We want to wish you a Very Happy New Year!

January is already gone as you read this!

In the spirit of the new year and as we look to let go of all the holiday bustle, we bring you a Happy Healthy Newsletter! Here you will find info on our County's regional parks to remind and encourage our families to enjoy our amazing outdoor spaces, information about exercise and pelvic floor exercises, links to sites assisting with applications for Food Stamps/Cal Fresh, recipes, finding food, and even the option to "ask a dietician".

We've also included a link to a nice warming soup recipe for these rainy days.

Be sure to scroll to the end for an important announcement!

Have you visited a regional park lately?

Sonoma County is home to over 50 regional parks. Enjoy the Spring outdoors, and get the mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature! Hike, camp, picnic, bike, kayak, or simply take in the views. With parks from Petaluma to The Sea Ranch, there are so many opportunities to get outside. Check out their website here!

The county offers an income-based Vehicle Entry Pass which provides a $5 parking pass for 12 months of day-use parking. Click here for an application in English and here for Spanish. Information about all membership options can be found here.

Would it be helpful to have access to a loaner back pack with maps, guides, and tips?:

A Regional Parks Discovery Backpack is also available at each library branch and includes a backpack filled with a parking pass good at all 56 regional parks, a parks map, trail itineraries, hiking tips, wildlife guides, and other information to enjoy self-guided adventures in the parks. Click here for details.

If you or the families you are working with are looking for ways to get exercise indoors on these rainy days, the Sonoma County Family YMCA has family programming and offers financial assistance for income eligible individuals. They also have youth afterschool and camp programs. Check out their website here!

Taking care of your mental health and resting your mind are important parts of a healthy routine. This article lists free meditation apps, with some designed specifically for kids and youth. Meditation can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. Give the instructions below a try and see how you feel!

Just close your eyes and relax. Take a few deep breaths from your diaphragm and release the tension in your body. Focus on a five-count breath:

Slowly inhale from the belly
Then into ribs
Then into chest
Up into crown of the head
Then gently hold the breath for the fifth count

Reverse this process on the exhale for another count of five, exhaling from the crown, chest, ribs, belly, pausing on the last bit of breath out of the body, and then begin again.

How is Your Core and Your Pelvic Floor?

What is The Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is the base of the core. It's a group of muscles at the bottom of the pelvis, like a hammock that supports internal organs and assists sexual function.

But “they’re responsible for helping transfer load from between your legs to your abdomen,” says Liz Miracle, PT, head of clinical quality and education at Origin pelvic floor physical therapy clinic. - Women's Health Magazine

Pelvic floor disorders are common- at least one in three women will experience a pelvic floor issue in their lifetime, and one in four women over 20 experience pelvic floor symptoms (UChicago Medicine). While they are common, they are not normal- and you can do something to prevent them! Click here for the link to an article which includes pelvic floor exercises you can do without any equipment!

Healthy Eating can be a little easier with the help of Eatfresh.org! This website offers nutritious recipes, nutrition information, the ability to ask questions of a dietician, and links to local farmers markets and assistance with applying for Food Stamps (CalFresh). Check them out here!

Now Let's Eat!

Here is a nice warming soup recipe from Eatfresh.org

Click title below

Vegetable Stew with Coconut Milk

If any families you are working with have difficulty accessing food, the Redwood Empire Food Bank is a great resource! Click here to check out their Food Connections Resource Center, where they provide assistance with applying for Food Stamps/CalFresh. They also have a Food Finder website where you can locate food distributions near your home. Check them out!

We are co-hosting a screening of the film Birthing Justice, followed by a panel discussion. Dinner will be provided.

See below for details and register using the QR code. Please contact lucy.tyrala@sonoma-county.org or laura.turner@sonoma-county.org with any questions.

Join us in February as we celebrate Black History Month!

Sonoma County MCAH