It’s easy to feel bombarded by the latest healthy eating trend or buzzworthy ingredient. But good nutrition is really about consistently choosing healthy foods and beverages. With healthy eating patterns, it’s possible to enjoy food and beverages that reflect your preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. A lot of what you eat turns into sugar (glucose) and goes into your blood. The biggest health risks of diabetes are associated with high blood sugar, which can increase the likelihood of blood clots and impaired blood flow by making cells sticky and blood vessels stiff.  

Making deliberate food choices and scheduling any activities that get you moving are healthy measures to take if you diabetes.

Common Flu symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea. Complications from the Flu can affect your heart, brain, kidneys, and lungs, causing respiratory and kidney failure. Annually the flu has been estimated to kill between 25,000 to 60,000 people per year, affecting certain groups of people worse than others. People 65 and older; people with heart disease, stroke, asthma, diabetes, cancer, pregnant women, young children, people with obesity, people with HIV and AIDs and people with disabilities. You can reduce your risk of getting a severe case of the flu. The best protection is a vaccine that can prevent the disease or lessen its severity. You can even safely get both vaccines on the same day. We know that the Flu vaccine is more effective if people are vaccinated earlier in the Flu season. In both adults and children, it has been shown that once vaccinated, even if you get the flu, the severity of the disease is significantly decreased. Contact your Care Manager if you need assistance.

On October 13, 2022, the Secretary of Health and Human Services renewed the determination that a public health emergency exists through January 31, 2023. On a New York State level, the Executive Order intended to maximize resources available to protect New Yorkers against polio was extended through November 8, 2022: click here to learn more.

Governor Hochul issued an Executive Order declaring a State Disaster Emergency in response to the contagious disease outbreak caused by the monkeypox virus. An Informational Letter (INF) was released by OPWDD on this new public health concern.

The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) just announced two new updates related to COVID-19 guidance that will take effect immediately. One relates to Isolation/Quarantine for fully vaccinated people who receive OPWDD supports and services. The other relates to masking requirements for staff.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has authorized a second booster four months after their first booster for people 50 and older; and a second booster 4 months after their first booster for people 12 and older with certain immune deficiencies.

1.18.22 - As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends the following in relation to COVID-19 vaccines: