Health & Wellness Expo 2012

The Pender County Health and Wellness Expo is taking place on Thursday, April 19th at the Burgaw Depot from 10 am until 6 pm.  The expo is designed to increase health awareness by providing health screenings, activities, materials, demonstrations and information to the public.  It will also be addressing good nutrition.  Fresh produce will be available at the farmer's market on the dock, and various vendors will be showcasing healthy and natural food products.           

At this event, we will be launching "Get Fit Pender," a wellness program intended to motivate people to adopt healthier lifestyles.  Our partners include Pender Memorial Hospital, Fitness Fusion, Curves, Custom Fit Meals, Pender County Health Department, LiveFit Cape Fear and UNCW.    

    

Most people think of wellness as the absence of sickness; however, it is more than freedom from disease and illness.  Health is optimal well-being that contributes to quality of life.  Optimal health includes high-level mental, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness within the limits of one's heredity and personal abilities. 

All too often, we take our health for granted until something happens. How ironic that the machine we rely on the most (our bodies) is the least that we spend time maintaining.   Processed food, tobacco, alcohol, environmental toxins, lack of exercise and sleep contribute to many illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure - many of which are preventable through a healthy lifestyle.

Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time.  Replacing these behaviors with healthy ones requires time and patience.  So, if you've been thinking about making some changes but don't know where to begin, why not sign-up for the Get Fit Pender program?     

The challenge begins Monday, May 7 and runs through Saturday August 4.  There is a registration fee of $25 which covers medical and fitness tests before and after the 12 week program.           

Incentives include: 

·       Reduced memberships to Fitness Fusion and Curves 

·       Discounts for Custom Fit Meals 

·       Weekly meet up group 

·       Monthly educational sessions and coaching

·       T-shirt

Sign-up and interest sheets will be available at the expo or by calling the chamber office at 259-9817.