Submitted By

Katrina DeVinner

National Women Veterans United (NWVU)Alabama Member

OCTOBER

Breast Cancer Awareness

For those who may not know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Show Your Support!

Breast cancer is todays second leading cause of cancer death among American women. While research continues to seek ways to prevent, detect, and treat this disease, it is essential for us as women to stay informed so that we can make smart decisions about our health.

Early detection is the best protection! Monthly breast self-examination can help you become familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel. Changes or irregularities should be reported to your healthcare professional immediately.

Most breast changes, irregularities, or lumps are harmless.

However, all should be checked.

The American Cancer Society recommends the following breast cancer screening guidelines:

Ages 20 to 30 Clinical breast examination about every 3 years

Ages 40 & over Mammogram and clinical breast examination yearly

For most women, a mammogram provides the best way to find breast cancer at an early stage. A mammogram is an x-ray of your breast that can detect many changes that are too small or too deep to feel.

Free or inexpensive mammograms are available for low-income women who do not have health insurance. For more information,

call the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention at 1-888-842-6355

and ask for the National Breast Cancer Early Detection Program.

Cancer is a general term for abnormal cells that grow uncontrollably. Breast cancer is a term for several cancers that begin in the breast. Some methods used to treat breast cancer include:

lumpectomy which involves surgical removal only of the lump or tumor

mastectomy or surgical removal of the breasts, lymph nodes, or chest muscle

radiation or high energy rays that shrink or kill cancer cells

chemotherapy uses chemical substances or

medicines that shrink or kill cancer cells

hormone therapy includes medicines used

to shrink the growth of cancer cells

For more info, The American Cancer Society is available 24 hours a day for information and support. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

All services are free.

As Cited by: The American Cancer Society, Women & Breast Health (2009, 2011)

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iclipart.com

Influenza Vaccine

There are two types of influenza vaccines.

The inactivated (killed) vaccine

is the flu shot.

The live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine

is sprayed into the nostrils.

Influenza viruses are always changing,

so annual vaccination is recommended.

The flu vaccine will not prevent

disease from other viruses, including

flu viruses not contained in the vaccine.

It takes up to 2 weeks for protection

to develop after the shot.

Protection lasts about a year.

All people 6months of age

and older should get the flu vaccine.

People who are moderately

or severely ill should usually wait

until they recover before

getting the vaccine.

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Infection Prevention: Hand Hygiene

Keeping our hands clean is one of the mostimportant steps we can take to avoid getting sick andspreading germs to others.

Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap, and clean, running water. If clean, running water is not accessible, use soap and available water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands.

Hand sanitizers are not effective when hands are visibly dirty.

Other steps you can take to prevent the spread of germs include:

• Covering coughs and sneezes
• Staying up-to-date with immunizations
• Making tissues and hand cleaners available

Foto search

The Right Way To Wash Your Hands

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap

2. Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well;

be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails

3. Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds

4. Rinse your hands well under running water

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them

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Pap Smear

The Papanicolaou Smear or Pap test is performed to find changes

to the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (or womb).

A Pap test can be performed at a doctors office, medical clinic,

local health department, or student health services.

A Pap test is done during a pelvic examination.

You will lie on an exam table with a sheet over your legs and stomach.

Youll put your feet on the holders called stirrups

and let your knees fall to the side.

Your health care provider uses a plastic or metal instrument

called a speculum to look inside your vagina.

He or she then uses a small, soft brush to take a few cells from your cervix

This test takes only a few seconds.

A lab will check these cells for cancer or other problems.

Who Should Get A Pap Test?

• Women who are sexually active or have reached age 18

You may not need a Pap test if you have had a total hysterectomy.

Your health care provider will tell you whats right for you.

A Pap test may still be performed well beyond menopause.

This decision depends on your age and past Pap test results.

Your health care provider will tell you whats right for you.

A Pap Test can find cancer early.

If cervical cancer is found early, its easier to cure.

Call your health care provider for a Pap test today!

For more info, contact the National Cancer Institutes Cancer Information Service:

call 1-800-422-6237 or visit their website www.cancer.gov

As Cited By: National Institute Of Health (NIH) (2003)

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Infection Prevention: Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine

Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria.

It is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable illness and death in the United States.

Pneumococcal disease can lead to serious infections of the:

• lungs (pneumonia)
• blood (bacteremia)
• covering of the brain (meningitis)

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV)

protects against 23 types of pneumoccocal bacteria,

including those most likely to cause serious disease.

Most healthy adults who get the vaccine develop

protection within 2 to 3 weeks of getting the shot.

Who Should Get The Vaccine?

1. All adults 65 years of age and older

2. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who have long-term health problems

3. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who have a disease or are under treatment that lowers the bodys resistance to infection.

Usually only one dose of the vaccine is needed, but under some circumstances a second dose may be given.

When a second dose is given, it should be given 5 years after the first dose.

People who are moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover before getting the vaccine.

Tell your doctor if you have any severe (life-threatening) allergies.

About half of people who get this vaccine have mild side effects, such as redness or pain where the shot was given.

Less than 1% develop fever, muscle aches, or more severe local reactions.

