A new campaign called Our Healthy Kentucky Home has been introduced. The effort suggests several healthy habits Kentuckians can adopt to live a healthier life. These include eating two fresh fruits and vegetables daily and connecting with others socially.
Another habit encouraged is exercising regularly. Kentucky Commissioner for Public Health Steven Stack said the modern sedentary lifestyle elevates blood pressure, and blood sugar, and causes damage to the spine. Stack said these effects can be leveled by regular exercise.
“Undoing this damage doesn’t take much. In fact, walking for as little as 15 minutes after a meal, or walking five minutes out of every hour in the day can have dramatically positive improvements in lowering our blood pressure and our blood sugar,” said Stack.
Stack announced that education will be provided regularly on specific topics like heart health, diabetes, and mental health to complement the campaign.
“Every month we will have a specific focus and provide additional education and encouragement for us to address important topics such as heart health, diabetes, cancer screening and prevention, mental health, and more. Each month, we’ll talk about these topics and release new information on our campaign website,” said Stack.
The initiative addresses health issues currently faced in the Commonwealth. Officials say 40 percent of Kentuckians are obese, and the state has the fourth-highest percentage of smokers in the nation. These things increase heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
More information is available at ourhealthykyhome.ky.gov.