Houston residents will soon have a chance to enjoy a community walk led by Dr. Onuora Odoh.
The annual ‘Walk with your doctor’ event, organized by Doctors of B.C. and hosted in registered communities by local doctors, will take place in Houston on May 13, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The walk’s starting point is the Houston Community Hall, which has space available for parking. When it comes to the route, Dr. Odoh said he’s open to suggestions.
“We need ideas from community members who know the town much better than me to decide and design this route.”
Dr. Odoh said one of the motivations behind this event is that he was not able to include all interested individuals in the new Change B.C. program. Houston was one of the first communities in the province to introduce this program, which combines the expertise of dietitians and kinesiologists with a patient’s own family physician.
READ MORE: Houston introduces Change program
Exercise is central to prevention and treatment of many health conditions, says Dr. Odoh.
“It’s proven to be effective and, unlike most medication, it’s not associated with side effects,” he said.
In addition, Dr. Odoh says exercise tends to improve mental health.
“Exercise improves emotion and feeling and is a proven treatment method for anxiety and depression,” he said. “People with chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia also benefit from such non-strenuous physical activities.”
Furthermore, Dr. Odoh says this event is important for people who are interested in exercising but don’t know how or where to begin.
“The walk’s group nature encourages mutual support and compliance,” he said. “It also creates an avenue for people to socialize.”
The event is open to anyone in the community who is physically and mentally fit, as well as pets.
“Pets need exercise as well,” he said.
In addition to this annual event, Houston has also been hosting regular group walks. These walks take place every Saturday, starting at the Houston Community Hall. The starting time of this walk has recently changed to 9 a.m.
Another option for Houston residents looking to improve their physical and mental health has been the group exercise, which takes place every Monday, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Houston Community Hall.
These programs are free of charge.
Although not mandatory, individuals interested in the ‘Walk with your doctor’ event are encouraged to sign up online at https://walkwithyourdoc.ca/walks-across-bc.
Each participant will receive a free pedometer. Dr. Odoh advises participants to wear clothing and shoes that are appropriate for road and weather conditions, and to bring a bottle of water.
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