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Over the past 20 years, unhealthy behaviors, including unhealthy eating and physical inactivity have led to an epidemic of obesity and related chronic disease in the United States, Arkansas and finally Garland County. In order to combat this unhealthy behavior, Activate Garland County calls on individuals to be the ones to propagate change. The Activate Garland County team is committed to finding and making available to Garland County residents tools to initiate a healthier lifestyle, however, we are cognizant that real change comes as individuals take an interest in their neighborhoods, schools and personal environments. We invite you to be a part of this life changing work by finding places to share your ideas, volunteer you services and celebrate a healthier community.
ADVOCATE
Are you looking for ways to improve your health, but
don’t know where to start? Get up and get moving! Exercise boosts
brainpower, gives you energy, boosts your mood, and wards off
disease. While you’re at it, try keeping track of your diet, and
make healthy substitutions when possible. These simple lifestyle
changes can have big benefits! Here are a few simple tips to help
you get started.
At Home...
· Prepare your meals at home and freeze the leftovers. Home-cooked meals often contain much less fat, calories, and sodium than takeout.
· Eat more fruits and veggies! Experts recommend getting 5-9 servings per day. Not a fan? Try eating one or the other with each meal.
· Exercise. Join a health club or start off slow by taking a walk around the block after dinner. Every little bit counts!
At Work...
· Start a lunchtime walking group. Organize your office staff to walk a 100 miles in 30 days.
· Push for healthier items in your vending machines, or request the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables in your cafeteria.
At School...
· Push for vending policies that eliminate sugary drinks and nutritionally-empty snacks
· Start a “Walking School Bus” program to get neighborhood kids walking or riding their bikes to school. To learn more, click here.
· Start a parent-teacher wellness group with interested parents, teachers, and staff. Or schedule a healthy cooking workshop as an extracurricular session for parents.
In the Community...
· Push for sidewalks, bicycle lanes and pedestrian-friendly intersections
· Volunteer for community events: 5k runs, walks, parades, etc.
We
can provide lots of ideas and suggestions for you to try, or you can
create your own. When you do, be sure to tell
us about it, because what you do counts! We would like to
recognize you for the effort, because it’s possible that your
effort can inspire others to do the same.
PARTNERSHIP
Do you belong to an organization that wishes to promote health and
fitness? Would you like to help us build healthier communities
in the Garland County area? We would love to help you promote
your efforts.
Activate Garland County is not about competition. We’re not
trying to build another fitness gym, health spa or hospital. Our
coalition is all about cooperation, collaboration and community
connectedness. And since you’re part of our community, we would
like for you to consider joining our efforts.
This movement isn’t going to build itself. We believe that
collaboration is our greatest asset, and that the health of our
communities will improve when groups and organizations share
resources and become more involved in the process. Contact us if you
would like more information about becoming a partner or getting
involved.
Need some support or want to speak out about health and wellness? Give us some feedback! We’d love to hear how you’re doing.
