Dance promotes

healthy living
By Sherrie Norris

Good health is just a dance away, says Bryan Belcher, manager of Watauga County Healthy Carolinians, a community outreach of the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System and co-sponsor with Charter Communications of an upcoming event to which area women are invited.

On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Watauga Medical Center auditorium will be the site of a Women’s Day of Dance for Health, presented by affiliate hospitals of the Spirit of Women Health Network in more than 65 cities across the United States.

The event is combined with The Red Shoe Initiative, a national health education campaign inspiring women to step, walk and dance for heart health and wellness.

“Whether it’s taking steps to maintain a healthy diet, walking daily to increase physical activity, or dancing with friends and family to share and enjoy exercise, this campaign is motivating women into action across America, educating them to take action and make healthier choices in the fight against heart attacks and stroke, the leading causes of death among women,” a spokesperson shared.

As one of only four North Carolina locations to host this simultaneous Day of Dance, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System joins Carolinas Medical Center (Monroe location), Cleveland County Healthcare System in Shelby and Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville, as well as others across the country, in an effort to inspire women and their families toward better overall health.

“We are hoping to prove that exercise can be both fun and beneficial to the heart,” Belcher said.

Boone’s Day of Dance will take place from 1 to 4 p.m., and will include not only dancing, heart disease risk assessment and blood pressure screening, but also refreshments, dance performances and instruction for seven different types of dance – everything from African dance to jazz, salsa and shag.

“Dancing can burn as many calories as swimming, walking, or riding a bike (as many as 200 to 400 calories per hour). If done on a regular basis as a form of exercise, many health benefits result, including weight maintenance or weight loss, blood pressure and cholesterol management (lowering), increased energy, decreased sadness and depression, increased coordination and muscle strength and an overall sense of well-being. In addition, dancing can help develop new social connections, as well as enhance and strengthen relationships,” Belcher said.

Statistics indicate that nearly 500,000 women die each year of cardiovascular disease, making it the leading cause of death for American women. “One in two women will die of heart disease, yet they continue not to personalize their individual risk for cardiovascular disease,” Belcher said.

The Spirit of Women Hospital Network is a national coalition of hospitals and health care facilities across the U.S. dedicated to improving women’s lives with innovative health and community programs, touching millions each year through the presentation of educational events, consumer membership programs, annual conferences, marketing communications and grassroots . Spirit of Women enables participating hospitals to focus on community needs while providing the strength of national support.

According to its Web site, “The Spirit of Women national brand is anchored by media support such as Oprah Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and The Today Show. The Spirit of Women Hospital Network frequently works in cooperation with U.S. government health agencies such as The Office on Women's Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Spirit of Women also has the ability to leverage celebrities, including Patrick Swayze, Christina Applegate and Debbie Allen, and their star power to spread the important health messages of the network and its partners.

For more information, call Healthy Carolinians office at (828) 268-8961.