SPECIAL OCTOBER MESSAGE



The month of October is set aside each year to recognize the talents, skills, and dedication of our fellow American citizens with disabilities who are a vital part of our workforce. During this month, your agency reaffirms its commitment to ensure that people with disabilities receive the training they need to achieve their employment goals.

This year’s theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month is “Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation.”  This theme captures the vital role that expectations play in our success as individuals and as a society.  We must ensure that people with disabilities are provided with opportunities to access the full range of employment resources.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s LEAD Initiative (Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities) aims to boost the ranks of individuals with targeted disabilities in federal employment to 2% by 2010. To learn more about the LEAD Initiative and your agencies involvement visit the EEOC's website.

THREE FLU**S UPDATE

Be proactive...get your seasonal flu shot - NOW. Then, later this month get your H1N1 flu shot.

During this time of the nation’s flu outbreaks, the Office of Health and Safety at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it is important to practice good personal hygiene and do the following to help us prevent the occurrence or spread of flu:

Self-Evaluation of Symptoms
On a daily basis, before coming to campus, ask yourself the following:

- Do I have a fever?
- Do I have a sore throat?
- Am I coughing?
- Do my muscles ache?
- Do I feel ill?

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, CDC recommends:

- Do not report to work; stay at home
- Notify your supervisor as soon as possible
- Seek medical guidance

Recommendations
The Office of Health and Safety at CDC also recommends the following to help minimize exposure to influenza while at work and at home:

Personal Hygiene
1. Respiratory Etiquette
- Sneeze or cough into a tissue and throw away used tissues in trash
- If you do not have tissues available, cough or sneeze into your sleeve or arm, not your hands

2. Hand Washing
- Wash your hands often.
- Wash with soap (regular or antibacterial) and water for at least 20 seconds
- Use alcohol-containing hand gels if hand washing facilities are not readily available

**Wash always - Before and after preparing food or eating - After using the restroom - Before and after touching your nose, eyes, or mouth - After touching items that may have been exposed to body fluids.

The latest info is at The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

STAYING HEALTHY

Don't Smoke - But if you do smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. You can take medicine and get counseling to help you quit. Make a plan and set a quit date. Tell your family, friends and co-workers you are quitting. Ask for their support.
Healthy Diet - Eat a variety of foods, including fruit, vegetables, animal or vegetable protein (such as meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu or tempeh) and grains (such as rice). Limit the amount of saturated fat you eat.
Exercise - Walk for health, dance, ride a bike, rake leaves or do any other physical activity you enjoy. Start small and work up to a total of 20-30 minutes most days of the week.
Healthy Weight - Balance the number of calories you eat with the number you burn off by your activities. Remember to watch portion sizes. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about what or how much to eat.
Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation - If you drink alcohol, have no more than 2 drinks a day. A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

GETTING STARTED: FITNESS

It's a new year, so get started on a fitness program, nothing could derail your good intentions faster than an injury. Not all injuries can be prevented, of course. But taking precautions can help reduce your risk of injury and let you enjoy your newfound activity all the more.

Some suggestions from the American Council on Exercise:
- Start slowly and be realistic. If you start out trying to do too much, you may get discouraged and quit altogether.
- Warm up with a few minutes of light activity before you get going on your chosen form of exercise.
- Learn to recognize the signals your body sends. Although it may be normal to feel a bit sore after certain exercises, you shouldn't feel actual pain or serious discomfort.
- Monitor yourself as you exercise, to make sure you're working out at the level that's best for you.
- Pay attention to potentially serious warning signs such as chest pain, dizziness, breaking out into a cold sweat.
You should also take your age and previous level of fitness into consideration. In addition, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting on a new fitness program.

EATING HEALTHY

Want to learn why and how to change your eating habits. The you will like reading Healthy Eating website.

Some great recipes are at All Recipes.