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Abstract #152609

• Handout (free access)

Akmal Muwwakkil, PhD, The Energy Institute of the Healing Arts Foundation, Energy Institute of the Healing Arts Foundation, 12911 Woodmore Rd., Mitcellville, MD 20721, 301 249 2445, akmalmuwwakkil@yahoo.com

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles in Minority Communities: Touch of Life Program an Innovative, Complementary Alternative Model to Healing

Purpose

The purpose of this workshop is to present information about an innovative, effective health and wellness project introducing complementary alternative healing system.

Background

Energy Institute of the Healing Arts Foundation offers complementary alternative services promoting mind, body, spirit healing programs. Touch of Life, a three year program educates consumers on healthy lifestyles behaviors, and holistic modalities as tools to prevent, reduce and/or eliminate health disparities.

Methods

Touch of Life Program targeted 300, predominantly African American residents of Prince George's County in Maryland including children ages 3 to16 and adults 21to 94. Health issues consisted of hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, obesity and high cholesterol. This twelve week program offered healthy lifestyle classes for two hours weekly, Qi Gong exercises, progressive relaxation, health and holistic nutrition lectures, assessments, follow-ups, and evaluations.

Findings

Three-year data collected suggests improvement in health outcomes: weight loss, blood sugar levels, medications, joints pain and cholesterol levels. As an example, 90% hypertensive participant's blood pressure decreased, with a 35% reduction and/or elimination of medication by physicians.

Conclusion

This project suggests educating consumers about healthy lifestyles with a focus on the bio-chemical relationships between food and the body's physiology is important. It suggests incorporating and adapting holistic modalities that contributes to improving health and well being.

Implications

This project is significant for research, practice and policy suggesting the importance of integrating complementary alternative modalities into health practices to improve overall health.

Learning Objectives:

• Increase the knowledge level of healthcare providers to the importance of healthy lifestyles in reducing, preventing and/or eliminating health disparities among minority communities.
• Educate healthcare providers to the availability and accesiblity of Complementary alternative modalities in the prevention and healing of health disparities. Modify the additudes of healthcare providers to the referring patients to alternative practitioners. Educate healthcare providers to evidence-based complementary alternative modalities for the treatment of hypertension,diabetes, arthritis,and obesity in uninsured minorities.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Health Disparities

Related Web page: www.eihaf.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Handout (free access)