Did you know Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in America today*? This is why KTHC is campaigning Heart Health this month and with the help of our Diabetes Department. Our Diabetes Department, in addition to seeing patients, they coordinate approximately (31) Diabetic Health Activities yearly. From kid’s health camps, healthy cooking demonstrations, and nutrition education & fitness programs, to healthy eating puppet shows with Headstart Kids; since January 2018 they’ve reached approximately 1,620 people! Your Heart Health is vital to us, and we want to share a message directly from our very own Cynthia Seger, KTHC Diabetes Program Director about why she thinks it’s essential.
Heart Month is an important time to promote a healthy lifestyle, especially coming right after our New Year’s resolutions when we’re losing momentum; this may spark a renewed interest in our health. For me, it hits close to home. I lost my dad 13 years ago on Valentine’s Day to heart failure related to his many years of smoking, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
Our recent Free Public Healthy Heart Fair in McLoud last Friday aimed to promote tobacco cessation, physical activity, healthy eating, weight management, and blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose control. All of these are related to each other and doing one thing (like eating healthy) can come around full circle and help control our weight, which will benefit our cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
As a dietitian and diabetes educator, I know that taking small steps toward a healthier lifestyle can work wonders for your body. I’ve seen it first hand in my clients – they’ve been able to take fewer medications, they feel better and more energetic, and most importantly they have been able to prevent significant chronic conditions such as diabetes and even diabetes complications. It is not an easy path to take, but with all th help and guidance that is available at KTHC through various programs, it can be much less confusing and overwhelming.
Cynthia Seger, MS, RD/LD, CDE
Diabetes Program Director
If you would like to learn more about our services or see a listing of our events, you can visit us at www.okkthc.com or call us at (405)964-2081.
*https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm