Messages from... Dr. Leonard A. Johnson, D. Min., CMG, J.P. Ms. Annie K. Price, RN. Pastor Paul Scavella, M.Div

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2 2 Messages from... Dr. Leonard A. Johnson, D. Min., CMG, J.P. President, Atlantic Caribbean Union of Seventh-day Adventists I am grateful for this opportunity to publicly commend the Health Ministries Department and the Adventist Health Professionals Association of the South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for organizing their First Annual Health Professionals Association Week. This ambitious program comes at a time when our society is plagued by so many unhealthy practices. Therefore, I believe the benefits of healthful living that will be highlighted during the week could have a positive influence on our community. The theme chosen for the week, I Choose to Live Healthy, challenges those who are concerned about their health to be more discriminating in how they live day by day. This means that they have to be very selective in the situations and things to which they expose themselves; for the quality of life we enjoy is determined by the choices we make. Also, it has been proven that many of the diseases that plague our people and the peoples of the world are related to the way we live. So if we discipline ourselves and adopt a healthy lifestyle, we can avoid many of the diseases that are common among us. On behalf of the Atlantic Caribbean Union, I congratulate the promoters of this health emphasis week. It is my hope that the information shared during the week will have a positive impact on the persons who participate in the various activities that have been planned. Blessings! Ms. Annie K. Price, RN Health Ministries Director, Atalntic Caribbean Union of Seventh-day Adventists Greetings from the Atlantic Caribbean Union Health Ministries Department. Congratulations to the Health Ministries Department teams, regular members and the Adventist Health Professional Association of South Bahamas for leading out in health initiatives during the year 2017 thus far. I want to commend all who have made contributions in many ways throughout your field. The Lord has been using you mightily and will continue to do so as long as you continue to submit yourselves in service to him and to others. By being partners in health, your commitment and dedication in carrying out the great commission of proclaiming the gospel of Christ Jesus through the health message, will make a difference in the choices others make. Statistics produced by the World Health Organization, reveal continual rising incidence of non-communicable diseases, resulting in unnecessary suffering and death. Families are losing their loved ones earlier than expected. I want to encourage everyone to embrace the training and programmes provided by your local field, on a personal level for effective transformation, physically, mentally and spiritually. Wholistic wellness is all about the choices we make. Choose to be healthy because only then can we truly work on transforming our churches into centers of influence. Then our communities will see them as places of health and healing which will create opportunities to meet the needs of the community. May God continue to use you mightily and may you experience the joy that comes from being in his service. Pastor Paul Scavella, M.Div President, South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Although it is God s desire that we prosper and be healthy, maintaining good health is not automatic; for we live in an intemperate society that influences many to choose the path to destruction. Therefore, we have to be intentional in our effort to preserve an acceptable level of health. This means that we have to choose to adopt a lifestyle that will foster and support optimal health. Such a lifestyle must include adequate rest, proper exercise, adequate water, a balanced diet, and trust in the One who created us and gave us the power of choice. Accordingly, it is my hope that this week of activities will encourage Bahamian citizens and residents to make informed choices regarding their health. From what I am hearing, the week s program is geared to make a positive impact on the total health of those who take advantage of what will be offered. Given this reality, on behalf of the South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, I am pleased to lend my support to the organizers of this First Annual Adventist Health Professionals Association (AHPA) Week under the theme, I Choose to Live Healthy. Let us join in the spirit of the week and choose to live healthy and happy.

3 3 Mrs. Nathelyn LaCroix, MBA, PCT, LE Health Ministries Director, South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists This year the Health Ministries Department of the South Bahamas Conference (SBC ) of Seventh-day Adventist has given the mandate to the Adventist Health Professionals Association (AHPA) to have a week of activities with a view of heightening awareness of wellness; (physically, emotionally and spiritually) for church members and the wider community. Currently in our country, we are bombarded with challenges of non-communicable diseases (NCD s) such as hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and heart conditions. I am thankful that the association, under the capable leadership of Miss Shandera Smith, has taken up the challenge under the theme, I Choose to Live Healthy. The onus is now on you as an individual to take charge of your health through lifestyle changes. I encourage you to pay keen attention to the information and resources that will be shared and incorporate them into your daily routine by making small nuggets of change. I can guarantee you that you will be happier and healthier! Heartfelt thanks to the founders and pioneers of the association: Dr. Joseph Evans, Dr. Kevin Moss, Dr. Alvira Higgs, Dr. Idamae Hanna, Pastor Paul Scavella, Dr. Monique Mitchell, and Mrs. Serkeitha Meadows who nourished it, and raised it to be stronger day by day. Kudos to all the hard working committed members who have contributed over the years to building a healthier nation. My prayer for The Bahamas is that it will be healthier and happier as a result of this week of health activities. Miss Shandera Smith, M.Sc., LDN, CCDE President, Adventist Health Professionals Association Good health is such an invaluable gift! Without it, we cannot be all that God wants us to be. Just imagine being sick all the time or maybe just occasionally. How happy or productive are you? Everyone, I believe, desires to be well in all aspects of life - physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually. Our country has the potential of achieving much better health than we currently experience. While a small percentage of us may be prospering in good health, there are so many who are sick and are dying because of poor health. We have to help each other, as it takes a collective effort to achieve good health. It also takes a lot of personal discipline, effort, self-control, perhaps a few more dollars and learning or re-learning how to care well for your body. But I assure you that it is worth the effort and every penny. Good health is an investment and it is priceless!! The choices you make daily affect your health. Therefore, the Adventist Health Professionals Association challenges you to choose to be healthy. Be intentional and deliberate in your lifestyle practices. Choose to be active; choose to make intelligent food choices; choose to get enough rest and sleep; choose to avoid substances that can harm your health; choose to get fresh air; choose to get some sunshine daily; choose to be productive at work; choose to trust in God. Set goals to improve your lifestyle, and ask God to help you achieve them. After all, He desires that we be in good health. We hope that the information presented to you during this week be of great benefit to you and that you will integrate it into your lifestyle so that you can experience a good quality of life. May God bless your efforts. PAST HEALTH MINISTRIES DIRECTORS OF SOUTH BAHAMAS CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS Photo not available DR. IDAMAE HANNA PASTOR PAUL SCAVELLA PASTOR NEVILLE SCAVELLA DR. JOHN CAREY DR. ROBERT WILLIAMS

