Get Healthy Winston County program set

Mark your calendar now to attend "Get Healthy Winston County" starting March 15.

The Winston County Diabetes Coalition wants to help you change your "old lifestyle habits" with free exercise and nutrition classes. Join us for six weeks and learn skills that will help you increase exercise, improve nutrition, and learn new ways to get started on a healthier lifestyle. Each one-hour session includes a 30 minute planned lesson and an opportunity to participate in 30 minutes of different types of exercise. Registration for "Get Healthy Winston County" begins March 3rd by calling 773-3091 and is limited to the first 20 to register.

Excess weight, family history of diabetes, and getting older increases a person's chances of developing diabetes. Symptoms of diabetes may be so slight that a person does not notice them. Symptoms may include fatigue and a feeling of illness, great thirst, frequent urination, sudden weight loss, blurred vision, and slow healing of infections. The National Diabetes Education Program recommends these small steps to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. Lose a modest amount of weight (10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person) by moving more and making healthy food choices. Start now to get moving and have fun. Physical activity can improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. It may not be easy to make lifestyle changes, but you can do it! Take your first step today.

At least 206,000 Mississippians have diabetes ranking it 2nd highest in the nation, and about one-third of that number does not know they have the disease. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death among Americans, and the fifth leading cause of death from disease. While the types of diabetes differ, all may cause the same long-term health problems associated with diabetes, such as heart, kidney, eye, and nerve disease.

The Diabetes Coalition is also planning "Help Yourself", a self management course for people who live with chronic conditions (diabetes, heart & pulmonary problems, obesity, cancer recovery, aging). "Help Yourself" is a 6-week course that teaches skills that help you increase exercise, improve nutrition, and learn new ways to manage symptoms so you feel less fatigue and limitations from living with chronic conditions.

The Winston County Diabetes Coalition was started in June 2008 to help promote prevention awareness and management of diabetes. If you are interested in being part of the Winston County Diabetes Coalition, please contact Janice Hopkins at 773-7743. The Coalition is comprised of the following organizations: Winston County WIN, Mississippi State University Extension Service, Mississippi Department of Health, Winston County TRIAD, Winston County Voters League, Winston County Self-Help Cooperative, and Winston County AARP.