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Kick bad habits, live a healthier life
Date:
July 22, 2009
Local residents here were encouraged to maintain healthy eating habits as the city joins the whole nation in celebrating the Nutrition Month this July.
This, to reduce the risk of succumbing to various diseases or prevent them from acquiring diet-related lifestyle diseases or commonly known as non communicable diseases (NCDs) in the future, said Dr. Maria Victoria O. Carambas, city health officer.
NCDs, according to Dr. Carambas, are among the leading of causes of death in the country which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
These diseases were called as such since much of the risk factors associated with them are related to how one lives.
Guided by this year’s theme “Wastong Nutrisyon Kailangan, Lifestyle, Diseases Iwasan,” the city government is promoting anew the ABCs of good nutrition among its constituents.
Virginia Francisco, Nutrition Officer 1, said the city’s month-long celebration started with the Nutrition Month Info-Campaign during flag raising ceremonies at the city hall grounds.
Through the city government’s radio program, the city health office (CHO) also educated the Alaminians on the importance of the Dietary Management of Lifestyle Diseases and promoted lifelong healthy eating habits especially to children.
Dr. Carambas said her office teamed-up with RiteMed Pharma in the conduct of scientific lectures on lifestyle diseases for the city government employees and personnel of the Alaminos City Police Office.
The said series of lectures were facilitated by Dr. Danna May Ragudos, Medical Officer IV-CHO, Ms. Tina Camba, Dietician at the Western Pangasinan District Hospital (WPDH), Ms. Josephine Llaban of RiteMed Pharma and Mrs. Francisco.
CHO and RiteMed Pharma also conducted free fasting blood sugar screening and blood pressure check to all government workers in the city.
Likewise, there was an information lecture on lifestyle diseases as well as dengue and cholera, Influenza A (H1N1) virus and Healthy Lifestyle to the Max Exercise for parolees and probationers.
Mayor Hernani A. Braganza earlier advised all the employees to avail of the free services for them to check their blood pressure and blood sugar level.
He stressed that a healthier city workforce is tantamount a better services tendered to their general clientele.
The mayor said “with the kind of environment we have right now coupled with our poor eating habit and the nature of our work, anybody is susceptible to these dreaded killer diseases.”
“Its is then incumbent on our part as civil servants not to ignore any warning signs of NCDs or substantial threats to our health, added the hardworking city head who recently quit smoking for good to set a good simple to his subordinates and constituents.
“The best and the biggest favor you can do to your body, to the city government and your family is to kick those bad habits that we have, he continued.
Today and all year round, let’s embrace lifelong healthy eating habits to live a healthier, happier and longer life.”
Noting that for the city and entire nation to be healthy and progressive its citizens must also be living a healthy life, Braganza even cited his administration had already taken bold steps to ensure his citymates are getting the right nutrition they deserve.
His decision to feed more than 19,000 school children in the city three times a week under the City’s Expanded Feeding Cum Livelihood Program, best expressed the mayor’s utmost desire not only to teach good nutrition but also produce healthy and bright children.
The said program is one of the major components of his laudable initiative-the Bright Child Program”, which is now on its second year of implementation.
The Go-Organic movement, another brainchild of the mayor, has also been realized last year in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and other partner-entities.
With emphasis on producing full organic rice, high value commercial crops and veggies, the city government not only eyes on providing healthier food the city’s residents.
It also aims to increase the income of farmers, achieve food security and help curb the adverse effects of climate change.
The city government, through the city health office, also conduct regular medical mission in the barangays and provides free medical check-up and medicines and attend to other needs of patients. (CIO)
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