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In This Issue
From the Director's Desk
Savor the Flavor
Tween Safety
MYTIP
Resting Heart Rate
Diet and Mental Health
Ambassador Program
Youth and Gambling
Upcoming Events
March 19, 9 - 11 AM
Bath United Church of Christ
Registration Required

March 20, 3 PM
Crooker Auditorium
Brunswick HS
 
March 29, 7 PM
The Frontier Cafe
Free with Registration!

March 31, 8 AM - 5 PM
SNHU Brunswick
FMI: 373-6927

April 1, 2, 3
Register: 373-6928

April 6, 6-8 PM
Midcoast Hospital
Conf. Room 1 & 2
 
 Race the Runways
April 23, 8:45 AM
Brunswick Executive Airport 
Free Kids Race!
Page of the Month!
 
Recipe of the Month 

 
Curried Garbanzo Bean Poppers
adapted from a recipe by Tessa Nguyen, RD, LDN

Snack on these delicious, protein-rich treats or toss with salad to make a meal. So quick and nutritious!

Ingredients
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. On a foil-lined sheet tray, mix together the garbanzo beans, curry powder and olive oil. Spread beans out in a single-layer to ensure each bean has enough space to get crispy.
3. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Remove beans from oven and gently toss in the cilantro before serving warm.

Nutrition Information
Serving size ⅓ cup
Serves 4
Calories: 173; Total fat: 5g

Healthy Resources

Access Health

Access Health
works with communities to encourage and support healthy and happy lives, with a focus on: 
  • Physical Activity
  • Healthy Eating
  • Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
  • Reduction of Second Hand Smoke
  • Substance Abuse Prevention
  • Mental Health Awareness
Find out more!  

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Mid Coast Hospital is the lead agency for Access Health.

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Access Health 
Board Members 

Anthony Anderson,  BIW 
Andree App el,  Oasis Clinic
Mary Booth, MSAD 75 
Marla Davis,  Sagadahoc County Board  of Health 
Mattie Daughtry,   Legislator
Jaki Ellis, Brunswick Champion
Deb King, 
Brunswick 
Downtown Association 
Don Kniseley,  Thornton Oaks
Pam LeDuc, 
Topsham Parks & 
Recreation
Joel Merry, 
Sagadahoc County  
Sheriff 
Karen O'Rourke, UNE 
Jim Peavey, United Way 
Craig Phillips,  Tedford Shelter
Kelly Howard,   YMCA 
Emily Rines, Parent
Steve Trockman, 
Mid Coast-Parkview Health 
Karen Tucker,  
Mid Coast Hunger Prevention 
Samantha Ricker, Bath Champion
Stacy Frizzle, People Plus
Kristi Hatrick, First Parish Church
Katherine Swan, Martin's Point

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March 2016
From the Director's Desk
We've had a busy winter planning new programs that we are excited to launch this month! We will be training community partners in teen smoking cessation classes, offering our first of many community wide Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings on on March 31, participating in a community panel discussion after the screening of "The Opiate Effect" on March 29 and Paper Tigers on March 20, and launching our CASA Law Enforcement Ambassador program to reduce youth access to alcohol. 

I want to thank my hard working staff and local partners who have been instrumental in bringing these resources to our community, and are key to implementing them in our local towns.  Responding to community needs is the cornerstone of effective local public health - and we are fortunate to have this resource in our community!  

In good health,
Melissa Fochesato, Director 
Healthy Eating
Help Kids "Savor the Flavor of Eating Right"
Tasha Gerken, MS, RDN

