OUTER BANKS, N.C., July 24, 2024 — Outer Banks Health and Dare County Department of Health & Human Services have joined forces with Blue Zones, the global leader in longevity research and community well-being transformation, to launch Blue Zones Ignite™ Outer Banks.
Blue Zones uses an evidence-based, environmental approach to making healthy choices easier where they live and spend most of their time. Blue Zones will work with Outer Banks Health, the County, and other community leaders to conduct an in-depth feasibility assessment to determine how to make it a healthier place to live, work, and thrive. Together with the community, the Blue Zones team will assess readiness and build a plan for change.
The launch of Blue Zones Ignite is a dream come true for Christina Bowen, MD, Outer Banks Health Center for Healthy Living Medical Director, and ECU Health Chief Well-being Officer.
“We know that 20% of health and longevity is tied to genetics; while 80% is tied to where and how we live. Blue Zones Ignite Outer Banks is going to inspire us to celebrate and promote our strong sense of community while we find ways to make it even easier to eat healthy foods, move naturally and connect with our purpose – just a few of the ways we’ll continue to enhance our well-being and make this an even better place to live and work,” shared Dr. Bowen.
The Blue Zones Approach
Blue Zones employs a proven solution in collaboration with communities to help people live better and longer lives. The company’s work is based on research and principles developed by National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner, who identified the cultures of the world – or blue zones regions – with the healthiest, longest-living populations.
The Blue Zones approach focuses on the single largest determinant of health: the place we live. Instead of focusing solely on individual behavior change, Blue Zones helps communities make permanent and semi-permanent changes to policies, systems, streets, surroundings, and social networks so it’s easier for residents to eat wisely, move naturally, and connect more with others as they move throughout their day. By improving the Life Radius®—the area close to home where most Americans spend 90% of their lives—Blue Zones transformations have been able to move the needle dramatically in improving overall population health and well-being. Communities that have participated in the Blue Zone’s Ignite project have seen double-digit drops in obesity and smoking rates, economic investment in downtown corridors, grant funding awards to support policies and programs to improve health equity, and measurable savings in healthcare costs.
“Together, Outer Banks Health and Dare County Health and Human Services are steadfast in our shared mission to enhance the health and well-being of all residents, so that they can live a happy, healthy and long life,” said Dr. Sheila Davies, Director Health & Human Services.
Ben Leedle, CEO of Blue Zones and Co-founder of Blue Zones Project, said: “We are excited to partner with forward-thinking leaders in the joint effort of improving well-being in the Outer Banks. That improvement, at the community level, leads to healthier and happier residents, better and more productive workforces and student bodies, and a more vibrant economy. We are excited to collaborate to create a transformation plan that can generate lasting positive change and ignite a community-wide movement towards sustained well-being.”
The Blue Zones expert team will connect with Outer Banks leaders and organizations to begin immediate work assessing the strengths, needs, and challenges that residents are facing today. Blue Zones will then create a policy-focused transformation plan that, once implemented, can drive widespread improvements in well-being, reductions in healthcare costs, and improve economic vitality in the region.
Chris Smith, the vice president of finance and operations for the ECU Health Foundation, was working out at the ECU Health Wellness Center when the director pulled him aside and told him about the Rock Steady Boxing program – a non-contact, boxing-inspired fitness routine specifically created for patients with Parkinson’s disease and similar movement disorders.
“They were looking for help with starting up the program – equipment, training for a few coaches, that sort of thing,” Smith said. “I told him we’d take a look at how the Foundation could help, and as it turned out, we were able to provide them the funds they needed to get the program started.”
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms worsen over time, causing difficulty with walking, talking or other daily activities. While there is no cure, physical activity can improve many symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, slow the progression of the disease process and improve patients’ quality of life.
First created in Indianapolis in 2006, Rock Steady Boxing is now an international nonprofit program with more than 840 certified affiliates. Now, ECU Health’s Wellness Center counts itself among those numbers because of the Foundation’s support.
Smith said it was gratifying to know that money given by donors was used in such a meaningful way.
“This demonstrates the impact of what our donors do for their friends and families in the region. It showed the tangible impact philanthropy has on the lives of people in eastern North Carolina.” Smith also had a personal connection to the program; his father had Parkinson’s. “He passed away right before the pandemic. He was doing rehab, but he could never get back on his feet.”
With those donor-provided funds, which covered the cost of coach training in Indianapolis and the necessary equipment, the ECU Health Wellness Center was able to establish a Rock Steady Boxing program in 2023. Two of the coaches trained for the program were Kiara Robins, the lead exercise specialist, and Cas Costa, an exercise physiologist II. More than 36,000 people live with Parkinson’s disease in North and South Carolina, and Costa highlighted the value of having this program in the area.
