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Upcoming Events
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Race the Runways
April 23, 8:45 am
Brunswick Executive Airport
Free Kids Race!
April 23, 8 am - 1 pm
Parkview Medical Center
Register: 373-2175
Medication Collection
April 30, 10 am - 2 pm
Locations in Bath, Brunswick, Harpswell, Richmond, and Topsham
More info: 373-6957
May 1, 10 am - 1 pm
USM, Sullivan Complex
Portland
May 4, 6 - 8 pm
Mid Coast Hospital
Café and Conference Rooms
May 4, 8 am - 5 pm
Bath City Hall
May 10, 5-7 pm
Food, Tours, & Giveaways
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Recipe of the Month
Cauliflower No-Crust Quiche Recipe
From Eatright.org; adapted by Tasha Gerken, MS, RDN
Quiche can be loaded with extra calories from eggs, milk and cheese, not to mention the crust. But this quiche does away with the crust while maintaining the flavor.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
1½ cups chopped cauliflower
½ cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
5 large eggs
½ cup low-fat milk, rice milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
2. Lightly oil an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish or 9-inch pie pan with olive oil or butter.
3. Spread onions evenly in the dish and place in the oven while you prepare the other ingredients.
4. In a small bowl, beat eggs, salt and milk with a whisk.
5. Remove dish from oven with mitts and spread cauliflower and cheese evenly. Pour egg mixture over cauliflower, onions and cheese.
6. Sprinkle with paprika.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, until cauliflower is cooked and casserole is golden brown.
Cooking Notes
Quiche can be refrigerated in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days.
You can also use broccoli or asparagus instead of cauliflower.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 slice
Serves: 4
Calories: 203
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 282mg
Sodium: 492mg
Total Carbohydrate: 7g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 13g
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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!
Mid Coast Hospital is the lead agency for Access Health.
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Access Health
Board Members
Anthony Anderson,
BIW
Andree Appe
l,
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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| From the Director's Desk |
I'm hoping by the time you read this newsletter, the weather feels more like spring, so you can take advantage of the tips we've included on bike tune ups and gardening! April is also the month of April vacation, prom planning, and graduation season. Our CASA (Communities Against Substance Abuse) coalition, will be working hard to help our teens make healthy and safe decisions as they celebrate. Look for our tips on how parents can "sync" with teens and parents to keep our kids safe.
Melissa Fochesato, Director
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Healthy Eating
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Grow Your Own Gardens and Eat More Fruits
and Veggies
Tasha Gerken, MS, RDN
It's spring and we're a-buzz in the office about what we are hoping to grow in our gardens this summer. I have garlic and onions sprouting and have dreams of kale, arugula, herbs, and snap peas. Gardens can provide healthy snacks, help you stay active, and teach you about the natural world. Growing your own produce is an inexpensive, convenient, and delicious way to add fruits and vegetables to your meals. And if you've never tried it before, it's easier than you may think.
I'm known to strike up conversations with anyone who mentions gardening to find out what I can do to keep my own garden flourishing. If you're curious about starting your own garden, check out Maine Cooperative Extension's
website, where Master Gardeners and growing experts share a wealth of knowledge. They share easy to understand information so even a novice grower like me can feel confident taking the first steps. Here's an article on
growing vegetables in containers - great for first time growers, apartment dwellers with no yard, or those with kids who may like to have their "own garden" to tend! And once they get their hands dirty, they'll want to pick and eat anything they grow, so let the learning (and tasting) begin!
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Healthy Homes
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Browntail Moth
Terry Sherman
Spring means getting outdoors for hikes or yard clean up. Spring is also the time when the Browntail moth becomes a problem in the Midcoast  region of Maine. For many people, exposure to the Browntail moth caterpillar's tiny poisonous hairs can cause a rash that may be mistaken for poison ivy. The caterpillars are active from May - July. The tiny hairs linger on objects that come in contact with the caterpillar, causing the rash if touched. For more information and recommendations on how to control the caterpillars visit the Maine Forest Services Browntail Moth page.
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Tobacco
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E-Cigarette Law
Linda Christie
On October 15, 2015 a new law went into
effect called
An Act To Protect Children and the Public from Vapor from Electronic Sm
oking Devices. This  means that the use of devices such as e-cigarettes and e-hookahs are prohibited in all the same places that traditional cigarettes are prohibited. That includes such places as work sites, restaurants, playgrounds, beaches, and more. Maine was the fourth state in the nation to prohibit use of e-cigarettes in public places.
The primary purpose of the law is to protect children, older adults and those who are sensitive to the vapor emitted from e-cigarettes. Some studies have shown that
the the vapor contains formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and toxic metals. Research has also found that the nicotine in the vapor penetrates the bodies of bystanders at levels comparable to those of people exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke.
Maine law also prohibits the sale, possession, and use of e-cigarettes by Minors (under 18 years of age) because they are considered to be tobacco products. Health professionals across the country are very concerned about youth access and use of these products. According to Centers for Disease Control, current e-cigarette use among middle and high school students tripled from 2013 to 2014. 32% of our local high school students have tried an electronic vaping product (Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, 2015).
For more information about laws and other e-cigarette facts, download Maine CDC's Electronic Cigarette Fact Sheet or call Linda Christie at 373-6926.
