Talking Health with the Clinton County Health Department

Ready or not: let’s talk emergency preparedness. If the phrase “emergency preparedness” makes you picture dusty flashlights, canned beans from 2009, and a very intimidating checklist… take a breath. It doesn’t have to be that deep. #EmergencyPreparednessMonth is less about panic and more about peace of mind. Think of it like adulting with snacks: a little planning now so future you can say, “good lookin’ out.” Because here’s the thing — emergencies aren’t always dramatic movie moments. Sometimes it’s just a power outage during dinner, a surprise snow day, or your Wi-Fi going down right before the big game (honestly, the horror). Being prepared simply means fewer headaches and faster “we’ve got this” vibes when life throws a curveball. The good news? You don’t need a bunker or a week’s worth of freeze-dried lasagna. This month, we’re keeping it simple and practical. Our expert is Mark Lafountain. He has been in the Emergency Preparedness field for more than 30 years and serves at C...

Every five years or so, a fresh version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is released— with pages of charts, serving sizes, percentages, and phrases like “nutrient-dense foods” that sound vaguely like something a spaceship would run on. And if you’ve ever opened the document (or even skimmed an article about it), you might’ve thought: Cool… but what does this mean for Taco Tuesday? Most of us aren’t calculating our legume intake or optimizing our omega-3 ratios. We’re just trying to figure out what to make for dinner that’s affordable, tastes good, and doesn’t require a PhD in quinoa. So what do these guidelines actually mean for regular people with busy schedules, snack cravings, and a deep emotional attachment to pasta? That’s where this month’s expert comes in. Emily Hutchins is a Registered Dietitian (RD) with Hudson Headwaters Health Network. She will help us dissect what the new recommendations say, how they compare to the old ones, and what RD’s are recommending. Emil...

Let’s be honest — living with a chronic condition can feel like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle. Some days, you’re cruising; other days, you’re just trying not to fall off. But here’s the thing: life with a chronic illness isn’t just about symptoms and doctor visits — it’s about finding creative ways to live fully, laugh often, and celebrate the small wins (like actually remembering to take your meds on time). Now ‘chronic’ may mean long-lasting, but longer doesn’t have to mean worse. With the right mix of medical care, self-awareness, and flexibility, living with a chronic illness can become less about “just getting by” and more about finding what works for you. It’s about learning to adapt — balancing treatments, routines, and flare-ups while still enjoying life’s good stuff: laughter, connection, and the occasional lazy day in pajamas. In this month’s blog, we are talking to Tammy Collins, a local peer leader for the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program . Ta...

Let’s be real—riding a bike is awesome. Wind in your hair, sun on your face, and that satisfying “whoosh” as you cruise past traffic like a two-wheeled superhero. But even superheroes need a safety plan (just ask anyone who’s ever taken a tumble trying to show off). Whether you're a weekend cruiser, a daily commuter, or a trail-blazing adventurer, bike safety isn’t just important—it’s the key to keeping your ride smooth and your body free of bruises. This month we have enlisted the help of Erin Pangborn, Youth Services Recreation Director for the Town of Plattsburgh. Erin has worked for the Town of Plattsburgh Parks and Recreation Department for 15 years and has spearheaded the Bike Block Party for the past 5 years. Ready to gear up and learn how to ride safe as a family? Let’s roll! Erin, lets start with the bike itself. How do I know my child has the right one and that I’m not going to end up with a grumpy kid and a broken chain on the side of the road? You want to make sure ...

We get it. The topic of STIs ( sexually transmitted infections ) is often something we’d rather avoid. It can be as awkward as a bumble date where they looked nothing like their picture. But the reality is, STIs are far more common than we think, and getting informed is the best way to protect ourselves and others. Whether you’re in a committed relationship, casually dating, or in a situationship, understanding STIs is an important part of taking care of your health. To help us dive in, we have Nichole Louis, Director of Health Care Services at CCHD. Nichole has been a registered nurse for over 25 years and has led CCHD’s communicable disease investigation team for the past 9 years. When a Clinton County resident tests positive for an STI, Nichole’s team connects with their provider to ensure anyone exposed can be tested and/or treated early and the risk of further spread is eliminated. Nichole, I know they can often be silent – or show no symptoms, but when it comes to STI’s what s...

Every second, of every day, an older adult falls. Falls are the leading cause of injuries (both fatal and nonfatal) for older adults. As an elder-millennial – my mind can’t help but go to “help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” . While not all falls are a LifeAlert© emergency, we want to do everything we can to avoid even minor falls. Falls, with or without injury, can alter someone’s quality of life or even make them more likely to experience another fall. Which makes taking steps to reduce the risk of a fall extremely important. This month, we are talking to Rachel Pierce, Public Health Sanitarian with CCHD’s Healthy Neighborhoods Program about ways to change someone’s home environment to make daily activities easier, reduce accidents (including falls), and support independent living. Rachel, we often think of age as the only factor that can increase someone’s risk of a fall, but what else can play a roll? You’re right, age is a factor that can increase someone’s risk of a fall, bu...

The worst part about being an adult has to be the endless cycle of meal planning, shopping, preparing and cleaning up after preparing meals. I had no idea I would spend so much of my adult life thinking about what my family was going to eat. Add in the cost of food and it’s enough to keep you up at night. Did you know Clinton County’s food insecurity rate was almost 12% in 2020? And think about how much the cost of living has changed since then. Nutrition security means having consistent and equitable access to healthy foods, having them available in our stores, having them be affordable to us and knowing what to do with them. If our family is missing even one of those pieces, it can make us food or nutrition insecure. CCHD is working with local partners to try and combat the roadblocks our families face every day while trying to feed their families. In 2022, we created a Food Action Plan with local partners to set goals, priorities, actions and strategies intended to strengthen the l...

 Like many of you, each day articles pop up on my social media feed referring to a ‘crisis’, a ‘problem’ or an ‘epidemic’ surrounding the use of opioids. But is what I see portrayed on the news or social media really what is happening here where I live? It’s common for us North Country folk to see statistics from New York City, Buffalo or Rochester referred to as ‘New York’ – but where we live is so different than those cities, it makes it hard to gauge how serious it really is. This month, we have enlisted the help of Carrie Coryer to help us better understand what this problem looks like in our community, and more importantly, what we can do to help. Carrie is the Harm Reduction Program Manager for the Alliance for Positive Health and works with individuals struggling with addiction each day to help guide them through the recovery process and break down the barriers they may have to achieve that success.  Carrie, growing up here I have always heard that drugs were a probl...