Berrien County striving towards one million miles of movement
Jodi Davis
| 3 min read
When people come together and work as a team great things can happen. It gets even greater when a team consists of folks who live in neighboring communities, feeling a sense of ownership knowing that they belong to an area of Michigan that they’re proud to call home.
And when this vast collaboration of people form a team and aim for a goal that can positively affect all individuals living within that area, it is worth getting excited about. The goal that I’m referring to is reducing the obesity rates in this particular area of Michigan. And as we now know, when the obesity rates go down, the rates of chronic illness subsequently go down, which means the overall health of the residents living in this area begin to improve.
This county-wide partnership, “Be Healthy Berrien,” is in the beginning stages; the team is still forming. This is exciting and has the potential to be extremely motivating towards living a healthier lifestyle for the county residents who need the extra push.
The plans are to help increase the awareness of what good health as well as expand any existing healthy opportunities here in Berrien County. There is also a larger-scale effort taking place in Berrien County that is in the early stages of development. The new campaign encourages residents of Berrien County to collectively move (run/walk/bike/swim/etc.) one million miles. The kick-off week will take place from May 6-12, with the final celebration taking place through September. I can’t wait to contribute my walking mileage towards the goal of one million … what fun!
Be Healthy Berrien will also be sharing local activity, educational, health and community service events as well as informing county residents about places to bike, walk, etc. within the area. It’s a great effort and one that I am truly excited to be a part of! Be sure to visit the Be Healthy Berrien Facebook page for updates.
As a team we’ll be working together striving for a healthier community as we concentrate on “The Michigan 4×4 Plan.” This plan incorporates these four key healthy behaviors with four key health measures:
4 key healthy behaviors:
Maintain a healthy diet
Engage in regular exercise
Get an annual physical examination
Avoid all tobacco use
4 key health measures:
Body Mass Index (MBI)
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol Level
Blood Sugar (Glucose) Level
Be Healthy Berrien is a county-wide partnership working together for a healthier community. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “When people come together and work as a team great things can happen!” It’s exciting to see just how great those things are going be!
How are you working towards a healthier community in your area of Michigan?
Photo credit: John Knox
