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Welcome to
Healthy South Dakota.gov!

This website was created to help South Dakotans become more physically active and eat healthier foods. Come back often for more credible health information and inspiration to “Live Better. Grow Stronger.“

Healthy SD News Releases

Exercise: a no-cost prescription for health

State releases first nutrition, physical activity plan

The first comprehensive plan to increase healthy eating and physical activity as ways to reduce overweight and obesity and their subsequent risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes, was released in early 2006.

Partners signed on to take leadership roles in implementing this plan but additional organizations, communities, and individuals are needed to carry it out and reduce overweight and obesity in South Dakota. To view the full plan click here. To view additional updates click on 2006 summary update, 2007 summary update, or 2007 full update.

Graphic standards for using Healthy South Dakota logo

Personal health journal

HealthySD offers a Personal Health Journal you can use to set personal nutrition and physical activity goals and to track your progress. It can help you calculate your specific caloric needs, keep track of calories eaten each day, and journal your thoughts as you live better and grow stronger. Click here to check it out.

Portion control in front of the TV

When snacking while watching TV, put the amount you plan to eat into a bowl or container instead of eating straight from the package. It is easy to overeat when your attention is focused on the TV.

Golf stretches for a more fluid swing! (Mayo Clinic)

MyPyramid guidelines

woman drinking waterDrink Water in Sodabriety Challenge

The Sodabriety Healthy Challenge runs May 1-31 and you can still sign-up to improve your health and have a little fun! This challenge encourages decreasing intake of sweetened beverages.  Sweetened beverages are the main source of sugar in the American diet and can lead to unwanted weight gain and tooth decay. 

The Sodabriety challenge will count water intake.  South Dakotans can participate either on teams or as individuals. Get your team of friends, family, or co-workers together. 

Sodabriety participants will receive a Healthy SD water bottle to help them drink more water--a healthy, non-sweetened beverage.  Be sure to drink other healthy beverages also. Ten randomly selected participants will receive a prize at the end of the challenge.  

For more information and to sign-up, click here.

Osteoporosis Prevention Month

    May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Osteoporosis is bone thinning disease that happens silently but it is preventable! There are no warning signs but in its advanced stages, bones break easily.

     Start early to prevent this from happening to you. Good bone health is a lifelong process. Take steps now to help all of your family members build good bones. The process begins in childhood and nearly half of all bone is formed during the teen years but it is never too late to take steps for strong healthy bones. Here is what you need to do to keep your bones strong and prevent osteoporosis:

  • Eat at least three dairy foods a day. For an adults a serving could be 1 cup of yogurt, pudding, milk, ice cream or homemade macaroni and cheese or 1½ oz. of natural cheese or 2 oz. of processed cheese or a 10 oz. milkshake.

  • Get moving. Regular exercise like walking, dancing and aerobics makes bones stronger. Exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times a week.

  • Learn more.

Workplace Wellness Surveys Underway

Healthy South Dakota wants to hear from South Dakota businesses about what help they need to create wellness programs. Check the workplace tab and log in to a secure site to complete surveys about wellness programming and learn more.

TRAIL TIME: Each month watch for a South Dakota trail you can walk or bike.
Farm Island Nature Exploration Trail  – 3 mile loop trail – central SD near Pierre - 26 warbler species recorded - peak migration in early May.

walking shoewalking shoewalking shoewalking shoewalking shoewalking shoe

2008 South Dakota Mile Pins Available

SD Mile Pin If your community, workplace or organization is sponsoring a walk or promoting a walking club the South Dakota Department of Health would like to support your efforts.  SD Mile pins are available free of charge while they last.  This is the sixth year the pins have been made available by the

Department of Health.  You can order pins by emailing Betty.Harter@state.sd.us with your name, how many pins you will need, how the pins will be used and a shipping address. 

The Department of Health exercises no control over the content of outside sites linked on www.HealthySD.gov and provides the links for informational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for medical care.

Work, live, and play--tobacco free

Click here to learn what tobacco-free options are available for your family and to learn how being tobacco-free is good for your business.

Looking for help quitting tobacco?

The South Dakota QuitLine can help with free telephone coaching and discounted medication and information about local cessation programs.

Fit From the Start campaign

Obesity in SD: A Clinical Toolkit for Providers

Go, slow and whoa foods

Free menu plans

Half the work of fixing family meals is planning. Would you like some free help with menu plans for two weeks? The menus have variety, color and texture as well as enticing aromas that will call your family to the table. The menus are based on the 2000 calorie MyPyramid eating plan. The East Smart Play Hard ™ Healthy Lifestyle web site has this and more. It also provides tools for healthy living. Check it out!

Raisin facts

National Raisin Week is in May. What are the health benefits of raisins?

  • Cholesterol free

  • Low in sodium

  • Totally fat free

  • Provide vitamins & minerals including iron, potassium, calcium and certain B vitamins

  • Good source of fiber

  • Rich in antioxidants

  • 70% pure fructose which is easily digested for quick energy

  • 1/4 cup of raisins has 130 calories

Energy drinks 

What are energy drinks? What do they contain? Do they do what they say they will do? How do they affect us? Are they good for us? Find out!

Small steps change for the month

Each month watch for a new small step you can take to a healthier lifestyle, a healthier you!

  • Don't like the taste of milk? Try a flavored low-fat or fat-free milk, such as chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. Flavored milk has just as much calcium as plain.