November 2011
Volume 6 Issue 11
In This Issue:
 American Diabetes Month
 Great American Smokeout
 Party Policies: What you
should know about buffet
& potluck holiday food
safety
 Healthy Recipe: Honey
Mustard-Whipped Sweet
Potatoes
Wondering how you can
use this newsletter? Feel
free to post in the staff
break room, incorporate
into your school, church
or agency newsletter,
make it part of your
wellness program or send
it out via email to your
friends and family. Use
the newsletter in its
entirety or cut and paste
articles of interest into
your current
communications.
Email:
mix.laura@co.olmsted.mn.us
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
www.co.olmsted.mn.us
*County Departments
*Public Health Services
*Healthy Communities
*In Good Health
Newsletters
In Good Health
A Health and Wellness Newsletter
American Diabetes Month
Nearly 26 million children and adults have diabetes in the
United States. In Olmsted County, 6.2% of adults have been
diagnosed with diabetes according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An additional 79
million Americans are at high risk for developing type 2
diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that
the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United
States is $174 billion. Further published studies suggest that
when additional costs for gestational diabetes, prediabetes
and undiagnosed diabetes are included, the total diabetesrelated costs in the U.S. could exceed $218 billion.
Diabetes is a serious disease. If it isn’t managed, it can
damage many parts of the body, leading to heart attacks,
strokes, amputation, blindness, kidney failure and nerve
damage. But there is good news: diabetes complications
can be prevented or delayed by properly managing blood
glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Eating
healthy, being physically active and quitting smoking also
can help lower the risk of diabetes complications.
November Health
Observances:
American Diabetes Month
Drowsy Driving Prevention
Week – November 6th-12th
Great American Smokeout –
November 17th
Hunger and Homelessness
Awareness Week –
November 12th-20th
Recent estimates project that as many as one in three
American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take
steps to Stop Diabetes. We need to rally together, raise our
hands, and pledge to end a disease which puts a serious
emotional, physical and economic toll on all those affected.
For more information visit stopdiabetes.com.
Great American Smokeout
The American Cancer Society is marking the 36th Great American Smokeout on November 17 by
encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit
smoking that day. By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life –
one that can lead to reducing cancer risk. Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done. To
have the best chance of quitting successfully, you need to know what you're up against, what
your options are, and where to go for help.
Resources to Help You Quit:
Nicotine Anonymous: http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/
QuitPlan: https://www.quitplan.com/
American Cancer Society’s Guide to Quit Smoking:
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002971-pdf.pdf
Source: include if relevant
Olmsted County Public Health Services 2100 Campus Dr. SE Rochester, MN 55904 PHONE: (507) 328-7500 FAX: (507) 328-7501
GET ACTIVE
Party Policies
What you should know about buffet
and potluck holiday food safety.
Do you remember
participating in the
Presidential Fitness
Challenge while in school?
Guess what!?!? Adults can
do it now too!
Just go to:
http://www.presidentschallenge.org
Health Tip of the Month:
Wash your hands to stop the
spread of germs!
A popular way to celebrate holidays or any
party occasion is to invite friends and family
to a buffet. However, this type of food
service where foods are left out for long
periods leave the door open for uninvited
guests — bacteria that cause foodborne
illness. Festive times for giving and sharing
should not include sharing foodborne illness.
Here are some to help you have a SAFE
holiday party.
- Safe Food Handling
Always wash your hands before and after handling food. Keep your kitchen, dishes and utensils clean also.
Always serve food on clean plates — not those previously holding raw meat and poultry.
- Cook Thoroughly
If you are cooking foods ahead of time for your party, be sure to cook foods thoroughly to safe minimum
internal temperatures.



Not only can you do a
variety of fitness tests, but
you can also participate
in a fitness challenge and
go for the GOLD!
Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature
of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F as measured with
a food thermometer.
Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food
thermometer.
-Use Shallow Containers
Divide cooked foods into shallow containers to store in the refrigerator or freezer until serving. This encourages
rapid, even cooling. Reheat hot foods to 165 °F. Arrange and serve food on several small platters rather than on
one large platter. Keep the rest of the food hot in the oven (set at 200-250 °F) or cold in the refrigerator until
serving time.
- The Two-Hour Rule
Foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
- Keep Hot Foods HOT and Cold Foods COLD
Hot foods should be held at 140 °F or warmer. Cold foods should be held at 40 °F or colder.
Honey Mustard-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon margarine
½ cup sliced onionSource:
include if relevant
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 ½
lbs)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
Melt margarine in a large saucepan over
medium heat. Add onion and sweet potatoes;
sauté 5 minutes. Add mustard and remaining
ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce
heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until sweet
potatoes are very tender. Place sweet potato
mixture in a food processor; process until
smooth.
Nutritional Information:
Calories per serving: 198; Fat: 4 grams;
Protein: 3.1 grams; Carbohydrate: 38.3 grams;
Fiber: 4.3 grams; Sodium: 187 mg
Source: Cooking Light Magazine
Olmsted County Public Health Services 2100 Campus Dr. SE Rochester, MN 55904 PHONE: (507) 328-7500 FAX: (507) 328-7501