A tick is a small parasite that lives by feeding on the blood of, primarily, mammals and birds. They often carry bacteria and viruses that cause human disease, so preventing ticks on your pets, in the yard and avoiding tick bites is extremely important. Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months (April-October).

In Allegheny County, the most common tick-borne illness is Lyme disease. From 2012-2021, there were 2,849 confirmed and probable cases among residents with dramatic increases in the number of reports over the past 10 years. Transmission generally occurs when an infected tick has been attached for more than 36 hours. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue and skin rash. For more information about tick-borne diseases in Allegheny County, visit the Health Department’s Vector Control Program.

Education on removing, identifying and prevention of ticks is crucial. Jon Bañuelos with the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program, educates communities on this topic by facilitating “Tick Talks.” Participants receive tick kits (also known as tick removers) and resources to educate themselves on how to remove and identify ticks.

For more information about joining an upcoming Tick Talk, or hosting one, email Jon!

National Nutrition Month

Created 50 years ago by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the goal of National Nutrition Month is to invite everyone to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits.

This year’s theme is “Fuel for the Future.” This focus encourages people to eat with the environment in mind by enjoying more plant-based meals and snacks, purchasing foods with minimal packaging, buying foods in seasons and shopping locally when possible, and considering starting a container or backyard garden to grow food at home. Go here for more tips on how to lighten your carbon food-print.

The Giant Eagle Mobile Market is improving access to fresh foods for residents of Pittsburgh, Rankin, Braddock and North Braddock year round. The on-the-go Mobile Market stocks hundreds of fresh items including produce, meat and dairy products.

Mobile Market accepts debit, credit, check or SNAP, but not cash. Go here for more information and the Mobile Market schedule.

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

This month highlights the importance of screening for colorectal cancer, as well as promoting healthy lifestyle habits that can decrease a person’s risk of developing cancer of the colon or rectum.

Screening for colorectal cancer is important to identify pre-cancerous polyps in the colon or rectum. A polyp is a growth that shouldn’t be there, which can develop into cancer. Check with your health care professional about when you should be screened. Don’t have insurance or a primary care physician? Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) can provide health screenings for colon cancer. To find an FQHC near you click here.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of medical experts, recommends that adults who are 45 to 75 years old be screened for colon cancer.

For more information visit: cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal

Nominations Being Accepted for Breastfeeding Friendly Place Awards

The Allegheny County Health Department WIC Program, in collaboration with the Allegheny County Breastfeeding Coalition, is seeking nominations for its annual Breastfeeding Friendly Places Awards.

The awards are presented to workplaces, public places, and other sites away from home that make an extra effort to help breastfeeding moms by offering a positive attitude and supportive environment.

Employers can help breastfeeding moms by offering flextime or extended paid maternity leave; a health plan with breast pump coverage; work site daycare; and provisions for breastfeeding/pumping at work.

Public places and other areas away from home, restaurants, malls, libraries, theatres, parks, places of worship, as well as sports and entertainment facilities, can be supportive by providing a clean and private area with comfortable seating for mothers to use when nursing and by having signage to welcome breastfeeding mothers to let them know special accommodations are available.

Breastfeeding friendly workplaces are also good for business, because breastfed babies are less likely to get sick throughout childhood and, as a result, their parent or guardian miss less work due to a child’s illness.

To nominate an employer, public place or other site outside the home for the awards, please visit the Breastfeeding Friendly Place Awards nomination page. Nominations will be accepted through May 31, 2023, and the awards will be announced during World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2023.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank- March Speaker Series

This event was held virtually on Tuesday, March 14, from 10-11 a.m. The webinar discussed the programs and services of the Food Bank, with an emphasis on new initiatives, such as:

• The Market (onsite food pantry at the Food Bank’s headquarters in Duquesne)
• Referral opportunities for neighbors that visit The Market
• Walk-in distributions
• The Partner Excellence Academy (online learning platform that increases organizational capacity and skill building on a variety of topics)
• Eight-part series of nutritional cooking videos that will be available for partners that highlight cooking with common items on the Food Bank’s inventory list

The recording can be found here.

Our next speaker series will be held on Tuesday, April 11, from 10-11 a.m. The speaker series is our launch for the Live Well Allegheny ReThink Your Drink Campaign. Register here.