Family Health

Why stay away from salt? Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure (hypertension). It also increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Westchester County, New York State and the U.S.

If I’m not adding salt to my food, where does the salt come from?
Most of the salt we eat comes from packaged, processed store-bought food and restaurant meals – especially fast food. A quarter-pound cheeseburger with fries has 1,350 mg of salt, or 60 percent of your daily allotment. A bacon, egg and cheese sandwich has 1,250 mg of sodium, or more than half your daily recommended limit.

While it's best to limit your consumption of fast food, it's important to know that many other "healthier" foods can contain a surprising amount of salt too. For instance, a half-cup of cottage cheese has 400 mg of sodium, or 17 percent of your daily total. Four slices of turkey breast have 1,360 mg of sodium, or 60 percent of your daily limit.

How can I cut back on salt but keep my foods flavorful?

• To cut down on your salt consumption, eat more fresh and home-cooked food, less fast food and fewer processed or prepared foods.
• When cooking, add herbs and spices to boost flavor instead of sprinkling on salt.
• Read food labels when you’re shopping. Sodium can be listed as either salt, sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium nitrate or nitrite and sodium benzoate.
• Choose foods with the lowest percent Daily Value per serving of sodium.
• Try to avoid foods with 20 percent or more sodium per serving.

How much salt is okay?
Most people should consume less than one teaspoon or 2,300 mg of sodium a day. People with hypertension, African-Americans and middle-aged or older adults should consume less than 2/3 teaspoon a day, or less than 1,500 mg of sodium.

For further reading:

• Use the Nutrition Facts Label to Reduce Sodium in Your Diet (FDA)
• Salt (CDC)

Being active is good for both your mind and body. Regular physical activity helps fight chronic diseases, control weight, boost energy and improve mood. Even small amounts of physical activity add up and there are many simple ways to work exercise into your daily routine.

Ready to get started? We’ve got you covered with the tips below. Be sure to talk with your health care provider
before beginning any exercise program.

Easy Ways to Add Exercise to Your Day
Take the stairs: Pass up the elevator and climb the stairs. Don’t worry about how fast you’re moving; go at your own pace. Make it a regular habit and before long, you’ll have forgotten that you used to get winded.

Ditch the car: Whenever possible, walk to your destination instead of driving. If you have to take the car, park further away to get some walking time in.

Pump up your jam: Blast your favorite song and dance. Dancing is a great cardiovascular activity and you’ll be having so much fun grooving to the beat that you won’t even remember that you are exercising.

Take It Up a Notch
Break for exercise: Make a conscious decision to get out of your seat several times a day for some physical activity. Take a brisk walk, run up and down a few flights of stairs or do some jumping jacks.

Act like a kid again: Remember all those activities you did for fun as a kid? Revisit them and get your heart pumping! Jump rope for 10 to 15 minutes, bike ride around your neighborhood a few times or shoot some hoops at the park. Each of these activities has great cardiovascular benefits.

Do your chores: Tackle those tasks around the house that you’ve been putting off and you’ll not only cross things off your to do list, you’ll also burn some calories. Rake leaves for 30 minutes, weed the garden for 45 minutes or wash the floors and windows for an hour.

Smart Tip
The same smartphone that keeps you sitting down can also inspire you to get up and move. Free fitness apps are available for all fitness levels. Download ones that match your ability and get moving today!

Burn Those Calories
Kick start your heart: Instead of a brisk walk, try jogging. You can alternate between walking and jogging if you need to at first. Swap some of your jumping jacks out for burpees or squat jumps. Increase the distance and speed of your bike rides.

The more the merrier: Try a group exercise class or grab a friend and do a work out video. If you can’t join a gym to take classes, check out your local parks department. Many offer low cost fitness classes for residents. You can also download free exercise apps and videos online, or rent workout DVDs from the library.

Get strong: Include resistance training in your routine to strengthen and tone your muscles.
Find a good beginner program and start out using light dumbbells or resistance bands. There are also many strength exercises that you can do using just your bodyweight, like push-ups, planks and tricep dips.

Check out these videos on physical activity basics and proper form for strength training exercises. 

Resources for a healthy start:

• 3 Kinds of Exercise That Boost Heart Health (John Hopkins Medicine)
• Physical Activity for everyone (CDC)
• Move Your Way 

Seasonal Flu
Each year in the U.S., more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu complications. People most at risk for complications from the flu include  pregnant women, adults age 50 and older, children under the age of five and their caregivers, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and anyone who has certain underlying medical conditions. 

