HealthyTown-Everywhere, a Royal Oak-based pilot project to promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles within communities, is planning an enhanced initiative in Royal Oak in September after its inaugural event this summer.
The program involves "hands-on" experience and education for adults and children through discussions and demonstrations of good nutrition with local physicians and dietitians at grocery stores throughout metro Detroit.
"Our goal is to continue to get important and beneficial information to residents and have them apply what they learn at the grocery store," says physician Paul Ehrmann, D.O., a health and wellness advocate and medical director of the Family Health Care Center of Royal Oak for more than 30 years. "We hope this kind of program will grow to other communities."
The HealthyTown-Everywhere program will be held at Holiday Market, 1203 S. Main St. in Royal Oak, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, followed by additional programs at other metro Detroit grocery stores to be announced throughout the year. Among the features of the upcoming program include:
- Targeted nutrition education to set a foundation for healthy eating.
- Grocery store tours with discussions and cooking demonstrations at the market.
- Interactive discussion series at Holiday Market.
- Take home and Web-based materials to provide further nutritional guidance for children and their family.
- Teaching elementary school students about nutrition in cooperation with Royal Oak Public Schools in preparation for the Holiday Market visit.
- A new pediatric component measuring blood pressure and healthy weight measurements
- A new fitness component in cooperation with metro Detroit-based YMCAs.
"As physicians, we are well aware of the obesity problem facing both school aged children and their parents," says Lawrence Abramson, D.O., Oakland County Osteopathic Association executive director. "We agree that a program that promotes the importance of good nutrition, healthy cardiovascular living, and lifestyle behavior modification is a very important benefit where we live, work and play."
Ehrmann has developed the HealthyTown program free of charge, in participation with Holiday Market of Royal Oak, the Coordinated Dietetics Program at Wayne State University, and the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University.
HealthyTown-Everywhere is a collaborative project supported by the Family Health Care Center, the Wayne State Coordinated Dietetics Program at Wayne State University, the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Holiday Market, the Oakland County Health Department, the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, and the Royal Oak School District. Visit the website for more details at www.docpaul.com.
Published: Thu, Sep 22, 2016