“I didn’t realize at first the impact it would have, and I didn’t know how few locations offered the class.” That’s true; the ECU Health Wellness Center is currently only one of three locations to offer the program in eastern North Carolina. As a result, Robins said that their class has grown quickly: “We started with just three or four members but now we’re up to ten or twelve. We have people come from Rocky Mount, Kinston, Grimesland, Snow Hill and Ayden looking to do the program. We’re steadily growing, and we’re seeing great results.”
Those results are measured through balance and gait tests, such as the Berg Balance test and the Get up and Go test. “Our first four participants have gone from high fall risks to medium or low risks,” Robins said. “Some couldn’t even complete components of the tests, but they now can.”
Justin Mendoza, one of the participants in the class and its youngest member, attested to the program’s positive effects. “They [the coaches] really put their heart into thinking of exercises. You have someone who has studied this and knows what you’re going through. I’ve improved in my strength and walking, and I don’t fall as often,” he said.
While some clients, like Mendoza, heard about the Greenville class when theirs shut down, others received referrals from their physical therapists or physicians. Dr. Temitope Lawal, an ECU Health movement disorder neurologist, is one of those doctors to refer patients to the program.
“Exercise slows the progression of Parkinson’s,” he said. “It’s an extrapolation of the saying, ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it.’ This program makes you accountable and asks you to move your muscles as much as you can.” Dr. Lawal also noted the social value of the program. “It’s an avenue for interaction with others who have Parkinson’s, so it’s like an informal support group.” Costa agreed: “The biggest benefit is the sense of community. It’s hard to go to a regular gym and know what to do. But here, everyone has Parkinson’s so there’s a level of comfort with the activities.”
That accessibility to specialized exercise programs is just one of the things that sets apart the ECU Health Wellness Center.
“The Wellness Center is more than a gym,” Robins said. “You have trained staff here, all with a degree in exercise and certified in one or more areas to better serve the population.” Costa also emphasized the value of specialty-trained staff. “We’re a wellness center, which is different from a gym. In a gym you can’t see a dietician or a lifestyle coach or go next door for a physical therapy appointment. We have a full-circle of wellness with staff trained to help patients with Parkinson’s, arthritis, orthopedic needs, cancer and other diagnoses.”
Both coaches acknowledged that collaboration is required to make Rock Steady Boxing and other programs successful.
“I’m working towards a Ph.D. in kinesiology, and in school we’re learning about the relationship between physicians and exercise physiologists,” said Costa. “Rock Steady Boxing is an example of that collaboration. ECU Health supporting this program helps us build relationships with the doctors and specialists in the network.”
This partnership provides access to valuable resources and complements the medications patients with Parkinson’s must take to combat the symptoms.
Membership is not required to participate in Rock Steady Boxing. “90 percent of our participants are non-members,” Robins said. Participants pay for eight sessions per month, but there’s also a drop-in rate for those who have less predictable schedules. Those who are unsure if they want to join can observe a class for free, and they can participate in the class on a month-to-month basis with no obligation.
Robins said the program has plans to continue its growth so it can better serve the region, and both she and Costa shared their appreciation to the Foundation for supporting the program.
“We’re grateful to have this program here in Greenville,” Robins said. “We’re still in the beginning stages, but we want to expand as much as we can and get more members. We want to encourage everyone with Parkinson’s to participate and to let them know we’re here to help as much as we can.” Mendoza championed the program and the coaches for their hard work: “I love the class. We have fun, and the coaches know what they’re doing. You don’t feel intimidated or self-conscious, and it gives you a sense of pride.”
ECU Health hosted an open house on March 7 to introduce community members to the newly dedicated space for the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic located in the ECU Health Wellness Center in Greenville.
The Greenville location is one of 12 across eastern North Carolina, designed to help patients live a healthier life through improved nutrition and exercise.
Dr. David Michael, medical director for the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic, said the space is a dream come true for him and the patients he serves.
“I’ve always dreamed that my physician’s office or doctor’s office would look more like a fitness center than a hospital,” Dr. Michael said. “I thought if I could do that, I’d be onto something. So it’s just a blessing to have the lobby of our Lifestyle Medicine Clinic right in the fitness center itself. Exercise and physical activity are such important pillars to healthy living.”