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Physical Activity
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Colleen Fuller, MPH
With the return of spring comes the return of bikes on the road. At this time of year, car drivers and cyclists alike should review safety tips for sharing the road. For tips, download
Be a Safe Bike Driver and
Safety Tips for Drivers from the Maine Department of Transportation and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.
Making sure your bike is well maintained is an important step before getting your bike back on the road. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine offers some great tips about how to inspect your bike and basic bike maintenance. Please visit their
bike maintenance page for more information.
Whether you are a veteran or new cyclist, you might want to consider signing up for the
National Bike Challenge, a free, nationwide biking event that unites and encourages cyclists of all skills to ride more each day. The event runs between May 1 and September 1 and offers monthly prize drawings. Participants can record their miles on the website or through a tracking app such as Strava or Map My Ride and earn points for riding as little as one mile each day. Any trip on your bike counts, whether it is commuting to work, biking to the grocery store, or going for a quick ride around your neighborhood. Participants can sign up as individuals or as part of team. Work sites can create a profile and use this as a free and easy wellness program. To learn more about the National Bike Challenge,
please visit their FAQ page.
If you are new to commuting on your bike, you may want to check out the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's
bike commuting tips that include everything from how to pick the best utility bike to how to dress for commuting.
Happy cycling!
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Substance Misuse and Mental Health
Elizabeth Munsey, LCPC-c
Alcohol abuse has been linked to an increased risk of legal troubles and jail time, difficulties at school and at work, as well as abuse of other drugs. Alcohol abuse for an individual who also has a mental health diagnosis, often called a co-occurring disorder, can be even more concerning.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency) defines a co-occurring disorder as "Individuals who have at least one mental disorder as well as an alcohol or drug use disorder. While these disorders may interact differently in any one person (e.g., an episode of depression may trigger a relapse into alcohol abuse, or cocaine use may exacerbate schizophrenic symptoms), at least one disorder of each type can be diagnosed independently of the other". According to SAMHSA's 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 7.9 million people had a co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in 2014, which was very similar to 2008 data.
According to NAMI (National Association of Mental Illness), people who have a co-occurring disorder are:
- Less likely to follow their treatment plan (e.g., taking their medications correctly or keeping appointments), which leads to more psychiatric hospitalizations and other dangerous outcomes.
- Less likely to receive proper medical care and more likely to experience severe medical complications and early death.
- At increased risk of impulsive and potentially violent acts, and are more likely to both attempt suicide and to die from their suicide attempts.
- Less likely to maintain sobriety from alcohol.
- May be more likely to have severe complications from their substance abuse, to end up in legal trouble from their substance use and to become physically dependent on alcohol.
To learn more about co-occurring disorders, please visit these resou
rces:
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Healthy Schools
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Prom Season
Jennah Godo, MS
Prom season is here! All local proms are happening the first two Saturdays in May. Our CASA (Communities Against Substance Abuse) coalition encourages parents to work together to keep teens safe on the big night.
We know teens prep for prom, but how can parents prep? They can "sync" with their teens and other parents before the big night. How? Check in with teens and other parents to make sure your expectations that alcohol will not be a part of the celebration are clear.
We know that teens are nearly five times as likely to drink if they don't think they'll be caught by their parents. Here are some tips from CASA to make sure your teens know you're paying attention and are concerned about their safety:
- If you are hosting a party: store your alcohol and medications in a safe, out of sight location, do not allow teens to come and go from the party and check on the party often.
- Talk to other parents about party plans they've heard about. If your child is going to a party, are other adults going to be there? Make sure that it will be chaperoned and substance free.
- Be up and ready when your teen gets home. Stay up to hear about their night - or set your alarm so you wake up in time!
- Check in often throughout the night, set times to check in, and have them send you a selfie. Confirm where they are and how they are doing!
- Share info with other parents. If you are concerned about any plans, check in with the parents of your teen's friends - work together to keep your kids safe!
Together, we can increase the chances that our teens will have a safe, healthy, and substance free prom to remember!
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Communities Against Substance Abuse (CASA)
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Alcohol Awareness Month
Andrea Saniuk-Gove
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States, with 17.6 million people (one in every 12 adults) having signs of alcohol abuse or dependence. 88,000 deaths a year are caused by excessive alcohol use, and alcoholism is the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the U.S.
Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous. Underage
use while adolescent's brains and bodies are still developing is directly associated with traffic deaths, violence, overdose, addiction, and other unsafe and risky behaviors. Data from the 2015 Maine Integrated Y
outh Health Survey shows that 54% of local high school students have had a drink of alcohol in their lifetime, and 28% have drank alcohol in the past 30 days. How are local high school students getting alcohol? 39% of students reported that someone gave the alcohol to them, and 68% feel that alcohol is easy to get, if they wanted to get some.
This year's theme for Alcohol Awareness Month is Talk Early, Talk Often: Parents Can Make a Difference in Teen Alcohol Use. Talking with a teen about the dangers of underage drinking may be tough to do but it is well worth the time and effort. Research has shown that teens who had conversations with their parents about the dangers of underage drinking are 50% less likely to drink. Going further than a conversation is extra helpful; be sure teens know what the consequences would be if they choose to drink. Encourage your child to make smart, healthy choices when it comes to underage alcohol use. Sync with your teen so you're on the same page. Visit Access Health's Sync Page for talking tips and more resources.
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Access Health
66 Baribeau Drive, Suite 7
Brunswick, ME 04011
Phone: 207-373-6957
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