This week our Club welcomed Locke Ettinger, Director of Wellness with Dixie Regional Medical Center to speak to us about Health and Wellness and the new Gateway to Wellness program being piloted at Dixie Regional Medical Center.
Locke, a Licensed Physical Therapist and long time community resident – known to many members of our Club – has worked with Dixie Regional Medical Center for 20 years. He has a passion for wellness and is currently completing a PhD in the subject. However, the fact about Locke that so catches me attention is that he is now living his dream to pursue a career in Wellness. How often do we think “wouldn’t it be nice? Or wouldn’t it be fun?” Locke took that dream to reality and is obviously enormously energized by the opportunity in front of him.
He did point out some very scary facts. Obesity is completely out of hand nation-wide. And, obesity is an underlying cost of many very costly medical conditions. Diabetes, heart disease, respiratory compromise, and many cancers just to name are directly relat
ed to obesity. Let’s think about it, a normal size muffin of 10 years ago is now 4 times the size of the original! We used to cut grass with an old fashioned push mower, then we went to a power mower, then to a self propelled power mower, then to a riding mower. I ask you, how many calories do you burn on a riding mower with a 44 oz soda in the cup holder?
Locke also discussed the potential health migration from wellness to illness over the course of a life which does not value healthy living. I think we all know the cost of health care is skyrocketing but did you know the bulk of the expenditures come in resource utilization related to unhealthy living?
So the message is: exercise and eat in an appropriate manner. And Locke, who practices what he preaches, is providing us with a very real example, he will be a participant in the Ironman! As we volunteer our time in Aid Station #9, be sure to cheer for Locke as he runs by!
Locke, a Licensed Physical Therapist and long time community resident – known to many members of our Club – has worked with Dixie Regional Medical Center for 20 years. He has a passion for wellness and is currently completing a PhD in the subject. However, the fact about Locke that so catches me attention is that he is now living his dream to pursue a career in Wellness. How often do we think “wouldn’t it be nice? Or wouldn’t it be fun?” Locke took that dream to reality and is obviously enormously energized by the opportunity in front of him.
He did point out some very scary facts. Obesity is completely out of hand nation-wide. And, obesity is an underlying cost of many very costly medical conditions. Diabetes, heart disease, respiratory compromise, and many cancers just to name are directly relat
ed to obesity. Let’s think about it, a normal size muffin of 10 years ago is now 4 times the size of the original! We used to cut grass with an old fashioned push mower, then we went to a power mower, then to a self propelled power mower, then to a riding mower. I ask you, how many calories do you burn on a riding mower with a 44 oz soda in the cup holder?Locke also discussed the potential health migration from wellness to illness over the course of a life which does not value healthy living. I think we all know the cost of health care is skyrocketing but did you know the bulk of the expenditures come in resource utilization related to unhealthy living?
So the message is: exercise and eat in an appropriate manner. And Locke, who practices what he preaches, is providing us with a very real example, he will be a participant in the Ironman! As we volunteer our time in Aid Station #9, be sure to cheer for Locke as he runs by!
Next week: PDG Wally Brown on literacy. Don't miss it!
Marla
