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Guyra gets to the heart of the matter
15 July 2009
- Guyra Healthy Highlanders -
Becoming a Guyra Healthy Highlander could help you reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease and stroke.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), although the rate of CVD deaths continue to decline in Australia, it is still responsible for more deaths than any other disease group. Taking into consideration the disabilities associated with CVD, it is also the most expensive group of conditions in terms of direct health care costs.
The good news: CVD is largely preventable through adopting simple, informed lifestyle choices.
Multiple causal factors contribute to CVD, but a whopping 90 per cent of the identifiable risk factors can be addressed simply by making healthier lifestyle options. These modifiable risk factors include: smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, physical inactivity and inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables.
With this in mind, Colin “Moby” Chapman is one Guyra resident who is excited about participating in the Guyra Healthy Highlanders program. The program will offer all community members the opportunity, information and guidance to address the risk factors associated with CVD and other chronic lifestyle diseases, like diabetes.
At 62, following a recent shoulder reconstruction and rehabilitation process, Mr Chapman has realised how important it is to maintain health and fitness.
“You take a motor car to the mechanic so it will continue to run smoothly, and the body is no different,” he said.
“I now realise that 98 per cent of my health problems are my own doing because I wasn’t giving my body an ongoing service like I do with my car. If people only realised that in the long run, taking care of their health and wellbeing will save them a lot of money in doctor’s bills, improve their quality of life, and possibly even save their life.”
Healthy Highlanders’ Project Coordinator Liane Fryer said advise from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that blood pressure and cholesterol levels are of limited clinical relevance when considered in isolation. Instead, the Institute recommends an overall lifestyle approach, including making moderate changes to identified risk factors.
“With this in mind, the Guyra Healthy Highlanders program has been developed by clinical specialists in the areas of nutrition, psychology and human movement. This approach was designed to address the bigger picture of preventing the suffering and loss of quality of life associated with chronic lifestyle diseases like back pain, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” Ms Fryer said.
Guyra Healthy Highlanders will feature: physical activity classes; several information sessions with a dietician, psychologist and physiotherapist; supermarket tours; cooking demonstrations; Healthy Highlander café and restaurant specials; and local business offers and events.
The program will run for three months and will be open to anyone aged over 18 years wanting to lose weight and increase their health and fitness.
Guyra Healthy Highlanders is due to kick-off with a registration week starting on Monday 3 August. To register, visit Guyra MPS on either Monday 3 August, Wednesday 5 August, or Friday 7 August between 9am and 1pm, or on the Monday or Wednesday evening between 5pm and 7pm. Interested community members can also register at the Guyra Aboriginal Lands Council with Pauline Jerrard on Tuesday 4 August between 9am and 1pm.
For further information on registration details or the program call Guyra MPS on (02) 6738 4000.
(HNE-1915)
Contact: Carisa Green
Phone: (02) 6767 7135 or 0428 106 183
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