Health and Wellness
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Health
The Importance of Sleep |
Approximately 31% of Montanans report not getting enough sleep. This statistic is worrisome, since getting enough quality sleep every night helps to maintain and improve health. |
Resistance Train to Prevent Muscle Loss |
When it comes to muscle: use it, lose it or build it! |
Sleep: It's Health Benefits, How Much You Need, and Strategies to Get more (pdf) |
Sleep is essential to physical and mental health, as it helps our bodies and minds recover and rejuvenate from the stressors of everyday life. As a result, when we sleep well, research suggests that we are more energetic, happier, and able to better concentrate. Everyone, from children to adults, can benefit from getting better sleep. |
Physical Activity: Different Types, How Much is Needed and Health Benefits (pdf) |
Did you know physical activity can give immediate health benefits? Just one physical
activity session can help boost mood, reduce stress, sharpen focus and improve sleep.
In addition to the many immediate health benefits, over time, physical activity can also help people live a longer, happier, and healthier life |
Aerobic Muscle and Bone Strengthing: What Counts for School Aged Children and Adolescents? |
Children and adolescents need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Include activities that make their hearts beat faster, build muscles (like climbing or doing push-ups), and strengthen bones (like running or jumping). |
Prescription Opioid Use and Misuse in Montana (pdf) |
Did you know that 52% of rural Montanans over the age of 45 know someone who has misused prescription opioids to the extent that it affected their life? To help decrease the rate at which the prescription opioid crisis is affecting Montanans, learn about the facts, signs of misuse and overdose, and some ways to protect yourself, family and friends. |
| Safe Opioid Use | Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by your health care provider. However, people who take opioids are at risk for opioid dependence, addiction, and overdose. |
Nutrition
Outdoor Food Safety |
Outdoor cooking is fun whether on a camping trip, in the backyard or tailgating. It also brings people together to cook, eat and enjoy being in the great outdoors. No matter the season when cooking outdoors, it is important to be mindful of food safety and protect friends and family from foodborne illness. |
Food Behaviors of Children in Foster or Kinship Care: Supporting Nutritional Needs |
Children in foster or kin care have often encountered their own challenging life circumstances that can be linked to risky food behaviors. For example, children in foster or kin care are more likely to have experienced household food insecurity or their home did not have enough access to quality and nutritious foods. |
Home Food Safety Savvy (pdf) |
People find little time to pay attention to food safety, but it is important to learn good habits in the kitchen and in food preparation hygiene. |
Collecting and Identifying Fungi and Mushrooms |
This guide can help to determine the best way to collect mushrooms to send for analysis at Shutter Diagnostic Lab. It also contains sections on basic fungal biology, mushroom safety, and common fungi found in Montana. |
Eat Right - Make Resolutions Stick |
Model healthful lifestyle and eating habits for your family. Leading by example is a great way to encourage and provide family support. Here are just a few ideas to get your started. |
Keeping Infants Safe During Formula Shortage |
The ongoing infant formula shortage due to supply chain issues, which worsened due to a major formula recall in February, has left many caregivers feeling concerned and anxious about their options for safely feeding their infants. |
Food Safety During a Power Outage |
Refrigerated Food and Power Outages: When to Save It and When to Throw It Out. |
Cooking Conversions (pdf) |
Cooking Basics: Equivalent Measures, Terms, and Substitutions |
Buying Local Meat in Montana: Consumer Options |
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in purchasing local meat products. Consumers seek local products at grocers, restaurants, farmer’s markets, and directly from farmers and ranchers. |
Food Preservation Safety |
Courses and resources for your home or business to help ensure food is prepared, stored, and served safely. |
Freezing Vegetables |
Freezing is a convenient method for preserving foods at home. Frozen foods will maintain most of their nutritional value and fresh flavor if frozen properly. |
Caffeine Intake: How Much to Actually Consume |
