Scott Morris - 40 Days to Better Living—Hypertension

2011 by Church Health Center of Memphis, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-62029-737-7

Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-60742-584-7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

Churches and other noncommercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of Barbour Publishing, provided that the text does not exceed 500 words or 5 percent of the entire book, whichever is less, and that the text is not material quoted from another publisher. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: From 40 Days to Better LivingHypertension, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

I first came to Memphis in 1986. I had no personal ties to Memphis and did not know anyone here. Having completed theological and medical education, I was determined to begin a health care ministry for the working poor. The next year, the doors of the Church Health Center opened with one doctormeand one nurse. We saw twelve patients the first day. Today we handle about 36,000 patient visits a year and 120,000 visits to our Wellness facility. A staff of 250 people shares a ministry of healing and wellness while hundreds more volunteer time and services.

So what sets us apart from other community clinics around the country?

The Church Health Center is fundamentally about the Church. We care for our patients without relying on government funds because God calls the Church to healing work. Jesus life was about healing the whole personbody and spiritand the Church is Jesus in the world. His message is our message. His ministry is our ministry. Local congregations embrace this calling and help make our work possible.

More than two decades of caring for the working uninsured makes one thing plain: health care needs to change. In the years that the Church Health Center has cared for people in Memphis, weve seen that two-thirds of our patients seek treatment for illness that healthier living can prevent or control. We realize that if we want to make a lasting difference in our patients lives, the most effective strategy is encouraging overall wellness in body and spirit. At a fundamental level, we must transform what the words well and health mean in the minds of most people.

To do that, we developed the Model for Healthy Living. Living healthy lives doesnt just mean that you see the doctor regularly. Rather, healthy living means that all aspects of your life are in balance. Your faith, work, nutrition, movement, family and friends, emotions, and medical health all contribute to a life filled with more joy, more love, and more connection to God.

This book provides opportunities to improve your health in whatever way you need to for your optimal wellness. For the next forty days, we invite you to be inspired by the real-life people whose lives have been changed by the Church Health Center. Each day offers us a new chance to improve our health, so each day we will give you helpful ways that you can make your life healthier.

Some days you may choose to focus on just one or two of our tips: Faith Life, Medical, Movement, Work, Emotional, Family and Friends, or Nutrition. Some days you may want to try all of them. The important thing is to remember that God calls us to an abundant life, and we can always make changes to strive for better health as it relates to hypertension.

Forty days and numerous ways to live a healthy lifecome and join us on the journey!

Linda came to the Church Health Center to begin an exercise program, as well as to use the clinic services. She knew she had hypertension, but had run out of her medication. When a clinic provider checked her blood pressure, it was much higher than anyone had expected, including Linda. that would have been a perfect time to give up, but she did not.

Now she is getting back on track. She sees a clinic provider to have her blood pressure monitored each time she comes into the Church Health Center. She is getting her medication filled on time so that she doesnt go back to where she was before she came to the Church Health Center. She started an extensive exercise program to get her body functioning as it should, sees a registered dietitian, and attends a hypertension education class.

Linda has a long way to go, but she has support aplenty at the Church Health Center. She knows where she is beginning, and she can start looking forward to the finish line. Both Linda and the team she is working with hope that in the next few months she can reduce the number of medications she must take and possibly even eliminate medication from her routine altogether.

She knows where she is beginning, and she can start looking forward to the finish line.

When Linda came into the Church Health Center, she was not aware of the severity of her condition. Hypertension symptoms might not show up until the hypertension is quite advanced, so by the time we are aware of a problem, it may seem insurmountable. But the way to move forward is to know exactly where you are beginning. Today, as we start out toward the goal, we will begin by planting our feet firmly on the starting line.

If you do not have a journal already, start one today. Take a few minutes and write ten words that describe your faith life right now. Be honest, and try to include both positive and negative aspects of your faith life.

Make a list of your medical concerns. Hypertension is among them, but hypertension often accompanies other medical issues. Having a list of your medical concerns will help you to set goals in the coming weeks and make your doctors appointments more productive.

We all have to start somewhere. Go for a walk today, walking as far as you can. Do not exhaust yourself; stop when you feel you need to. Make a note in your journal so that you can track your progress.

Work can be many thingsyour job, volunteering, hobbies, gardening, parenting. Make a list today of the many things that make up your work. As you move forward on this journey, finding how to make healthy choices while you work will be important.

As you set out on this journey, remember that emotional wellness is a crucial part of overall wellness. Today, take five minutes and write about your feelings as you begin this journey. What do you feel? Excitement? Fear? Nervousness?