There are six traditional pillars to healthy living that the clinic follows in its work with patients. Those pillars are:
- Healthy eating, including whole, plant-based foods
- Increased physical activity
- Develop strategies to manage stress
- Avoiding risky substances
- Improved sleep
- Form and maintain relationships
Brenda Leigh, director of Lifestyle Medicine at ECU Health, said the program is designed for each individual patient, and the patient’s wants and needs dictate how the program is developed.
“A lot of times people will start with one pillar and try to figure out what’s most important to them, and sometimes it might not even be what they think,” Leigh said. “They come in and say, ‘We want to lose weight.’ After the navigator talks with them for a bit, we realize all the stressors going on in their life. So we might say, ‘First, you really need to work with a social worker or a counselor and set some priorities and get some things ready in your life to then make the nutrition and exercise changes that might help your weight loss.’”
During Tuesday’s open house, the Lifestyle Medicine team also hosted a free “Lunch with a Doctor” and “Dinner with a Doctor” event. During these sessions, ECU Health providers cooked a healthy meal for participants, showed them how to prepare the meal and shared ways to get whole, plant-based foods into their diet.
Susie Houston, a nurse practitioner with ECU Health, prepared the meal for the “Lunch with a Doctor” event. She said educating attendees and showing them how to cook a tasty meal with the ingredients that typically get left behind in the grocery store is a priority during these events.
For lunch, the team put together a power bowl with tofu, vegetable toppings and a homemade dressing that attendees could choose from.
“When you think of the color of the rainbow with what we’re preparing today, you’re pretty much getting all the vitamins, minerals and then fiber that you need,” Houston said. “So if we use food as medicine, it’s this great idea that in the grocery store, if we could stick in the produce section or the perimeter in the store, that just makes a difference.”
The team plans to continue to host these free events in the future.
Leigh said she knows this program can change lives for patients as studies have shown healthy habits like diet and exercise can help slow, stop or even reverse chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
March is National Nutrition Month – start your journey to better health with the Lifestyle Medicine programs available across eastern North Carolina by calling 252-847-9908.
Resources
ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, a campus of ECU Health Medical Center, hosted free community health screenings, produce giveaways and educational information at its first fall harvest event at the new community garden and outdoor classroom on Nov. 18.
The community garden and outdoor classroom, located next to the ECU Health Wellness Center in Washington was made possible — in part — by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the garden was developed by the ECU Health Patient Education team in collaboration with ECU Health Beaufort Hospital. Internal partners include the ECU Health Beaufort Hospital Food & Nutrition Services team, Community Health Improvement team, Volunteer Services, the Wellness Center, and Facilities & Properties.
“It has been wonderful working with such an innovative team,” said Tammy Thompson, director of Experience Engagement, Education and Design at ECU Health. “They have been true partners throughout entire process.”
Sowing the seeds for health and well-being
Over the summer, the garden started to take shape, resulting in 10 raised beds for vegetables, two large metal planters for herbs, fencing, a shed and space for community members to come together and learn outdoors. The hospital planted the first crops in September for the first harvest event.
Pam Shadle, director of Marketing, Community Outreach and Development at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, said the opportunity to come together as a team and create something that will benefit the community has been a great experience.
“It’s been a labor of love since the creation of the idea,” Shadle said. “So many of our team members from various departments came together to make this happen, so it’s been a great opportunity for our folks to get involved and I really appreciate that.”
Shadle said the community garden and outdoor classroom is an integral addition to their community health improvement plan for Beaufort and Hyde county residents. While they already feel the great impact of existing programs on community health, the garden will help create new opportunities and help improve those established programs, Shadle said.
Beyond the harvest
The ECU Health Food and Nutrition Services team joined the event and shared easy-to-make recipes inspired by the garden’s produce — which includes vegetables and herbs like broccoli, collards, kale, lettuce, rosemary and thyme. Along with the opportunity to take home fresh, free produce, clinical teams were on hand to offer health screenings for community members, and the Wellness Center team shared information about lifestyle medicine and other services to support community wellness.
“It’s just a great complement to include these offerings because what we’re trying to do is not solely about food,” Dr. Thompson said. “We call these living-learning labs because of the interactive engagement to support healthy lifestyles. This is an opportunity for community members to receive a variety of information and resources for better health.”
ECU Health Chief Experience Officer Julie Oehlert, DNP, RN, said the garden is an important step in the community health work in eastern North Carolina.
“We’re so proud of the teams that made this garden a reality,” Dr. Oehlert said. “It’s going to benefit community members, team members and patients in the hospital and I think it’s really special for us to connect with the communities we serve in this way. We’re excited to offer something unique for Washington and Beaufort County and I know we’re going to learn so much from this project.”