COVID-19 and Flu Treatments Locator

• Find COVID-19 and Flu Medications (HHS) The locator displays pharmacies, clinics, and other locations with safe and effective COVID-19 and flu medications. These medications require a prescription from a healthcare provider. Please note that COVID-19 and flu medications may also be available at additional locations not shown on this locator.

Seasonal Flu Information for Children and Adolescents:

• Influenza and benefits of Influenza vaccination educational materials (NYSDOH)
• Flu (Influenza) Information for Child-Care Providers and Schools (NYSDOH)
• Flu (Influenza) Information (CDC)

Respiratory Viruses

• In-Season Estimates for Respiratory Viruses (CDC)

Help prevent the spread of the flu by following the Four "C"s.

• Contact: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, keep your distance from others to prevent them from getting sick. Equally important is avoiding contact with your eyes, nose and mouth since the virus spreads by entering the mucous membranes in these areas.
• Contain: If you are sick, stay home from work, school and public areas. If you had a fever, stay home until 24 hours after your fever subsides to avoid spreading your germs.
• Cover: To prevent spreading the flu, cough or sneeze into your elbow or cover your nose and mouth with a tissue. Since you may be contagious even before you realize you are sick, it is important to make this habit routine.
• Clean: Clean your hands in warm soapy water often. Hand washing is one of the most effective, yet overlooked ways of preventing the spread of illness. Also, be sure to clean surfaces you touch frequently, such as doorknobs, water faucets, refrigerator handles and telephones.

Where can I go to get a flu vaccine?
Use the Vaccine Finder Tool to locate flu vaccines in your area. Flu shots are available for a fee from many area pharmacists, medical offices and neighborhood health centers . Residents should check with their health care provider or a local pharmacy chain. 

Also, you can try one of the local neighborhood health centers listed below. Be sure to call ahead to find out if they have vaccine in stock. 

Westchester Community Health Centers
Mount Vernon 
107 West Fourth Street,
Mount Vernon, New York 10550
Phone: (914) 699-7200

Yonkers
30 South Broadway,
Yonkers, New York 10701
Phone: (914) 968-4898

Greenburgh
295 Knollwood Road,
Greenburgh, New York 10607
Phone: (914) 989-7600

Sun River Health
New Rochelle
14 Lawton Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801
For an appointment call: (855) 681-8700

White Plains
360 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605
For an appointment call: (855) 681-8700

Peekskill
1037 Main Street, Peekskill, NY 10566
For an appointment call: (914) 734-8800

Yonkers - Park Care 
2 Park Ave, Yonkers, NY 10703
For an appointment call: (914)964-7862

Yonkers - Valentine Lane 
503 South Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10705
For an appointment call: (914)965-9771

Open Door Family Medical Centers
Mamaroneck Open Door
689 Mamaroneck Avenue 
Mamaroneck, NY. 10543
Phone: (914) 732-0233

Mt. Kisco Open Door
30 West Main Street
Mt. Kisco, New York 10549
Phone: (914) 666-3272

Ossining Open Door
165 Main Street
Ossining, NY  10562
Phone: (914) 941-1263

Port Chester Open Door
5 Grace Church Street
Port Chester, NY  10573
Phone: (914) 937-8899

Sleepy Hollow Open Door
300 North Broadway
Sleepy Hollow, NY  10591
Phone: (914) 631-4141

What do I need to know about the flu vaccine?
It’s recommended for everyone six months of age and older, according to the the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

And flu shots are especially recommended for:

• Pregnant women
• Children age five and under
• People age 50 and older
• People with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and long-term care facilities
• Health care workers or others who care for those at high risk for flu complications

While the flu shot is a good idea for most people, you should always check with your health care provider first, especially if you have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccine or have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome within six weeks of getting a flu vaccine. Anyone with a moderate to severe illness with a fever should wait until they have recovered to get vaccinated.

News Update:
The Department of Health is providing guidance on two (2) main changes that impact NY State of Health enrollees.

1. The first change directly impacts the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) population and their eligibility for coverage in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) through NY State of Health. 
   • Under the final rule, consumers who are DACA, will no longer be eligible for Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) due to their immigration status.  This change applies to all QHP eligibility with or without financial assistance.
   • Consumers who are DACA and who are currently enrolled in a QHP through NY State of Health, will be disenrolled, but we are still determining the effective dates of these changes. This could happen as early as August 31, 2025. These consumers will receive notices in advance and may also receive emails and text reminders. 
   • This change does not apply to consumers who are DACA and enrolled in Medicaid or the Essential Plan through NY State of Health. At this time, DACA recipients enrolled in programs other than Qualified Health Plans are not impacted.
   • Consumers who are DACA can still enroll in “Off-Marketplace” plans purchased directly through a health plan.

