Take charge of your health with 9Health Fair

Posted

By Constance d’Angelis

Special to The PREVIEW

The most important action we can take to enhance our health and wellness is to take charge of our weight and physical fitness. Why?

Being overweight or obese is known to cause or promote:

• High blood pressure (hypertension).

• Diabetes.

• Coronary heart disease.

• Stroke.

• Cancer.

• Gall bladder disease.

• Osteoarthritis.

• Sleep apnea and breathing problems.

• Mental illness: clinical depression, anxiety.

• Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning.

• High bad cholesterol, triglycerides and low good cholesterol.

Almost 80 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. That is more than two in three adults.

A startling statistic.

Heart disease and stroke are the first and third most common causes of death. Cancer is the second leading cause of death of Americans.

Diabetes contributes to these statistics and about 80 percent with diabetes are overweight, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

The medical costs are over $150 billion per year.

The annual nationwide productive losses of overweight absenteeism are about $10 billion ($200 per individual).

If you are overweight, you can change your life if you attain a healthy weight.

Take charge. Come to the 9Health Fair on April 27 from 7 to 11 a.m. at Pagosa Springs High School.

9Health Fairs offer weight assessments, testings and education. Our lifesaving blood tests are a great way to ward off potential problems.

Get a whole battery of tests for a minimal cost of $35, plus a free blood pressure check and education.

Want to volunteer? If you have a working brain and a good attitude, you’ll be perfect. Do you have special skills? You could contribute in a particular capacity.

Do you have questions or want to volunteer? Contact Sharee Grazda at 731-0317 or email sgrazda@gmail.com. Visit 9HealthFair.org.

Contact Constance at 7LawsofHealth@gmail.com.