Enjoy a hot mug of coffee or caffeinated tea as part of the morning routine or as a way to help wake up and start the day? Do you continue to drink energy drinks or soda throughout the day to stay motivated and beat post-lunch sleepiness? If this sounds familiar, how much caffeine are you having, and is this something to worry about? |
Drying Fruits |
Drying food is simple, easy to learn and yields foods that are tasty and nutritious. The purpose of drying is to remove enough water from the food so that bacteria, yeast and molds cannot grow to harmful amounts, causing food poisoning and spoilage. |
Drying Vegetables |
Drying food is simple, easy to learn and yields foods that are tasty and nutritious. The purpose of drying is to remove enough water from the food so that bacteria, yeast and molds cannot grow to harmful amounts, causing food poisoning and spoilage. |
Safety
Poison Control and Prevention - MTDPHHS |
1-800-222-1222. This number will be patched to the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center for calls made from Montana, or the nearest Poison Help Center near you, when calling outside of Montana. |
Hunting in Grizzly Country |
Grizzly bear populations across Montana are rapidly growing and expanding into historic ranges. This expansion increases the likelihood of human-bear conflict, especially during hunting season, because while there are many well-documented safety practices for recreating in grizzly country, being visible and making as much noise as possible isn’t the best approach for a hunter. |
Identifying Montana Plants that Cause Skin Irritation (pdf) |
Whether in the yard, in the woods, or on the river, a run-in with an itchy plant can put a damper on the day or even the week. Read on to learn about identification of common rash-causing plants in Montana, and some best practices for avoiding contact. |
Flood Preparedness in Montana |
As spring approaches, Montanans living near waterways can take a few steps to brace themselves for flooding. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, be self-reliant, and know when and where high-water spring flooding typically occurs. |
Outfitting a First Aid for a Trail or Vehicle and What to Consider |
“What should we carry in our first aid kit?” This is a common question asked of EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), search and rescue team members, and outdoor professionals. This may seem straightforward, but the answer is always, “It depends.” Plenty of over-the-counter first aid kits fill many needs, but a kit can also be tailored to specific uses. A well-planned kit will have what you need and eliminate unnecessary items. |
Disaster Preparedness Plan For You and Your Family |
Create a disaster preparedness plan for you and your family with these tools provided by the Red Cross. |
Identifying Montana Plants That Cause Skin Irritation |
Summer is the time of year when people want to enjoy the outdoors in whatever way suits them. Whether in the yard, in the woods, or on the river, a run-in with an itchy plant can put a damper on the day or even the week. Read on to learn about identification of common rash-causing plants in Montana, and some best practices for avoiding contact. |
Winter Safety Tips (pdf) |
Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. |
Avalanche Safety |
Winter backcountry recreation is increasing here in Montana and the dangers of an avalanche affect everyone in the backcountry. This includes skiers, snowmobilers, hunters and snowshoers. |
Winter Driving Emergency Kit |
As winter approaches, drivers should equip their vehicle with an emergency kit in the event they get stuck on one of Montana’s many remote roadways. |
Gas Appliances and Your Health (pdf) |
Many Montana homes have furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers and cook ranges/ovens that use propane or natural gas as the fuel. While these appliances are safe, these precautionary steps must be taken by the consumer to assure they remain that way throughout their life |
Articles and Useful Links
Caregiving: When Our Parents Need Our Help |
Most adult children do not initially see themselves as caregivers, and aging parents often do not see themselves as needing care. Often this changes gradually, starting with small acts of assistance. |
Montana Alzheimer's and Dementia |
Dementia affects all Montanans. The Montana Alzheimer's and Dementia State Plan website provides valuable resources for caregivers and loved ones of those suffering from Alzheimer's or Dementia. |
Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Packet |
MSU Extension resources for caregivers and others concerned about memory loss. |
Visit the MSU MontGuide Page for additional resources on Health and Wellness.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cody Stone, Executive Director of Extension, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717