ACHD Director Dr. Karen Hacker and Allegheny County Council Vice President Nick Futules, attended the Penn Hills council meeting in February to formally announce the municipality as the newest Live Well Allegheny community.

It is the beginning of March, which means spring is right around the corner! Springtime is a perfect time to prioritize your health by being active outdoors and eating healthy foods. Take advantage of the warmer weather by hiking or golfing at one of Allegheny County’s parks. You can also focus on your health by joining Live Well Allegheny in celebrating National Nutrition Month®.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics promotes National Nutrition Month® every March to remind people of the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy habits. Eating healthy foods can have a positive effect on your health. Healthy eating patterns promote good health, and have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer. For more information about nutrition and tips for maintaining a healthy weight, please visit: https://www.choosemyplate.gov/. Also check out this video for more ideas on nutritious foods to add to your diet.

Do you have an event coming up? Please let us know so we can add it to the Live Well Allegheny event calendar. Contact Marie Fontelo (Marie.Fontelo@AlleghenyCounty.US) with details. And don’t forget to check the partner resources page of the web site for additional resources.

Like and follow the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all ACHD news.

Karen Hacker, MD, MPH
Director, Allegheny County Health Department

Are you interested in becoming a Matter of Balance facilitator coach? ACHD is hosting a FREE coach training on March 26th and March 27th from 12:30-4:30 p.m. at Community Living and Support Services (CLASS), 1400 S. Braddock Avenue. Matter of Balance is a nationally recognized, evidence-based falls prevention program. The weekly structured group intervention is led by trained coaches and emphasizes practical strategies to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels.

Facilitator coaches are required to undergo eight hours of training conducted by Master Trainers to earn their Matter of Balance Certification, agree to facilitate two (2) Matter of Balance groups within a year of certification, and attend an annual 2.5-hour facilitator coaches training update. In addition to the training, all coach/facilitators also will receive a FREE copy of the Matter of Balance curriculum binder.

For more information about Matter of Balance and the facilitator coach training please contact Lorraine Starsky at 412-247-7816 or lorraine.starsky@alleghenycounty.us.

Let’s Move Pittsburgh, with support from The Heinz Endowments, has announced the application period for the 2019 Champion Schools Awards has opened. The awards help licensed early childcare centers, pre-kindergarten and elementary schools in Allegheny County become the healthiest places for kids to learn and grow. Let’s Move Pittsburgh will recognize up to 40 Champion Schools for programs that focus on one or more of the following areas: healthy food and nutrition education in schools, physical activity in and out of schools, growing and preparing healthy food among youth, and introducing students to a variety of environmental topics to make a great impact in the community. Applications are due April 12^th.

For more information, please visit: www.phipps.conservatory.org. Click here to apply today!

Attention Live Well Allegheny Schools: are you concerned about students’ use of e-cigarettes? Tobacco Free Allegheny has a new e-cigarette toolkit for educators! The toolkit contains an e-cigarette fact sheet, a course for educators, and a course that can be used in the classroom. Please click here to access the free toolkit.

Did you know Variety—the Children’s Charity provides adaptive equipment to children with disabilities? Through three programs, My Bike, My Stroller, and My Voice, Variety provides adaptive bikes, adaptive strollers, and communication devices to children who have disabilities. Know a child who may be eligible? Find more information by visiting: www.varietypittsburgh.org.

Are you interested in the effects of food systems on human, animal, and environmental health? Join Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens for the 2019 One Health One Planet Symposium March 13-14. This year’s symposium theme is “One Health and the Future of Food.” Experts from health care, environment, veterinary, and other disciplines will share information on human, animal, and ecological impacts of food and diet. To register, please visit: www.phipps.conservatory.org.

Join Tobacco Free Allegheny for a Quarterly Coalition Meeting on March 14^th. The meeting will include information and discussion about tobacco’s impact on disparate populations and the prevalence of co-existing conditions. To register, please visit: www.eventbrite.com.

Join the Pittsburgh Black Nurses in Action and the Kingsley Association to celebrate health and wellness on April 6^th. The 10^th anniversary Wellness Day Party will feature a ton of free health and wellness activities like line dancing, cooking demos, and health screenings. The event runs from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Avenue.

Attention all food service directors, educators, and farmers mark your calendars for the Regional School Food Summit being held on April 10^th. Gain information and share your experiences about local purchasing, school gardens, meal alternatives, and nutrition education. The event will be held from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Chatham University, Eden Hall campus in Gibsonia.

For more information about the event, please contact: sarah@pittsburghfoodpolicy.org.

Registration is now open for the 10^th annual EcoDistricts Summit. EcoDistricts is partnering with the City of Pittsburgh and regional leaders to bring the world’s only conference dedicated to neighborhood- and district-scale sustainability to Pittsburgh. Join other urban change-makers November 4-5 to explore best practices, challenges, and real-world examples of equitable, resilient, and sustainable development. For more information about the Summit, please visit: www.summit.ecodistricts.org.

March is National Nutrition Month®. Each March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month® by reminding people of the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy habits. This month, take steps towards a healthier lifestyle with small changes like making half your plate fruits and vegetables, eating breakfast, and watching portion sizes. Find more health tips here. You can also visit, https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ to view the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to access MyPlate resources.

Looking for ways to celebrate National Nutrition Month®? Use the toolkit below for guidance!

Did you know, March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month? Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. It is also the second leading cause of death from cancers affecting both men and women. Fortunately, with regular screenings, colorectal cancer can be prevented. Everyone over 50 should be screened regularly. Concerned about your risk? Talk to your doctor today about ways to prevent colorectal cancer.

You can celebrate Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month by encouraging everyone over 50 to get screened. Looking for more ways to make a difference? Check out this toolkit for more ideas.

Did you know National Public Health Week is April 1-7? National Public Health Week celebrates the contributions of public health and highlights issues that are important to improving the health of our nation. This year’s theme, “Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. For health.” emphasizes the importance of collective action to create healthier communities. Each day of the week focuses on a different public health topic, including health communities, violence prevention, rural health, technology and public health, climate change, and global health. For more information on how you can celebrate National Public Health Week, please visit: www.nphw.org.

We’re all unique but when we visit the doctor our treatments are often the same. The All of Us Research Program is an opportunity to create a health system that is tailored towards individuals. Researchers need volunteers like you, your friends, and your family to study a diverse group of people and diseases. Participants help researchers learn more about a person’s risk of disease and how they react to one form of care over another. These study findings are then shared with physicians who can put them into practice and provide their patients with better care.

The All of Us Research Program has a simple mission: to speed up health research and medical breakthroughs. To achieve this goal, the program aims to build one of the largest health databases of its kind as well as engage a community of participants that reflects the diversity of our nation, including many people who haven’t taken part in medical research before. We’re asking one million or more participants across the country to join us.

Visit JoinAllofUsPA.org or call 412-383-2737 to learn more about the program. The future of health begins with you.

This is the latest Live Well Allegheny e-update. Please find a variety of information that will be helpful to you in your efforts and can also be shared within your own networks. As always, you can find a great deal of information on our website at: www.livewellallegheny.com including partner resources which are available here.

We now have 62 municipalities, 48 restaurants, 28 workplaces and 16 school districts united in our efforts!