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THANK YOU for a Successful 2016 Annual Summit
Currently chaired by Drew Langloh, President and CEO of United Way of Central Alabama, the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership hosted their annual Health Action Partnership Summit on Wednesday, February 10th at the McWane Science Center. The Jefferson County Health Action Partnership is a coalition of more than 80 organizations working together to make Jefferson County a healthier place to live, learn, work and play, and it is currently focused on the following key areas: Advancing Health Equity, Promoting Healthy Lifestyles, Optimizing Healthcare Access, Improving the Built Environment, Transportation and Safety, and Improving Mental ... continue reading »
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$3 Million CDC Grant Will Expand Efforts to Build a Healthier Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC) won a competitive grant of nearly $3 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the gap in chronic diseases between African Americans and Whites in Birmingham by improving nutrition and physical activity in underserved African American communities. The project, “Birmingham REACH for Better Health,” is a partnership between UAB, the Jefferson County Department of Health, United Way of Central Alabama, Freshwater Land Trust, Birmingham YMCA, REV Birmingham, Safe Routes to School, and the C ... continue reading »
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Double Your SNAP Dollars for Healthy Food
If you are a SNAP (food stamp) recipient, you may be able to get an extra $20 per market day of fresh fruits and vegetables for every $20 in SNAP benefits you spend. This program was started at the East Lake and Norwood Farmers’ Markets in 2014 and continues in 2015. Both markets are open Saturday mornings. The East Lake market also does Double Bucks on its mobile market. Click here to see a list of up-to-date mobile market stops for : http://www.eastlakemarket.org/ To see a short film on food insecurity in Birmingham and efforts in Birmingham’s East Lake neighborhood to improve healthy food access and consumption, click the ... continue reading »
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Five smoke-free cities and why this matters
Since 2011, five cities in Jefferson County have advanced comprehensive protections against secondhand smoke exposure in all worksites, restaurants and bars. That covers 43 percent of the county and the largest city in the state — Birmingham (212,000 people), Midfield (5,365), Vestavia Hills (34,033), Fultondale (8,380) and Bessemer (27,456). At an event to celebrate this achievement, Birmingham City Council member Johnathan Austin explained why this matters to him: “As chairman of the public safety, my number one charge is for the health and safety of all the citizens of Birmingham. Looking at something as comprehensive as this w ... continue reading »
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Safe Routes to School
For many children in the Birmingham area, streets are unsafe to walk and sidewalks can be few and far between. Besides safety concerns, children are not getting enough physical activity in their day. This is where the Safe Routes to School of Central Alabama comes in. The National Center for Safe Routes to School is focused on improving children’s safety while walking and biking to school. Here in Jefferson County, Safe Routes to School of Central Alabama (originally funded through a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Kids Healthy Communities grant, and supported by the Health Action Partnership) is also addressing issues of childhood obe ... continue reading »
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Tips for Staying Healthy in the Heat
It’s great to get outdoors for some exercise, but it can be downright dangerous in our hot Alabama summers. Before you head out for a walk, run or basketball game, read our tips: Stay Hydrated Drink water before, during if possible, and after your workout. A good rule of thumb is 4 to 8 ounces of water for every half hour of exercise. You’ll probably want to drink more if it’s really humid outside, so bring more than you think you need. Put your water bottle in the freeze the night before so you’ll have cold water during your workout. Avoid sugary drinks as they can accelerate water loss. Stay Cool Work out early in the morning or late in ... continue reading »