This March, the theme of National Nutrition Month is "Savor the Flavor of Eating Right." When it comes to helping kids savor the flavor, parents may experience some frustrations over food fixations and refusals. Kids don't always love trying new foods and flavors, but these tips may help to alleviate your stress and find more joy at mealtimes.
  • Parents choose "when and what"; kids choose "how much" - think of it like this: as parents, you get to offer healthy options and set meal times and your kids are at liberty to eat as much or as little as they want from the offerings. Allowing kids to self-regulate when it comes to how "hungry" they feel may help kids deal with the multitude of food choices in our current food environment and develop long-term healthier eating habits.
  • Modeling is key - most kids like to do whatever their parents are doing. Think about ways that your eating habits and attitudes about certain foods may impact your kids. You may be doing a lot of the right things - give yourself a pat on the back! Just because they are not modeling your behavior right now does not mean they aren't watching and learning every step of the way.
  • Get your kids involved - let them pick out produce at the store or simply let them choose from communal plates at a family style meal. This shows kids that you value their opinion and gives them ownership over their own food preferences. They may eat more of the things they chose and it may even save you from throwing away food that is left on their plates at the end of a meal.
  • Try foods together as a family - bravely try new foods, or even try old foods prepared in new ways. This is another way to model healthy behaviors with less pressure on your kids. You may even discover that your taste preferences have changed. (Want to try chickpeas in a new way? Check out the recipe in the left-hand column.)
Keeping mealtimes positive and adventurous can make a world of difference in helping kids accept unfamiliar foods in their world. Research shows that helping kids appreciate the taste of fruits and vegetables in the home can increase the likelihood that they will eat more fruits and vegetables now and for a lifetime. You can consider that a big parenting win!
Healthy Schools
Tween Passenger Safety
Melissa Fochesato, PC-S

We are excited to be partnering with Brunswick Junior High School (BJHS) and the Maine Bureau of Transportation this spring to promote passenger safety to tweens and parents.  The safest place for youth to be is belted and in the back seat, yet teens & young adults (16 to 24) have the lowest seat belt usage rate of any age group.  To increase the chances of continued use of seat belts during the teen years, kids must be educated before they reach that age - this will be more effective than trying to convince them to go back to using seat belts.  BJHS students will hear messages from their School Resource Officer, and see messages throughout the school reminding them to stay buckled "door to door."  In addition, parents will receive safety tips via school email, Facebook and external banners or signs.  For more information about passenger safety,  visit NHTSA's Parent Central Page, and remember to buckle up from door to door!
Every Trip. Every Time.
Every Trip. Every Time.

Tobacco
MYTIP Program
Linda Christie

A ccess Health recently launched the Midcoast Youth Tobacco Intervention Program (MYTIP). The program is funded by a grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation. MYTIP includes training and implementation of two  science-based programs: Intervening with Teen Tobacco User: Tobacco Education Group (TEG ), an alternative to suspension program and Helping Teens Stop Using Tobacco (TAP ) a cessation programs for youth who feel ready to quit tobacco.
 
Both TAP and TEG were developed by Community Intervention Inc., a nationally recognized leader in alcohol, tobacco and other drug programs for youth.

MYTIP will benefit students in grades 7-12 in Sagadahoc County, Brunswick and Harpswell. Referrals will come primarily from schools, police departments, juvenile probation officers, Maine Youth Court and health care providers.

MYTIP was created in response to community need. The 2015 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) showed that 23.4% of Sagadahoc County high school students have used tobacco in the past 30 days (including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff or dip). This is higher than the state average of 15.7%. Another issue that supported implementation of MYTIP is the rapidly increasing use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, current e-cigarette use among middle and high school students tripled from 2013 to 2014.  2015 MIYHS data indicated that 31.7% of Sagadahoc high school youth reported trying vaping.

An Internet-based, free training will offered in March for the alternative to suspension program and in April for the cessation program.  For more information, contact Linda Christie by e-mail or by phone at 373-6926.

For more information about the TAP and TEG programs please visit The Community Intervention website.
 Physical Activity
Resting Heart Rate
Colleen Fuller, MPH
 
Your resting heart rate, or your pulse while not exercising, can be a good indicator of your overall health, especially as you age. Large increases or decreases in your resting heart rate may indicate heart conditions or other conditions that are negative to your health. According to the American Heart Association , a normal resting heart rate range for most people is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). A resting heart rate outside of this range may not always signal a heart or other health condition. There are a few instances in which a heart rate below 60 bpm is normal and healthy.

