Everything You Need to Know About WIC

I started working at Clinton County WIC in February of this year and every day I am so thankful to have a job that has such a huge impact on those in need. Women, Infants and Children, more commonly known as WIC, is a public health nutrition program that is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of WIC is to provide education and proper nutrition to mothers of babies up to 6 months old, mothers of breastfeeding babies up to 12 months old and infants/children up to age 5. The wonderful people of WIC work to help families develop healthier habits so that they can live longer, happier lives!

How do I enroll? Call your local WIC agency or go online to find one closest to you! To qualify for WIC in New York State you must:

• Live in NYS
• Meet income limits OR get benefits from Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF
• 
  Have a dietary need

What’s New in WIC? 

• No more checks! WIC benefits are now on EBT cards.
• WIC2GO mobile app helps you track benefits, check upcoming appointments, and scan WIC approved items in the store.

What Does WIC Provide?

• Nutrition Advice: 
• Nutritionist can help with healthy meal planning and answer any nutrition-related questions.
• Breastfeeding Support: 
• Trained breastfeeding experts and peer counselors are available for support and education.
• Breast pumps are available to moms who breastfeed.
• Nutritious Foods: 
• Milk, cheese, yogurt, fresh produce, 100% juice, whole grains, cereal, eggs, formula, baby food and much more.
• Referrals to Other Services:
• Breastfeeding Experts
• Well baby and child care
• Medicaid
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Family Planning
• Head Start
• Domestic Violence
• Stop Smoking
• Vaccinations
• Prenatal Care
• Substance abuse 

Our goal is to provide families with the resources and education to live happier and healthier lives. We work hard to support the families we see in every way we can. Call us today to see if you or your loved ones qualify 518-565-4830.

Emily Hutchins, RD, CDN, CLC

WIC Public Health Nutritionist

Division of Health Planning and Promotion 

Turkey, pie, stuffing, oh my!

Is everyone ready for cookies, pie, turkey, ham and stuffing? I know I am! My mouth is watering just thinking about all of my holiday favorites! What are some of yours?  It is such a magical time of year filled with laughter and creating memories with friends and loved ones, but uninvited guests can quickly ruin your plans. As we move into the holiday season it is important to keep food safety tips in mind to protect ourselves and loved ones from foodborne illness. Wouldn’t we all prefer to look back fondly with memories such as “Remember when Billy finally beat Uncle John at Monopoly last Thanksgiving?” instead of “Remember when we were all sick for days after Thanksgiving last year?”.

As you begin to plan your delicious menus keep in mind these 4 simple tips: 

1.   Wash your hands

This is important all year round, especially when preparing foods! Our hands carry a lot of germs that can contaminate the food that we touch and then serve to others. Wash your hands before you begin preparing food and every time they become dirty or after you have handled raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs.  Even if you are not sick you can still contaminate food with other germs. Speaking of sick - keep anyone who has been or is sick out of the kitchen! 

2. Avoid cross contamination

When preparing foods in your kitchen, be sure to keep “hazardous” foods (raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs) separate from the other “non-hazardous” foods in the kitchen (fresh fruits and vegetables, desserts, cheese, breads, anything “ready-to-eat”). “Hazardous” foods can carry pathogens that cause the classic food poisoning symptoms. To prevent contamination be sure to thoroughly wash and sanitize any utensils, knives, counter tops, cutting boards or equipment that have come into contact with “hazardous” foods and their juices before working with the “non-hazardous” foods. 

3.   Cook “hazardous” foods THOROUGHLY

In order to make the “hazardous” foods safe to eat we must kill the pathogens they might be carrying. Many pathogens found in our foods can be killed simply with thorough cooking. One of the best investments you can make in your kitchen is to purchase a food probe thermometer. This will take the guess work out of cooking. When cooking “hazardous” foods make sure that the INTERNAL temperature reaches:

•  165°F - Poultry, stuffed meats and stuffing containing meat
• 158°F – Ground Meats (beef, pork, veal, etc) 
•  150°F – Pork and foods containing pork 
• 145°F – Eggs and egg products 
• 140°F – All other potentially hazardous foods 
• 130°F – Rare roast beef and/or rare beef steaks

4.   Be Mindful of Leftovers

Refrigerate or freeze left overs within 2 hours of serving. This will help prevent the growth of new pathogens. Can you guess their favorite temperature for growth? You guessed it - room temperature or about 70°F.

We don’t have time to be sick during the holidays. By following these simple tips we can spend our time enjoying the festivities and each other’s company…and all that pie! Bon appetite!

Amanda Finckel

Public Health Sanitarian

Environmental Health & Safety Division

Hot Dog! (Beating the Heat this Summer)

After what seemed to be an endless, frigid winter it now seems silly to complain about being too hot. But here we are, just barely into the official dog days of summer and I am already sick of being a stuffy, sweaty, hot mess with hair that has a mind of its own! As hot days become more frequent stay cool, stay hydrated and stay informed!

Safety First

Heat safety is important no matter who you are, but the following groups should be extra cautious when the temperature rises: older adults (65+), infants & children, those with chronic conditions, those in low income areas, athletes, those who work outdoors, and our pets! Learn the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and check your local news for extreme heat alerts.

• Drink plenty of fluids before you are thirsty, no matter how active you are. As you sweat you will need to replenish the fluids your body has lost.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages or those high in sugar as they will cause you to lose more body fluid.
• Don’t forget about your pets! Make sure they have plenty of water, and leave it in a shady area to encourage them to take a break from the sun.

Beat the Heat

• Stay in air-conditioned areas as much as possible. Going stir crazy? Check out what’s happening at your public library or do some window shopping at the mall.

• Avoid hot and heavy meals. They add unnecessary heat to our bodies - not to mention the heat ovens and stoves give off!

• Limit outdoor activities to the times of the day that are typically cooler (i.e. early morning or evening).

• Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher before heading outside. Sunburns affect the body’s ability to cool itself down. “Broad Spectrum” sunscreens or those marked “UVA/UVB” work best.

• Choose lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.

#CheckForBaby

NEVER leave infants, children or pets inside a parked car! Even with the windows cracked a car will quickly heat up to dangerous temperatures. Remember to #checkforbaby!

• Leave one of your shoes in the back seat with baby. When you get out of the car you won’t get far before you realize you are missing a shoe!

• Leave a stuffed animal in the car seat. When you put baby in move it to the front seat where it is visible.

• Leave an item you won’t forget, such as your purse, wallet or cell phone in the back seat.

Wishing you and your family (both the two and four legged variety) a fun, memorable and safe summer!

Molly Flynn, Senior Public Health Educator

Division of Health Planning and Promotion