A message from Richard Jock, FNHA Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Nel Wieman, FNHA Chief Medical Officer.
We are excited to invite all First Nations individuals and families to join the First Nations Health Authority's (FNHA's) 30x30 Active Wellness Challenge, which is simply doing 30 minutes of any activity for 30 days during the month of June.
“Movement is Medicine" is the theme for this year's challenge as we recognize movement can influence our overall health and wellness. Being active consistently heals our spiritual, emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Our activities also ground us in our culture through reflection walks, dancing, hiking, canoeing, participating in ceremony, hunting and/or harvesting, to name a few. Most of us already engage in daily activities that we do not necessarily count as movement such as grocery shopping, cooking, housecleaning, and running errands.
For those beginning or returning to your active journey, we encourage you to first check in with your primary care provider if needed. Remember to be patient with yourself, start with small changes to your routine, and that you are in charge of your personal wellness journey!
FNHA's Community Wellness Champion, Cyril Morris, models the mentality that it is not necessarily about how much you can lift at the gym or about running marathons; it is about finding something that does not feel like a chore and that brings you happiness. For example, both of us enjoy regular walks aiming for 10,000 steps daily.
Here is how you can participate this month, and beyond:
- Make a plan to dedicate 30 minutes of any activity each day during the month of June – invite family/friends to join!
- Share photos and/or posts of your participation by using hashtags #FNHAWellness, #30x30ActiveChallengeFNHA and #BeActiveFNHA on social media to encourage and inspire others. The FNHA Wellness Team will select a winner from the submitted posts in the first week of July.
- If you'd like the FNHA Wellness Team to support you to share your 30x30 journey, please email Active@FNHA.ca.
Access our resources and tools to support your physical activity goals:
- FNHA's Wellness Roadmap – This workbook can support you to determine what your wellness goals are and strategies for accomplishing them.
- FNHA's Health and Wellness Daily Organizer – This daily organizer is intended to support you in tracking your wellness activities for all four wellness streams, Being Active, Eating Healthier, Nurturing Spirit and Respecting Tobacco. To order a physical copy of this daily organizer, please email Resources@FNHA.ca.
Our partner, the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (ISPARC) offers webinars, training and physical health education opportunities you can access by visiting the ISPARC Events Page. You can learn about the ISPARC's Indigenous RunWalk program, FitNation training and the Healthy Leader Training by visiting their Healthy Living Page. Check out ISPARC's new resistance band workout series here.