Athletes or people who are frequently physically active may have resting heart rates in the range of 40-60 beats per minute. There are a number of other factors besides fitness level that can affect your resting heart rate. These factors include:
  • Medications - Beta blockers, in particular, can lower the heart rate below 60 bpm, and high doses of thyroid medications can sometimes increase heart rate.
  • Temperature - Increased heat and humidity can increase your resting heart rate by 5-10 bpm.
  • Body position - Sitting, resting, or lying down tend to slow your resting heart rate slightly. Standing can cause the resting heart rate to temporarily increase.
  • Emotions - Stress, sadness, or even extreme happiness can all increase heart rate.
When should you consider consulting a medical professional about your heart rate?
  • If you are not particularly athletic or taking medications that may reduce heart range, and your resting heart rate is consistently below 50 bpm.
  • If your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 bpm and you have other health risk factors such as being overweight or obese, eating a diet high in fat and sodium, or not getting 180 minutes of physical activity each week.
  • If your resting heart rate has suddenly shifted outside of the normal range when it was consistently in this range before.
To learn more about healthy heart rates and for a reminder about how to take your pulse, please visit the American Heart Association .
Mental Health Awareness
How Diet Can Affect Mental Health   
Elizabeth Munsey, LCPC-c

Have you ever wondered if a better quality diet has an effect on your adolescent's mental health? The answer is an astounding YES! A self-report study of 3040 Australian adolescents (age 11-18) collected and analyzed by Deakin University, shows a positive link between a quality diet and improved mental health in adolescents. Deakin University researchers found "improvements in diet quality were mirrored by improvements in mental health, while reductions in diet quality were associated with declining psychological functioning over the follow up period". 

Furthermore, related  studies have found a connection between risk of suicidal behaviors in adolescents and sugary foods and soft drinks.

Small changes in an adolescent's diet, such as adding in more fruits and vegetables, dietary supplements, and fish can have a positive impact on an adolescent's mental health. Increasing Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to reduce depressive symptoms and vitamin B12 and folic acid has been proven to decrease depression.

By choosing a healthier lifestyle, reducing sugary foods and soft drinks and increasing fruits and vegetables, dietary supplements and amino acids, adolescents can help to see an improvement in their mental health and reduction in depression or depressive symptoms.

For more information on the effects a quality diet has on an adolescent's mental health, check out these resources!
 
  
Substance Abuse
Ambassador Program Has Launched!
Andrea Saniuk-Gove
 
Leaders from local law enforcement agencies have volunteered to be CASA Ambassadors in Communities Against Substance Abuse's (CASA) efforts to prevent underage access to alcohol.  The Ambassadors will act as liaison s w ith local liquor licensees - stores and restaurants that sell alcohol. In the latest Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, 68% of local high school students report that alcohol would be "sort of easy" or "very easy" to get if they wanted to get some. Additionally, 39% report "someone gave it to me" as how  they obtained the alcohol. Ambassadors will be training local stores and restaurants on proper carding practices and encouraging staff to attend Responsible Beverage Server/Seller trainings. They will also lead compliance checks throughout the community, promote our eTip anonymous texting service and provide reminders of the consequences of providing alcohol to minors. This spring, look for our furnishing window clings in stores as a point-of-purchase reminder that allowing un derage drinking is a crime.
ostly gamble online. Internet gambling has become increasingly popular and lucrative. The internet has over 2500 gambling sites and growing. This easy access makes it very tempting for some teens. With increased availability of internet gambling, more youth are giving in to the temptation and pressure to participate in these activities. Some of the warning signs of a problem gambler include stealing or borrowing money, preoccupation with gambling, spending more time than usual on the computer and falling grades. Visit the Maine Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services website for more information.
 
 
Problem Gambling
Youth and Online Gambling
By Terry Sherman

According to a 2015 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey report, 40% of Sagadahoc County high school students reported that they have gambled. While adults can go to casinos and buy lottery tickets, Maine teens mostly gamble online. Internet gambling has become increasingly popular and lucrative. The internet has over 2500 gambling sites and growing. This easy access makes it very tempting for some teens. With increased availability of internet gambling, more youth are giving in to the temptation and pressure to participate in these activities. Some of the warning signs of a problem gambler include stealing or borrowing money, preoccupation with gambling, spending more time than usual on the computer and falling grades. Visit the Maine Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services website for more information.

Access Health
66 Baribeau Drive, Suite 7
Brunswick, ME  04011
Phone: 207-373-6957