Health and Human Sciences

The Strengthening Families Program: For Parent and Youth 10-14 is an evidence-based program that can help prevent teen substance abuse and other behavior problems, strengthen parent/youth communication skills, increase academic success in youth, help teach youth skills for dealing with stress and peer pressure, prevent violence, and aggressive behavior at home and at school. Ranked as the #1 prevention program out of 6,000 analyzed by the World Health Organization, the Strengthening Families Program consists of 7, 2-hr. long classes comprising of youth, parent, and family sessions.

Session topics included:

• Love & Limits
• Dreams & Goals
• House Rules
• Appreciating Parents
• Encouraging Positive Behavior
• Dealing with Stress
• Following Rules & Using Consequences
• Peer Pressure

For more information, visit https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/extension/strengthening-families-program-for-parents-and-youth-10-14-post-editable/

Each year, about 659,000 people in the United States die from heart disease, that’s 1 of every 4 deaths (CDC)! Purdue Extension’s Be Heart Smart Program helps individuals learn information to prevent and reduce their risk of developing heart disease. Over the course of four lessons, participants will learn about the risk factors associated with heart disease, important numbers to know, heart-healthy eating, and how to make sustainable heart-healthy lifestyle changes.

Be Heart Smart cost $15 to attend. For more information, visit:  https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/extension/program6/

According to Gallup, only 1 in 3 Americans use a budget and 30% have a long-term financial plan involving savings and investments for the future. Where Does Your Money Go? Program is designed to help consumers better understand how to spend their money. Taught over two, one-hour sessions, participants learn about financial management practices such as needs vs wants, writing goals, tracking expenses, identifying spending leaks, and how to develop a spending-savings plan. Furthermore, program activities help participants increase their knowledge of money management practices that promote financial stability and adoption of new habits that can lead to financial control.

According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report 2020, 34.2 million Americans have diabetes and another 88 million have prediabetes (CDC). Furthermore, people who have diabetes are 2.3 more likely to have greater healthcare cost than people who don’t have diabetes.

The Dining with Diabetes Program is a designed to assist and support individuals who have diabetes as well as their families to help reduce the burden of diabetes by increasing knowledge of healthy foods, tips to prepare quick, healthy, and tasty foods, demonstrating proper cooking techniques, promoting physical activity, building confidence, and providing opportunities for participants to learn from one another.

The cost to attend Dining with Diabetes is $40 per individual or $65 per couple. To learn more about Dining with Diabetes, visit: https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/extension/programs-food-0/#dining-with-diabetes

Fourteen of us ladies went to the Spring District Meeting on March 19, 2024 in Spencer, IN. It was very nicely decorated & the food was very tasty. The “Silent Auction” made $1,080 and $318.50 was donated for the Angel Fund for Spencer School Children.
Left to Right:  Connie Dixon, Judy Haase, Vicky Haynes, Sue Merritt, Nelda Rowe, Jacqui Stanley, Mary Lou Voll, Ruth Ridener, Debbie Giffel, Janet Kleptz, Julia Reed, Judy Johnson, Sarah Gossett and Georgia Hunt.

The next Past Presidents meeting will be on Monday, April 15, 2024. Please note the date change. It was changed because of the “Solar Eclipse” on April 8, 2024. It will be held at Cobblestone Crossings Clubhouse at 11AM. The address is 1850 E. Howard Wayne Drive, Terre Haute, IN, 47802. The Clubhouse is behind the Health Campus building. Enter by the NORTH door and there will be a sign that says it is the Clubhouse. Please RSVP to Georgia Hunt (812-299-2838) by April 8, 2024, if you plan on being there. You can pay your dues of $2.00 then. Hostesses are Georgia Hunt, Jeanette Streeter and Janet Kleptz.

The Past Presidents Club is an honorary club to pay tribute to those who have served their club as president. 

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP 

EDUCATOR SPOTLIGHT 

Allergy Season is Early

It is the time for coughing, sniffling, and sneezing as people of all ages can be heard stating in frustration “It’s my allergies”. The noted symptoms above are sometimes accompanied by watering, red, swollen eyes, fatigue, and headaches. As the weather changes, plants, trees, grass, and weeds start to bloom and release pollen. This year allergy season is early because of the warm winter – the 9th warmest on record. The increase in pollen in the air builds up and causes an increase in people’s symptoms. Many have the seasonal symptoms without knowing much about allergies, though, or some ways they might be able to reduce the effects.

According to the National Institute for Health, allergies “are a sensitivity to things that are usually not harmful, such as pollen.” This causes a person’s body to react by producing antibodies to rid the body of the foreign substance.

Nearly 20 million American adults have been diagnosed with seasonal allergies or hay fever in the last year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and another 5 million children. These seasonal allergies are often just something people endure and accept. The National institute for Health (NIH) provides some ways individuals can try to manage their allergy in addition to the recommendations of their health care provider.   

Environmental. There are ways to control your environment that may help reduce allergy symptoms. Some are closing windows in home and car during high pollen count days, changing filters in vacuum and air conditioner regularly, wash hands after touching pets, change clothes after coming inside.

Nasal saline irrigation. There is some evidence that saline nasal irrigation (putting salt water into one nostril and draining it out the other) can be useful for modest improvement of allergy symptoms. Make sure to follow the instructions and use it properly.

Honey. Although, only a few studies have looked at the effects of honey on seasonal allergy symptoms, many people feel that eating honey reduces their allergies. At this time, there is no convincing evidence that honey provides symptom relief but eating honey is generally safe for people over the age of 1 year.

Probiotics. There is some evidence that suggests that probiotics may improve some symptoms, in people with seasonal allergies. Variations from study to study makes it difficult to know its effectiveness 

 Gail Wright

Extension Educator

Health & Human Sciences