Taking Charge of Your Health
Weighting 2 Exhale-Health and Wellness Summit
“Links To Healthy Life Choices”

Los Angeles, CA, January 11, 2008— A kickoff event of a six part wellness series was held on January 26, 2008 at the Wilshire United Methodist Church at 4350 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90005 from 8:30 am to 3 pm and was open to the public. 

This project is supported in part by a grant from the California Community Foundation. Founded in 1915, the California Community Foundation is one of the leading philanthropic organizations in Los Angeles County, managing more than $1 billion in assets. Each year, it grants over $100 million as investments in the future of our local communities.  The foundation partners with individual donors and actively supports non-profits organizations to address diverse and dynamic needs of our communities.  CCF makes grants in the areas of health, education, affordable housing, the arts and human development.

Particular attention in this series will be given to the disproportional representation of African American and Latinos in illnesses with suggested lifestyle and pharmaceutical interventions that fit with the busy and often stressful lives of community members.  The philosophy that is the foundation of our intervention approach is that delivery of health education and primary prevention services are given in a relaxed, cutting edge and sometimes humorous fashion which allows for those present to connect with the issues and the speakers and be transformed by the hope of resolving the issues. 

Organizers of this important kickoff event included the Association of Black Women Physicians (ABWP), the Beverly Hills West Chapter of The Links, Inc., BlackWomenHealth.com, Black Womens Agenda, Inc., and the Auxiliary to the Charles R. Drew Medical Society

For the past four years, “Weighting 2 Exhale”, a signature program of the Association of Black Women Physicians, has addressed the critical issues of obesity and the underlining diseases associated with our national weight crisis.  In the same tradition of delivery of the service of this educational project, this year’s theme covered the issue of taking charge of your health and is appropriately titled, Weighting 2 Exhale Health and Wellness Summit- “Links To Healthy Life Choices”.  The workshops included physicians; health care providers; and pharmaceutical representatives who discussed the etiology; demographics, historic course and new interventions for prevention of disease. 
 
President-Elect of the Association of Black Women Physicians, LaTanya Hines, MD, remarked, “The more knowledge we have about health care, the better decisions we make about our health.  Knowledge is a powerful tool that is truly the link between leading a healthy lifestyle and having the sense of well being in knowing that we have laid the foundation.  Our health permeates everything we do.  It effects our peace of mind; relationships; careers and all aspects of our lives.”

Weighting 2 Exhale addresses the need for health education and support in our communities.  Our comprehensive effort during the day included targeting areas such as: The value of exercise; diabetes; Alzheimer’s truths and myths; healthy cooking demonstrations; hair loss; weight management and hypertension; mental health issues associated with childhood obesity; acupuncture; and AIDS Awareness.  We also had activities focused on children, such as:  A children’s dental clinic, TeenShop and Hip Hop contest.  The next workshop on Diabetes and related health issues will be April 5th, 2008 at All People’s Christian Center in Los Angeles.  Details and scheduling regarding additional workshops will be announced.

Founded in 1982 by Jessie Sherrod, MD, MPH, the Association of Black Women Physicians is celebrating 27 years of service and is based in the Los Angeles area.  Its signature programs are Sister to Sister (a medical school mentoring program); community health education; and offers annual medical school scholarships.  A mission of the ABWP is to address the health education needs of underserved and diverse populations.