective: The Ritual of Should (by Jill Davis) “When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself” –Plato I have been looking forward to the long-awaited film adaptation of Stephen King’s book about Derry, Maine and the sinister entity that has lurked forever in the town. Over the years, so the story goes, there is a ritual…
Learn more about Wonder Why It All Blows-Up? (by Lori Weckbaugh)
Wonder Why It All Blows-Up? (by Lori Weckbaugh) Has this happened to you; you’re out for a leaf-viewing drive, everything seemed fine when you left home, yet a few miles down the road your harmless question (where would you like to have lunch?) silence, a grumpy sound in a sarcastic tone— “How would I know where would YOU like to…
Learn more about A Good Night’s Sleep (by Ann Casey)
A Good Night’s Sleep A good night’s sleep is vital for every human being to thrive. A night of quality sleep allows us to wake feeling refreshed and energized. When we have a hard time falling asleep or don’t sleep at all, we feel moody, irritable and fatigued. Without a proper bedtime ritual, the quality of your sleep can…
Learn more about Can we talk? (by Jill Davis)
Can we talk? It doesn’t take too long to notice that there’s some rough things that go on in life. None of us are immune and all of us have a story to tell. The question that begs asking is this: do you have someone to tell it to? I can remember times where I felt that I had no…
Learn more about Is CBD Right for Me? (by Lucas Smith, PharmD)
Is CBD right for me? As a pharmacist I have had many questions from my community about CBD, marijuana, and other hemp based products. In most of those circumstances I recommend full spectrum hemp oil. Chances are if you are one of the millions of Americans suffering from chronic pain, arthritis, migraine headaches, loss of motor control, depression/anxiety, or insomnia,…
The science is becoming more and more clear…..trauma impacts our health in significant ways, increasing the risk of everything from weight to addiction, especially when those traumas are experienced during childhood. Watch this 9-minute video that explains the science of what happens to the brain in response to traumatic experiences.