Hudson church in Hudson, Massachusetts, hosted a seminar on October 27 and November 3, 2019, on preventing and reversing coronary heart disease. Hudson church member Lilia Bacu, R.N., N.P., and a Harvard University student, presented to people from the community as well as the church family.
Bacu shared many enlightening, and sometimes unsettling, statistics about who is at risk, how one’s lifestyle can increase risk, and how to potentially prevent and/or minimize the risk.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States and most people impacted are unaware that they have a potentially deadly health issue. However, coronary heart disease can be prevented and reversed.
One video shared included an interview with former president Bill Clinton by Sanjay Gupta, neurosurgeon and medical journalist. Clinton had traditional medical intervention and subsequently has chosen a vegan dietary plan to reverse and ultimately maintain his heart health. Other excerpts from the video showed imaging of the heart and arteries of people who had reversed their disease through non-surgical intervention such as adopting a vegan diet and exercise.
To reinforce that a vegan menu can be delicious, during the break, church members Cheri and Jim Drew and Maria Bacu served several vegan dishes. Examples of several store-bought items highlighted that it isn’t necessary to cook everything from scratch. A heart-healthy diet is within reach. Attendees also had their BMI (Body Mass Index) checked.
The presenter pointed out that one element of a healthy lifestyle is exercise. Roselyn Juen, member, led the group in some low-impact stretches that could easily be modified to increase one’s heart rate.
A wide variety of handouts were available, some from the American Heart Association, supporting the information presented, such as how to manage blood pressure. Several nurse volunteers took participants’ blood pressure. It was two days well spent, and the seminar was free! There is a lot to learn and incorporate into one’s life for heart health.
Ellen White states in Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 62, “When properly conducted, the health work is an entering wedge, making a way for other truths to reach the heart. When the third angel’s message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.”
Already the Hudson church’s health evangelism program is multiplying; another church has asked that this message be shared with them. This is a wonderful opportunity to share Jesus with our neighbors.
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Cheryl McMaster, communication leader, Hudson church
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