For more info, contact the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC):

call 1-800-232-4636 or visit their website www.cdc.gov/vaccines

As Cited By: CDC (2011

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http://contagionmovie.warnerbros.com/index.html

http://www.cdcfoundation.org/content/how-cdc-saves-liv

http://www.cdc.gov/24-7/

http://emergency.cdc.gov/

http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

Dear Colleague, Community Member, and Staff, On September 9, 2011 Warner Brothers will be releasing the movie Contagion, a fictional drama that portrays Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other U.S. and international partners responding to an emerging infectious disease outbreak.

We are reaching out to you and other members of the public health community in an effort to take advantage of this opportunity to provide accurate and potentially life-saving information to the public about how to prepare for a public health emergency.When asked to respond to the inevitable question about the plot of the movie, Could this really happen? CDC is compelled to say, Not only could it happen, CDC scientists and public health officials are working 24/7 to find out if its happening right now.

We hope you will consider highlighting the following websites for your own audiences, particularly during September (National Preparedness Month).

CDC preparedness information Emergency preparedness for individuals Flu prevention information In addition, I hope the following information about CDCs role in emergency preparedness and response is helpful. CDC works with state and local health departments across the United States, as well as international partners around the world, to recognize disease patterns and improve the public health communitys ability to respond to health threats. CDC and its partners play key roles in homeland security by maintaining the ability to detect and respond to outbreaks, as well as natural and man-made disasters, at home and abroad. CDC is a key source of evidence for health action monitoring health, informing clinical and policy decision-making, and providing individuals the information they need to take responsibility for their own health. CDC supports state and local public health partners with training and guidance to ensure nationwide lab capacity for detecting and responding to health threats, as well as the capacity to address key risk factors leading to premature death, injury, and disease. CDC recognizes that state and local public health departments are the first responders when disease threats occur, and it is their initial investigations that help CDC quickly assist them.

With a sense of urgency, I ask you to take every opportunity to help us educate others about how CDC and your Evanston Health Department work together to keep you safe and how you can join in by being prepared.

To learn more about Contagion and how CDC protects America 24/7, visit the following sites: Contagion official website Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the movie stars Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Lawrence Fishburne Contagion and CDC A website created by the CDC Foundation to help separate fact from fiction and to highlight CDCs role in preparedness and response CDC 24/7 A CDC website that includes information you may find useful on how public health protects Americans from outbreaks

Thank you for your help in spreading the word about the critically important role emergency preparedness plays in protecting the health of people in this community, country and around the world.

Evonda Thomas RN, MSN, DHA (c)

Director, Health Department

2100 Ridge Ave-Ground Level

Evanston Il, 60201(847)866-2969

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NEW

Women's Health Clinic at Hines VA

Click Here

5000 South 5th Ave.
Building 200, 12th Floor
Hines, IL 60141
Phone: 708-202-2249
708-202-3800
Fax: 708-202-3688

Click Here

5000 South 5th Ave.
Building 200, 12th Floor
Hines, IL 60141
Phone: 708-202-2249
708-202-3800
Fax: 708-202-3688

Women's Program Manager

Diane Sherod(708) 202-2075

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It's not to late to get back in shape or if you are just getting out of Service .....Stay in shape!!!!

Seeking military women or recently discharged women to start a NWVU exercise/walk/run/fitness

group! You lead we follow.....

        GET                                                                      Get Moving!

                                                                                    Physical activity gives you energy, improves your health, and burns off fat.  Start slowly and build to more vigorous activity of longer duration.  Check some ways you can try to squeeze more activity into your day. You might start to: 

*Park the car farther away

                                                             *Climb stairs rather than take elevator

*Get off the bus a stop or two early 

*Take laps around the mall

*Take an after meal walk

                                                          As Cited by: Krames (2005)

Keeping it together!

Ages 18 - 29

iclipart.com 

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It's All Good!

Ages 30 - 49

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Work It Out!

50 - 70

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Older & Bolder!

71 -Plus

  Did you know .....

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Bladder

Acid Reflux

Mental Health

Oral Health

Diabetes

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Diets?

 Managing Your Weight

                                                           Managing your weight takes a sensible approach.

                                                 Don’t Don't starve yourself!  Don’t go on crash diets!                            

These approaches may make you gain weight in the long run.

Focus on long-term health benefits – and not just shedding pounds.

 Balance healthy eating with physical activity to manage your weight. 

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Healthy Eating

      Mind What You Eat!

 Think about what you eat and why.

Food is fuel for the body. 

Just as you wouldn’t fill your gas tank when the needle is up to “F,” don’t eat unless you’re hungry. 

But also avoid running on fumes. Stay away from the fridge when you’re lonely, depressed, anxious, or bored.

Before you eat, ask yourself:

*Am I so full I’m ready to burst? (Stop eating!)

*Is my stomach growling? (Eat soon!)

 *Am I becoming irritable? (Eat now!)

 *Am I feeling faint? (Don’t wait so long!)

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Cancer

Brain Tumors

Osteoporosis

Menopause

Restless Leg Syndrome

Hair Loss

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 My Healthevet click