Living Well class to begin in January

Living Well, a free, six-week health improvement class about fitness, nutrition and living a lifestyle to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and other serious diseases by taking steps toward wellness is being offered for families by Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in January and February. 
Participants will learn tips and tricks to maintain and improve their health and the health of their family and friends. All are welcome to join in activities, snack making, meal planning, gratitude and sensory experiments. “The class will offer six weeks of making being healthy fun,” said instructor Amanda Weiss, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Coordinator at CRMC. Guest presenters will include a Registered Dietitian, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, and Smiles Advocate.
The classes will be held on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Heartwood Senior Living Community in Crosby beginning Jan. 13 and continue until Feb. 17. A book and all supplies will be provided together with healthy refreshments.
Success of the program will be tracked through students’ results. To do this, all participants will be asked to have their weight and blood pressure measured by health professionals during the first and last class. All information will be kept confidential. In the inaugural class held this past Fall, each person lost an average of 4.45 pounds. Their average finishing blood pressures were 134/80 compared to 141/81 when they started. In the spring class, the beginning average weight of participants was 199.64 pounds and their post average weight was 183.39 pounds—a difference of 15.75 pounds.  Each person lost an average of 2.29 pounds. Their average finishing blood pressures were 128/80 compared to 135/80 when they started.
There is no fee to participate but students must commit to participate all six weeks. Children attending should be three years or older and must be accompanied by a parent. The class is limited to 50 participants, register at www. cuyunamed.org/wellness/living-well