Individuals, not only those living in Siouxland, but across the country can benefit from being physically active. Engaging in physical activity helps prevent chronic health conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight. Physical activity also improves bone health, mood and quality of sleep.
Siouxland District Health Department (SDHD) and their Health Promotions and Chronic Disease Prevention division is on a mission to improve the health of all Siouxland residents.
Over the past several years SDHD has implemented a variety of initiatives through policy, system and environmental changes to improve the quality of life for individuals living in our community.
Our most current initiative is spreading the Move Your Way SM Campaign throughout the area. Move Your WaySM aims to help people live healthier lives through increased physical activity.
- Children younger than 6, aim to keep them moving a minimum of 3 hours a day – more is better!
- Children ages 6-17 should be physically active for 60 minutes a day, along with muscle-strengthening and bone strengthening activities 3 days a week.
- Adults 18 and older should be physically active for 150 minutes a week with two days of muscle- strengthening activity. That’s only just over 20 minutes a day!!
What counts as being physically active you ask?
- Riding your bike
- Mowing the yard
- Walking your dog
- Jumping on the trampoline
- Playing a game of soccer, volleyball, baseball or basketball
- Dancing in the living room
- Cheerleading
- Home repairs like painting a room
- Playground activities like hopscotch or foursquare
- Gardening
Siouxland District Health Department in partnership with Sioux City Parks and Recreation is currently featuring a Move Your Way Scavenger hunt throughout Sioux City to encourage healthy activity while supporting social distancing efforts. Individuals are on the hunt for Move Your Way yard signs posted along various Siouxland area trails each week. If you spot one, snap a photo and post it to Facebook with the hashtag #MoveYourWaySC and then e-mail sbeekman@siouxlanddistricthealth.org, with the name of the trail you found the yard sign on. Those individuals that correctly identify the trail, will be entered into a weekly drawing for prizes. Weekly winners will be announced via SDHD’s Facebook page. Future in person Move Your Way events will be scheduled throughout the summer pending COVID-19 guidance.
Michelle Lewis, Siouxland District Health Department Health Promotion & Planning Coordinator encourages everyone of all ages and abilities to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.
She encourages individuals to check out health.gov/moveyourway to get ideas on different physical activities you could do to reach either your 60 minutes a day or 150 minutes a week goal. The on-online activity tracker is free and easy to use and is designed to help motivate individuals to meet their goals.
Every little bit adds up – and so do the benefits. How will you and your family move today?
By: Michelle Lewis, Health Promotion and Planning Coordinator, has been with SDHD for nearly 13 years. She oversees several programs that focus on health promotion initiatives and also facilitates the community health needs assessment process that is completed every three years for the Siouxland area.
