Being active during the winter months can be a struggle, but it’s important to find different ways to be active. Whether you’re shovelling snow, cross-country skiing, or going for a short walk, exercise can oftentimes make people feel better and it promotes a healthy lifestyle.
With spring here, however, getting exercise will become easier and making the change to one’s lifestyle now and carrying it through the winter can be simpler than attempting to jump into it during the cold, winter months.
In relation to this the Carlyle Primary Health Clinic will be kicking off a Healthy Lifestyle Program beginning in May to help those in need of assistance in creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
Last year the clinic conducted a needs assessment and found that, of the 150 people who participated, a Healthy Lifestyles/Chronic Disease Management Program was their number one request.
The Healthy Lifestyle Program is directed towards anyone 18-years-old or older who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or over.
“[It] is a 12 week program which focuses on teaching people how to make healthy lifestyle changes through good nutrition and active lifestyle - it is not a weight reduction program but is healthy lifestyle change program,” Laura Wood, Nurse Practitioner (NP) at the Carlyle Clinic, explained.
“The program team (dietician, physio, and NP) meets with the participants monthly to review and monitor progress. They walk through the process of self management with team members serving as coaches.”
The group will begin meeting in the community health building this May.
“Then they will be seen monthly, individually - with the team at the Carlyle Medical Clinic,” Wood said. “You can be asked to be referred by a doctor, NP, dietician or physio.”
According to Stats Canada, 36 percent of all Canadians are overweight, while 23 percent are obese. This increases the risk of chronic diseases, so being active and eating well reduces this risk and makes one feel better.
Specifically looking at Saskatchewan, difficulties of maintaining a healthy lifestyle come with our extremely cold winters and our hot summers, while geography can also hinder people in being active as those who live in town can walk to work but many commute and do not have this option finding it difficult to make time in their day for exercise.
Recently the Conference Board of Canada released a Canadian Health Report Card, which ranked Canada as 10th in the world with a B score. This score was pulled down from a higher place by various provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador which scored a “D-,” as well as Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan which obtained “D” grades.
Health is defined by the World Health Organization as “the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
The Health Report Card took life expectancy, premature mortality, infant mortality, self-reported health status, self-reported mental health status, mortality due to cancer, mortality due to heart disease and stroke, mortality due to respiratory disease, mortality due to diabetes, mortality due to diseases of the nervous system, and suicides, into account.
Saskatchewan’s Health Report Card read as follows:
- Life expectancy: D
- Premature mortality: D
- Infant mortality: D-
- Self-reported health status: A
- Self-reported health status: A
- Mortality due to cancer: B
- Mortality due to heart disease and stroke: B
- Mortality due to respiratory disease: B
- Mortality due to diabetes: D
- Mortality due to diseases of the nervous system: B
- Suicides: C
In fact according to the study, Saskatchewan was found to be the second-to-last amongst the pronvices.
Across Canada it was found that cancer, heart disease, and stroke remain the countries deadliest diseases. Respiratory diseases, diabetes, and nervous system diseases are also high in leading causes of deaths in the country.
All of these can be mitigated through living more healthily.
In fact the study states, “obesity is one of the most significant contributing factors to many chronic conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes…”
“The rising obesity rates for Canadians of all ages clearly places them at risk for future chronic diseases.”
Additionally, such activities as alcohol and tobacco consumption can also increase ones’ risks.
Therefore, lifestyle choices such as physical activity and diet are key to prevention.
“Results suggest that even a modest improvement in physical activity can yield tangible benefits,” the Conference Board of Canada states. “Indeed, by simply getting 10 percent of Canadians with suboptimal levels of physical activity to reduce their sedentary behaviour and exercise more, the incidence rates for major chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, hypertension, and diabetes would be reduced substantially. This would boost life expectancy and lessen the burden on the health care system.”
“Given the rising rates of chronic diseases and the impact that lifestyle choices have on these diseases, active participation of patients in setting their own health goals and management plans is more relevant than ever before.”
Therefore, being able to offer assistance to those wanting to make a change is something that the Carlyle Primary Health Clinic is able to do through their new Healthy Lifestyle Program being introduced this May.
