July 2018 is the Annual Faith-Based Health, Wellness, Nutrition, and Fitness Month
By Rev. Natalie Mitchem, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
John 5:3-6 says, “In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’” Every month, there is a health theme or focus. The International Health Commission of the AME Church is happy to remind everyone that July is Faith-Based Health, Wellness, Nutrition, and Fitness Month. This month was established by the International Health Commission of the AME Church with a “faith-based” focus. The 2016 edition of The Doctrine and Discipline of the AME Church, under the Health Commission section, provides information about this month’s focus and we invite all faith-based communities to host wellness events in July.
Almost all health issues and themes have “common factors” for fighting, preventing, managing, and stopping disease They include healthy food choices (nutrition), exercise (fitness), maintaining a healthy weight (prevention), and smoking cessation (wellness). These are the same common factors that doctors recommend to all patients for most health problems including asthma, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, cancers, gout, dementia, HIV, AIDS, mental health, Alzheimer’s, and more. The Health Commission has added the fifth important common factor for all health issues as faith (John 5:3-6).
The annual July Faith-Based Health, Wellness, Nutrition, and Fitness Month empowers everyone to address healthy equity through knowledge. It equips everyone with the power to fight preventable diseases because of the common factors that help fight and prevent disease. These common factors address almost all health issues along with medical intervention.
During the month of July, host a “Wellness Sunday.” Invite your nurse unit or nurse ministry to form a health commission. Visit www.AMEChealth.orgfor a variety of resources. Purchase an AED at a discounted price. Read about free faith-based resources and links to walking groups for men and women like Girl Trek. Visit the Healthy Churches 2020 Conference in November 2018. Enroll in AME Culinary RX for only $99.99 and learn how to fight, prevent, and stop “preventable” diseases. AME Culinary RX offers evidence-based scientific research on how to fight and prevent disease.
Jesus asked the man did he want to get well? Join us in July.
