Health and Wellness
“I never thought I would get off of the walker. If it weren’t for the wellness program at Breakthrough, I know I’d be dead by now.”
-Vivian, member of Breakthrough Club
Living with a mental illness can be overwhelming, but we believe in balancing our lives to help overcome the obstacles of our mental illnesses. A great way to do this is to focus on our physical health. Doing so will not only help our bodies to become healthier, but it will also help improve our mental health. Research has shown that physically active people have higher positive self-concept, more self-esteem and more positive "moods" and "affects." More-active people also seem to have a higher perceived ability to perform activities of daily living, physical well-being and other measures related to quality of life.
The H.E.A.L. Project
"Committed to helping people live longer, healthier lives."
To help with our health and wellness efforts, we received a matching grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation's largest philanthropy devoted to health and health care. The grant is used for our Health Education and Leadership (H.E.A.L.) project, which was created with the goal of empowering individuals who have a serious mental illness to take charge of their wellbeing through physical activity and healthy nutrition skills. Other funders for the grant include: United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Wichita Community Foundation, and Cargill Cares.
Partners in the project:
-Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas (MHA) provides a site for wellness training and fitness classes.
-Genesis Health Club fitness staff trains project participants in physical exercises and are crossed-trained in mental health education.
-The University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita (KUM-W) has created healthy food skills training for Breakthrough and MHA food service staff and also hosts "Lunch and Learn" sessions to educate the Wichita community on health concerns related to mental illness.
-The Department of Human Performance Studies at Wichita State University has created an online fitness curriculum for HEAL project trainers.
H.E.A.L. Project includes:
-12 week program
-personal fitness plan designed with a H.E.A.L. specialist
-opportunities to participate in an array of physical activities
-hands-on cooking classes with healthy, affordable food options
-access to Genesis Health Club personal trainers
-leadership opportunities
-peer support groups
All services are FREE to Breakthrough and MHA members!!!
Requirements for the project:
-Must be a member of Breakthrough and/or Mental Health Association (MHA)
-Have to be diagnosed with a severe mental illness and meet other criteria required by Breakthrough and MHA
-Wants to make strides towards leading a healthier lifestyle while having fun!
For more information on the H.E.A.L project contact the H.E.A.L. Project Coordinator, Marty Quy, at Breakthrough 316.269.2534 ext. 118.
Healthy Tips and Recipes
-Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar
-Keep healthy snacks handy
-Schedule your workouts, and stick to it!
-If you're unmotivated, commit to at least 10 minutes of exercise
-Think of a good night's sleep as a necessity
-Aim for 5-a-day servings of fruits and veggies
-Learn how to say "No" politely when people offer food
-Eat slowly, being aware of when you become full
Healthy Recipes for Summer
Breakthrough Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
1 Ib. white fish such as sole, flounder, haddock or cod
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. lime juice
1 jalapeño seeded and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
8 whole wheat tortillas
2 c. finely shredded cabbage
1 medium fresh tomato, chopped
Salsa
Instructions:
Preheat grill to medium high heat. Place fish in a medium size dish. Whisk together the oil, lime juice, chili powder, jalapeño, and 1/4 c. cilantro and pour over the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the fish from the marinade and place onto a hot grill, flesh side down. Grill the fish for 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for 30 seconds and remove. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork. Place the tortillas and garnish with cabbage, green onions, 1/2 c. cilantro, and tomatoes. Top with salsa.
H.E.A.L. Kansas
Through the generous resources through Social and Rehabilitative Services, the HEAL Project is expanding to train every Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) and Consumer Run Organization (CRO) in the state of Kansas in our lifesaving program. Our objective is to engage, educate and empower people with mental illness in the state of Kansas to live longer, healthier lives.
Trainings will take place at Breakthrough Club in Wichita, KS. The plan is for 2 people from each CMHC or CRO to attend. No previous medical or exercise training is required.
Trainings will include:
~Exercise plans and exercise equipment (9 stretch bands, exercise DVD and a medicine or exercise ball)
~Most successful lessons and recipes from the HEAL project as well as what did not work
~Actual preparation and tasting of recipes
~Motivation techniques to increase intentional exercise and empowering them to feel better
~How to take blood pressure, BMI, baseline measurements as a measure of improvement
~How mental health medications affect mental health
~How to teach consumers to advocate for their own physical health
~How to get the entire treatment team committed to physical health
~How to connect and utilize your own community resources; Breakthrough Club staff will contact you before you attend to identify what issues you might be having and learn about your current wellness environment, as well as how to make connections with instructors/students at community colleges that can be supportive and working with your local County Extension Office.
~Follow up site visits (includes evaluations and surveys) and access to phone assistance
The upcoming training dates are as follows:
August 23+24
September 7+8
September 27+28
October 12+13
October 19+20
November 9+10
November 16+17
December 14+15
January 11+12
January 25+26
February 8+9
February 22+23
To reserve your spot at this lifesaving training, contact Marty Quy at Breakthrough Club. Space is limited, so please reserve your spot early!
Work- 316.269.2534 ext. 118
Cell- 316.461.8565
Email- marty.quy@btcwichita.com