2. The second change reinstates the reasonable opportunity period to document income discrepancies from 150 (90 + 60) days back to the original 90 days, required by law for Essential Plan (EP) and for QHP eligible consumers. NY State of Health will no longer be extending a consumer’s opportunity period to document their income the additional 60 days when they are temporarily eligible for EP or a QHP.

In addition to the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule, as of July 3, 2025, the House voted to approve the Reconciliation Bill and the President signed the bill into law Friday, July 4, 2025. This law will also impact consumers’ coverage in different ways in the future. 
Federal Bill Impact Consumer Fact Sheet (English)
Federal Bill Impact Consumer Fact Sheet - Spanish (Spanish)

Take Action to Keep Your Health Insurance: Annual renewals for Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan have restarted in New York.

The American Rescue Plan Lowers the Cost of Health Coverage for most New Yorkers. Learn more and view the Fact Sheet.
El American Rescue Plan reduce el costo de la cobertura médica para la mayoría de los neoyorquinos. Para más información.

Enrollment for 2025 is Open!
You and your family have many low cost, quality health insurance options available through the NY State of Health Individual Marketplace.

In-Person Assistors (IPAs)/Navigators provide in-person assistance to individuals, families, small businesses and their employees who would like help applying for health insurance through the New York State of Health Marketplace.

Westchester County Department of Health IPAs/Navigators provide culturally competent, linguistically appropriate, and disability accessible enrollment services. They are available in many community-based locations throughout Westchester County at convenient times - including evenings and weekends - at no cost to enrollees.

To schedule an appointment to meet with a Navigator or for more information about program services, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (914) 995-6350, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Health Insurance Customer Satisfaction Survey
Have you met with one of our Health Insurance Navigators? We would like to hear about your experience. 
- Take the survey in English 
- Responda la encuesta en español

What Health Insurance Plan am I eligible for? 
There are several health insurance options available. An IPA/Navigator can assist you with enrolling in the plan that best meets your needs. Enrollment in Medicaid, ChildHealth Plus, the Essential Plan and the Small Business Marketplace is available all year round.  Enrollment in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) must occur during the Open Enrollment period, unless there is a Qualifying Life Event. Examples of Qualifying Life Events may include, but are not limited to: marriage or domestic partnership, birth, adoption, loss of essential coverage, change in income or job and more. Open Enrollment typically runs from November - January each year.

Based on age, income, and other factors you may qualify for one of the following health insurance plans:

The Essential Plan

• Find out if you qualify for this low-cost/no-cost health plan
• Choose your health plan
• Apply all year  round

Medicaid and Child Health Plus (CHP)

• Choose your health plan
• Apply all year round

 Qualified Health Plans (QHP)

• Compare and buy private insurance
• Choose your health plan
• Apply during Open Enrollment or Special Enrollment

If you own/operate a small business, IPAs/Navigators can help you:

• Choose low-cost, quality health  plans
• Find out if you qualify for a tax credit
• Apply any time for coverage for your employees

Other Options
If you are over 65 years of age or under 65 and have a disability, you may not qualify for health coverage through the NY State of Health Marketplace and may qualify for coverage through Medicare, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability.

Medicare
Turning 65 is one way you can be eligible for Medicare. You can also be under 65 years old and still qualify for Medicare because you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. In most cases, you qualify for Medicare due to a disability if you have been receiving SSDI checks for more than 24 months.

For more information, please visit:

• Westchester County Senior Programs and Services
• Medicare.gov

SSDI and SSI
If you have a disability you have a number of options for health coverage. If you currently have Medicaid or Medicare, you are considered covered under the health care law and do not need a Marketplace plan. If you do not have health coverage, you can schedule an appointment with a Navigator to help you complete a Marketplace application to find out if you qualify for savings on a private health plan or for coverage through Medicaid.

For more information, please visit:

• Westchester County Social Services
• Healthcare.gov

Additional Resources

• For information on specific health plans that you may be eligible for, please visit: NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan Marketplace
• You may use this tool when you are deciding which health plan to enroll in or when you are looking for a provider, for example a hospital or doctor that works with your plan.
• If you do not have prescription drug coverage or have limited coverage, this free prescription discount card can help reduce the cost of prescription medications.
• Health Insurance Coverage Report for Westchester County in 2009 - 2013