Preventing Chronic Disease

By practicing healthy lifestyle choices you can delay or prevent chronic disease, and symptoms of illness can be managed better. According to the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease: If Americans were to stop smoking, exercise regularly, and eat well, they could prevent up to 80% of heart disease and stroke, 80% of type 2 diabetes and 40% of cancers.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. In the U.S., heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 4 premature deaths. You can lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack by living a healthy lifestyle – eating a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, get regular exercise, not smoking and limiting use of alcohol.

Regular exercise strengthens your heart muscle, helps your lungs function, and reduces your risk for coronary heart disease. It also reduces your chances of having a heart attack.

Hands-Only CPR Can Save Lives

American Heart Association

Diabetes

To prevent type 2 diabetes, focus on things you can change in your life – eat healthful food and exercise regularly. For general idea of your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, take this risk test.

Cancer

In addition to smoking, two of the most powerful things you can do to prevent cancer include eating a healthful diet and getting regular exercise. About 20% of all cancers diagnosed in the U.S. are related to obesity, physical inactivity, excess use of alcohol, poor nutrition.

Arthritis

When you have arthritis, exercise might seem like the last thing you want to do. Research shows, however, that exercise can relieve pain and improve your ability to move and function.

Celebrating Success!

I did blood work in December and then again during week 7 of Walk Kansas. My triglyceride levels decreased dramatically along with cholesterol levels. The numbers are close to the range they need to be in, so I am going to continue to track my minutes and fruits/vegetables every week and hope to see even more improvement by October.
Douglas County

My husband's A1C was up and the doctor had prescribed Metformin. It was a wake up call for him. Two doctors told him that exercise was the best medicine for diabetes. Before Walk Kansas I had to be the one to say, "Let's walk" or "Are you going to walk today?" Now he say, "When are We going to walk". Yes, it is his idea and we will leave it that way. Walk Kansas has motivated him. The visual of recording miles is helpful to see how we are doing.