As The Bahamas gears up to recognize Caribbean Wellness Week (CWW), the local organizing committee has issued daily challenges to the public to participate, with the goal of people making lifelong healthy changes to their daily lives. From drinking a minimum amount of water on one day, to eating vegetables for at least two meals on one day, to trying a new food (preferably a vegetable or fruit they haven’t tried before), to getting in some exercise, there is no shortage of daily challenges on the CWW daily challenges calendar. Other challenges include putting aside all sugar from sweets and pastries; giving up all greasy and fried foods; going salt free; chucking all canned and processed foods and doing away with high sodium seasonings. There’s a healthy challenge posted for each day of the September 12-19 week.

As The Bahamas and the Caribbean continue to experience unacceptable levels of preventable lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and chronic respiratory disease, the local organizing committee aims to empower individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices throughout the region, according to local CWW committee chairman Dr. Phillip Swann who hopes to create a legacy of health by encouraging people to love their bodies.

With the focus on preserving the health of older persons in the community, creating a legacy of health was chosen as the CWW theme to remind people that as they age, they should seek to lead lives and develop habits that build a legacy of well-being. They should include setting good examples in the way they access health services while they are healthy; including health maintenance checks or annual visits; their stress management techniques; the ways they balance work and family and other activities; the ways they train young people; their food and physical activity choices; the ways they create and maintain healthy inter-personal relationships; and the ways they manage their mental, spiritual and physical and sexual health.

CWW is staged in an effort to promote good health and reduction of risky behaviors that adversely impact physical mental and social being of all people.

Caribbean Wellness Day was initiated from the 2007 Port of Spain Declaration, and was first observed in 2008. The day is observed annually on the second Saturday in September. Wellness Week in the Americas is a week-long observation by PAHO member countries that immediately follows Caribbean Wellness Day and was first observed in 2011. The two events have been combined in The Bahamas this year as Caribbean Wellness Week under the theme “Love that body… Create a legacy of health” with a focus this year on healthy aging populations.

To that end, the Caribbean Wellness Organizing Committee has planned activities that promote and celebrate good health while highlighting avenues to the reduction of risky behaviors that adversely impact physical, mental and social beings of all people. CWW observances will begin with a weekend of promoting and demonstrating health with a fun/run walk. Organizers will also share healthy messages with churches that may be read from the pulpit.

During the week, they will give extra attention to older persons through a health symposium during which they will discuss physical activity, good nutrition and how to remain healthy mentally. The week will end with a health and wellness fair during which people can have free health checks done, along with taking in demonstrations by fitness centers, yoga groups and martial arts demonstrations. Chefs will conduct food demonstrations and offer free samples; nutritionists will provide information on how to prepare delicious and nutritious meals, and alternatives to favorite Bahamian dishes.

Events calendar

September 12 or 13: 6 a.m. — Fun run/walk starting at Arawak Cay to Cable Beach Post Office and back to Arawak Cay.

September 12 and 13: Wellness weekend (All churches encouraged to present sermons focusing on health and wellness).

September 12: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Male health symposium (Holy Trinity Activity Center, Stapledon Gardens)

September 15 & 17: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. — Older adult wellness symposium

September 19: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. — Health and wellness explosion

CWW daily challenges calendar

September 12 — Water Day (children should drink six cups; teens, eight cups; and adults, eight to 10 cups)

September 13 — Eat Your Veggies Day (have veggies at two meals for the day)

September 14 — Eat Your Fruits Day (eat at least two fruits)

September 15 — Try a New Food Day (eat a vegetable and fruit you have never eaten before)

September 16 — Let’s Move (exercise or be active for at least 30 minutes)

September 17 — Sugar-free Day (eat no sweets — chocolate, candies, cookies or pastries)

September 18 — Fat-free Day (eat no greasy or fried foods)