February 2020 View this email in your browser

Community Health Centre: Healthy People, Vibrant Communities

February 2020 Newsletter

32^nd Annual Ski-A-Round

Get outside this weekend and join the Rotary Club of Markdale for the annual Ski-A-Round. Stay warm with hot chocolate and cider while enjoying the beautiful trails. Bring your snowshoes and cross-country skis. By donation, with proceeds going to the CHC and Camp Quality Southern Ontario, a summer camp experience for children with cancer.
Saturday February 15, 2020 11am-3pm
Sunday, February 16, 2020 11am-3pm

February is Heart Month, a time to bring attention to the importance of cardiovascular health, and what we can do to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease.

Heart disease affects approximately 2.4 million Canadian adults, and is the second leading cause of death in Canada.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, heart disease and stroke take 1 in 3 Canadians before their time and it is the number one killer of women in Canada.

Take the Heart and Stroke Risk Assessment to find out what is putting you at risk of heart disease and stroke and how you can take action to live a longer and fuller life.

(https://ehealth.heartandstroke.ca/LID=1&pgSrc=risk_ont&ref=http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.5380955/k.BD79/HeartStroke_eTools.htm&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1)

We can all reduce our risk of heart disease by making healthy lifestyle choices, including quitting smoking, eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

To help residents of South East Grey make these lifestyle changes, South East Grey Community Health Centre has a variety of programs and services including:

· A free gym available to all community members

· Free fitness and wellness programs (please see our monthly calendar for offerings)

· Free access to our smoking cessation program with a referral

· Free access to Registered Dietitians, a Registered Kinesiologist, Registered Social Workers, a Health Promoter, and a Registered Physiotherapist (referral required for physiotherapy)

· A brand new free Cardiac Rehab Program (referral required) in collaboration with St. Mary’s Hospital in Kitchener and the University Health Network in Toronto

It is possible to change the odds against heart disease and stroke by taking action to reduce the risk factors that are within your control.

Nine in 10 Canadians have at least one controllable risk factor for heart disease or stroke.

You can further reduce your risk by considering these heart-healthy steps:
• Be smoke-free
• Be physically active
• Control your blood pressure
• Keep your blood cholesterol levels in check
• Eat a healthy diet
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• Manage your diabetes
• Limit alcohol use
• Reduce stress

Give us a call if you would like assistance with starting, maintaining, or optimizing your lifestyle change plan. It’s never too late to start working towards improving your health and wellness! Tel: 519-986-2222

Information adapted from the Government of Canada and York Region by Rachel Brock, R.Kin.

The South East Grey Community Health Centre received a cheque in the amount of $4,488.48 from The Rotary Club of Markdale. The funds were raised through the annual Ski-A-Round 2019 and will be used for the Cardiac Rehabilitation program. The Cardiac Rehabilitation (Cardiac Rehab) program is a program of exercise, education and counselling, designed to help you recover after a heart attack, heart condition or heart surgery. The program began in September and has since been serving 9 local individuals. We complete a new intake every month and will be accepting 3 more referrals in February. The program runs twice weekly and allows our community to receive high quality care closer to home. Thank-you Rotary Club of Markdale.

Happy Valentine's Day

It's always worth celebrating a day when you give your heart to another. So many chocolates, romantic dinners, so much of everything bad that we can tempt ourselves with. Rather than tempting yourself or loved ones with chocolates, consider a gift that has more permanence. Cooking at home, rather than a meal out, will also help you enjoy a romantic dinner. Active, quality time can be one of the most rewarding gifts of all.

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