First, let’s clear the air. I am by no means a medical
professional. However, like you, I read a lot of articles and ask a lot of
questions.
According to an article in Medical
News Today, nearly 75 percent of all deaths in the United States are
attributed to just 10 causes, with the top three of these accounting for over
50 percent of all deaths.
Here are the top 10 leading causes of death in the US:
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer (malignant neoplasms)
3. Chronic lower respiratory disease
4. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
5. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases)
5. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases)
6. Alzheimer's disease
7. Diabetes
8. Influenza and pneumonia
9. Kidney disease (nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis)
10. Suicide
So, this begs the question, “What lifestyle changes do we need
to make to either avoid these situations or prolong them from happening?”
After doing some more reading, I learned that the majority of
them had a common theme that boiled down to these 8 steps:
1. Stop smoking
2. Get more active
3. Lose weight
4. Lower blood pressure
5. Get more sleep
6. Control diabetes
7. Lower cholesterol
8. Eat better
So, at Green Hills Community, we are going to do just that.
We’re not going to do every one of them all at once. That would be an
impossible task. What we need to do is break this down to bite-size pieces by
offering educational luncheons on a monthly basis.
By reaching out to experts at Mary Rutan Hospital, we are going
to learn how to live a better life, hence the slogan, “Live Life Better.”
Our first session, Tobacco
Cessation Education, is set for noon on Friday, Feb. 9, in Foundation Hall,
where doors open at 11:30 a.m. for lunch. The speaker is Brooxie Crouch,
Respiratory Care Clinical Coordinator at MRH. To RSVP for this event, please call 465.0700 or e-mail info@greenhillscommunity.org.
Yes, some of the work in living a better life includes diet and exercise. But it is
so much more than that.
It’s about having a purpose in life, being part of a community,
forming a bond with other people, and sharing your time and talent. Think of
this as a journey for the mind, body, and spirit.
And, this journey doesn’t stop with the monthly education
luncheons.
Here are other resources and services that are available at
Green Hills to help us live life better:
Blood drives: every other month from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Blood drives: every other month from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Book Club: 1:30
p.m. third Friday of the month
Caregiver Support Group: 2 to 3 p.m. third Monday of the month
Church services: 2:30
p.m. Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays
Tai Chi: 4 p.m.
Mondays
Volunteer opportunities: more opportunities that we
can list here
Water fitness classes: 9 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; 10
a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays
Yoga: 1:30
p.m. Tuesdays, 2:30 and 3:15 p.m. Wednesdays, 6 a.m. Thursdays
Additional educational sessions are also being planned such as
financial wellness and how to live with someone who has dementia. If you would
like to be included in the mailing list for these upcoming events or to learn
more, please feel free to call me. I can be reached at 937.650.7117 or via
e-mail: rsmith@greenhillscommunity.org.
Living a better life doesn’t need to be an uphill battle. We can
do this because we’re going to do it together.