Resources for healthy lifestyles

Westchester County wants you to be healthy. Whether you're a current employee or one of our retirees, there are things – big and small –  you can do to live a healthier lifestyle and live longer. And we want to help.

We have brought together numerous resources for you, including an online wellness center and monthly newsletter that address timely health-related topics.

And we have initiated new programs -- to help you lose weight and now to help you stop smoking.

The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not take the place of professional medical advice.

• Online Wellness Center: Make healthy lifestyle choices by using this one-stop source for health, wellness, disease prevention information and family safety tips. You’ll find hundreds of articles organized into 32 health center sections.

• WellNotes Monthly Newsletter: Read articles on health topics currently in the news, recommendations to help people stay healthy, and links to even more information – either on the web or as a PDF handout – about living a healthy lifestyle.
  
  

  2009		January	February	March	April	May	June
  		July	August	September	October	November
  2008		June	July	August	September	October	November	December

• American Cancer Society Smoking Cessation Program: Beginning Aug. 1, 2008, the American Cancer Society will offer eligible employees, retirees and their families Westchester County Quitline, a free smoking cessation program. This telephone-based program consists of five counseling sessions and a nicotine replacement therapy. There is no cost to you for participating in this program. Statistically people who participate in a telephone-based counseling program double their chances of quitting smoking as opposed to those who attempt to quit on their own. Call (877) 271-QUIT (7848) and provide your POMCO ID number. For questions, call the Employee Benefits Office at (914) 995-4715. We urge you to make this phone call if you want to quite smoking. It could be the first step to a healthier life. For additional information about all forms of cancer, visit the American Cancer Society Web site.
  
  Put Money Back in your Wallet
  We all know that smoking causes a range of health problems, but have you thought much about the impact on your wallet?  Beginning April 1, the Federal Tobacco Tax Increase added another 62 cents to the price of each pack of cigarettes.  This tax increase and the current economy may be just the extra motivation you need to finally quit for good. According to the Coalition for Tobacco Free Kids, a pack-a-day smoker, on average, will spend $1,808 on cigarettes each year. You can calculate just how much you already spend on cigarettes without the tobacco tax increase.
   
  Beyond the extra savings on cigarettes, quitting smoking could also save you the cost of breath mints, cough drops and cleaning expenses for your clothes, home and car. On top of these savings, you and your family will benefit even more over time as you avoid the many medical costs from doctor visits and medications associated with the diseases and other health issues caused by smoking or by exposure to secondhand smoke.
  
  It takes the average person 7-10 quit attempts to quit for good, but you can beat the odds by using the American Cancer Society Quitline® your employer offers free of charge to eligible employees, spouses, dependents & domestic partners. This confidential service provides a choice of services including individual telephone counseling to help you develop a quit plan that can double your chances of quitting for good. When you enroll in counseling eligible participants can also receive up to eight weeks of free nicotine replacement medication like the patch, gum or lozenge. Put your money back in your wallet! Call (877) 271-7848 (QUIT) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to enroll today.

• Weight Watchers at Work:  POMCO helped sponsor this 17-week in-house program. It was very successful with a total weight loss of more than a ton and a half for 450 employees reported after 10 weeks. Westchester County wants to encourage employees to achieve a healthy weight and will continue to allow Weight Watchers to hold meetings at the various county locations with employees paying the full cost of the program. For additional information on continuing Weight Watchers at Work, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or call her at 995-2757.

• It’s My Health Care: Learn to take charge of your health care. Get valuable tips and tools to prepare for your medical visits.

• Healthy Lifestyles: Learn about everything from smoking and asthma to obesity and diabetes, healthy heart and cancer, stop smoking, detect cancer early, fight obesity and diabetes. Learn about STDs and AIDS, steroids, hand washing.

• Be Fit: The Be Fit program can give you all sorts of tips about programs to beat obesity and encourage good nutrition.

• Exercise and Activities: There’s always something to do in Westchester. Check out the county parks and all they offer, as well as Bicycle Sundays, golf courses, hiking and biking trails, swimming pools, etc.

• Employee Assistance Program: Employees of  Westchester County and various municipalities can get assessment and referrals for alcohol and substance abuse, family issues, financial counseling, health and wellness, mental health services and stress management.

• Depression Support Network: If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, the most important thing to do is to get educated about the illness so you can make the right decisions. The Department of Community Mental Health has established a special phone line to give out information and make referrals to treatment providers if needed.
  
  
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: This site offers publications on a variety of health topics including asthma, cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and physical activity.
  
  
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease: This site contains health education programs related to diabetes and weight control.
  
  
• National High Blood Pressure Education Program: This site contains resources to help people control their blood pressure.
  
  
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: This site contains valuble information on nutrition including a dietary assessment tool and a food guide pyramid which illustrates healthy food choices.
  
  
• Office on Women's Health: Free women's health information on more than 800 topics including the importance of prenatal care.