Planning your visit
The garden will be open to community members from 9 a.m. to noon each Wednesday and Friday where any produce ready to be harvested will be distributed and other educational materials will be shared.
Greenville, N.C. – Feb. 24, 2022 – Vidant Health is pleased to announce that Christina Bowen, M.D., ABOIM, DipACLM, has been named Vidant’s first Chief Well-being Officer, and will champion well-being efforts through the lens of team member and provider engagement and equity.
“I am excited about this new role and our commitment to our team’s well-being,” said Dr. Julie Oehlert, Vidant Health Chief Experience Officer. “There is nothing more valuable and contributory to our health care outcomes than the wonderful humans that show up every day to deliver health care and caring to the communities we serve.”
As Chief Well-being Officer effective Jan. 1, 2022, Dr. Bowen is responsible for collaborating with the entire organization to develop, guide and implement team member and provider well-being and resilience initiatives founded on evidence-based best practices and organizational data. She also collaborates with Vidant’s wellness teams to introduce and support new programs that positively influence the population health of the communities in which we proudly serve.
“I am proud to be a part of a health care organization that recognizes the importance of the overall team member experience and is committed to optimizing well-being and resilience efforts,” said Dr. Bowen. “I am very grateful to have the opportunity to pursue my passion of integrated medicine while also positively influencing the communities that I love. This is a way for Vidant to come alongside everyone who has provided amazing care to our patients, especially during the pandemic, and make sure our team members are taken care of and their wellness is in the forefront.”
In addition to serving as Chief Well-Being Officer, Dr. Bowen is an integrative medicine physician with ECU Health Physicians and the Medical Director of The Center for Healthy Living at The Outer Banks Hospital. Her previous roles at Vidant include Medical Director of the Office of Experience and Medical Director of Integrative Oncology. Dr. Bowen is board certified in family medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, lifestyle medicine and integrative medicine, and has received numerous honors and awards, including The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health’s North Carolina’s Community Star in 2020.
“The creation of this role brings continued focus to our intention of belonging,” said Mark Dunn, Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Talent Management Officer, Vidant Health. “It is important to be our authentic selves at work and in the communities we live in and serve. Our collective well-being is important not only to our patients, but to our families. This role will help us provide support and development in an area that is needed now more than ever.”
A native of eastern North Carolina, Dr. Bowen graduated from East Carolina University in 2003 with a doctorate in medicine. In 2004, she completed her internship at Duke University Medical Center and completed her residency at Carolinas Medical Center in 2008. In 2016, she completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona under Dr. Andrew Weil — world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of Integrative Medicine.
After closing in June 2020, we spent several months diligently assessing how to best utilize the building, while also exploring how to improve access to patient services. Balancing both the community’s passion for the Greenville-based Wellness Center, as well as the need to expand patient services, the organization carefully redesigned the Wellness Center’s space and service model that is mission-focused and sustainable.
The Wellness Center in Greenville will re-open later this year as a destination facility for Vidant’s wellness and outpatient rehabilitation services. Additional details about timing, employment opportunities and memberships at the Wellness Center in Greenville will be shared in the coming months.
Fitness Center
Fitness Center offerings will include membership access to exercise equipment, pool and aquatic programs, group exercise classes, personal training and a KidZone. Services like the Café, CrossFit, children’s gym and camps will not be offered in the revised model.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Services
Vidant’s three Greenville-based outpatient rehabilitation clinics will all relocate to new space at the Wellness Center. This centralized location will improve convenience and accessibility for patients as well as team member collaboration. Vidant Outpatient Rehabilitation includes adult, children and aquatic programs; comprehensive speech, physical and occupational therapy; and many specialty services.
Lifestyle Medicine Clinic
The Lifestyle Medicine Clinic currently housed at the Greenville-based Wellness Center will continue to offer patient visits with medical providers for nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, tobacco cessation, exercise as medicine and other lifestyle treatments. The clinic will also provide wellness programs to Vidant team members.
Ahoskie and Washington Wellness Centers
Vidant plans to resume operation of the Wellness Centers in Ahoskie and Washington, which have been closed due to COVID-19. Outpatient rehab and cardiopulmonary rehab services remain open in the Washington Wellness Center. Children’s after school and upcoming summer camps also remain open in the Ahoskie Wellness Center. The timing for opening these facilities, along with the Greenville-based Wellness Center, is dependent on the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
Vidant remains committed to meeting the health care needs of eastern North Carolina and improving the health and well-being of the region.