Everything you ever wanted to know about your health, but didn't know who or how to ask will be freely offered during the Promoting Healthy Living Across Cultures forum in Prince George.
The free, one-day event taking place Nov. 13 at the Civic Centre has all the fixings to promote healthy living across cultures that make up Northern B.C. It's a partnership of The Prince George Citizen, Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society and Prince George Valemount MLA, Shirley Bond, who will be the host for the fourth year in a row.
*The forum is always a highlight for Bond who knows that Canadians in northern climes always score lower health-wise than their southern counterparts.
"I am a strong supporter of the Expo because it's a great way to promote healthy lifestyles in northern B.C.," said Bond.
"The province has a goal to make B.C. a leader in healthy living and physical fitness, and as a former health minister, I know just how important that is."
More than 2,000 visitors are expected to attend the 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. event that features special key note speakers, workshops galore, a host of exhibitors and interesting activities.
Coming from Vancouver is the well-known Dr. Art Hister, a healthy living management consultant known to most as Dr. Art through his radio and television programs. Hister, who's being flown here by London Drugs, will write a prescription to take charge of your health for a longer and healthier life.
Sylvia Kerfoot, an RBC ski moguls Olympian and World Cup medalist from Whistler will share her experiences and the importance of being active and eating healthy.
Considered a medical miracle, Whistler's Tyler Mosher, a Paralympian and two-time world champion in Para-snowboard, will be here representing ActNow BC.
Other keynote speakers include Drew Mitchell, manager of Sport Technical Programs 2010 Legacies Now; Kristen Harrott, general manager for Pacific Sport P.G. and Don Bassermann who'll explain his 100 Mile diet.
The day will be filled with lively demonstrations on dancing and working out, workshops on both mental and physical health, as well as a focus on youth, healthy lunches for children and stress relief.
The UNBC registered nursing students will be in an informative booth emphasizing wellness and relieving stress as well as preventative health measures and health-screening services.
Citizen publisher, Hugh Nicholson, realizes the importance of people taking charge of their health through improved lifestyle.
"In 1979, we spent $71 billion on healthcare in Canada. Last year it was $182 billion and that's not including areas like pharmacy.
"So the time has come where the emphasis must shift to wellness and prevention," said Nicholson.
"It's really a quality-of-life issue. This is a new mindset we're developing: preventing disease, increasing our activity and eating better to become a healthier society all around."
Baljit Sethie, executive director at IMSS said, "Health is Wealth' is an old saying that we all know, but we all have to renew our vows and remind ourselves that life is only beautiful if we are healthy. "Partnership with Minister Bond gives us an opportunity to provide better information and services regarding health matters to cross cultural communities. In order to promote healthy living across cultures we are providing multilingual workshops to make the health fair more inclusive."
Turn to the Citizen for more details leading to the Expo.