4 4 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AHPA NATHELYN LACROIX Health Ministries Dir. SBC SHANDERA SMITH President SERKEITHA MEADOWS Immediate Past President ROSEMARY COOPER Vice President PHILLIPPA ROLLE Secretary DR. RHONDA CARTER Asst. Secretary MAUREEN LESBOTT Treasurer JESTINA KNOWLES Public Relations PREATTA GIBBS Chaplain DR. ALPHEUS ALLICK Physician Liason Officer REBECCA JOHNSON Nurse Liason Officer DR. MONIQUE MITCHELL Training & Education Officer PAST PRESIDENTS SERKEITHA MEADOWS DR. MONIQUE MITCHELL DR. JOHN CARTER DR. ALVIRA HIGGS DR. JOSEPH EVANS

5 Adventist Health Professionals Association (AHPA) Wellness Awareness Week Campaign September 17 24, 2017 Theme: I Choose to Live Healthy 5 The Adventist Health Professionals Association is a vibrant and growing body of excited and passionate persons serving in many health disciplines both traditional and non-traditional areas. It was formed since 2001 with a team of persons including Dr. Joseph Evans, Dr. Kevin Moss and Dr. Alvira Higgs. Convicted that the Health Message is the right arm of the Gospel, we believe that we have a significant role in evangelism. We strongly believe that our body is the temple of the Lord, and we are on an endless mission to teach people how to care for and respect it, ultimately glorifying God. The Association has been actively involved in ministry in the church and in the community. The objectives of the Association are in harmony with those of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and include the following: 1. To foster and ensure a strong fraternal bond among all Seventh-day Adventist health care professionals worldwide and to encourage and strengthen an attitude of loyalty among them toward medical missionary endeavours. 2. To advance worldwide health evangelism through education, promotion, evaluation, research and financial support. Being in optimal health should be a desire for everyone. After all, who likes to be sick? The journey to achieving good health is one filled with competing factors; making time to be active, making healthy food and beverage choices, getting sufficient rest and sleep, having nurturing and loving relationships. With so many competing factors, some of us cave and some of us thrive. What makes the difference? You have to want good health badly enough; you have to be intentional in your lifestyle choices. You have to make your health a priority! What does this mean? It means making the choice choosing to be healthy. It involves becoming knowledgeable, creating a supportive environment where making the healthy choice is making the easy choice, making the commitment and being intentional about it. Good health is priceless. How much you choose to invest in it is up to you choose wisely! The goal of the 1st Annual Adventist Health Professionals Association Wellness Awareness Week is to educate citizens and residents of The Bahamas to make healthy lifestyle choices every day. Our objectives are (1) to encourage the public to engage in healthy lifestyle practices that promote good health; (2) to highlight and show the relationship between lifestyle choices and health status/outcomes and (3) to increase awareness of AHPA Week. Our Key Messages are: Message 1: I choose to drink enough water. Message 2: I choose to have a positive attitude. Message 3: I choose to eat vegetables daily. Message 4: I choose to be active every day. Message 5: I choose to get enough rest and sleep. Message 6: I choose not to eat foods that are not good for me. Message 7: I choose to eat breakfast every day. During this week and even beyond, we wish for you to participate in the following Challenges: Sunday - I choose to be active today getting in 30 or more minutes of physical activity/exercise. Monday - I choose to eat a salad at two meals today. Tuesday - I choose to drink water only as a beverag today. Wednesday - I choose to get 7-8 hours of sleep today. Thursday - I choose to be positive today. Friday - I choose to fast from non-nutritious foods and beverages. Saturday - I choose to eat breakfast today. It is the hope of the Adventist Health Professionals Association that you choose to be healthy. Putting these principles into practice is sure to put you and keep you on the road to achieving optimal health. Commit to a NEW START and see your health and your life transformed! Shandera Smith

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8 8 Is Unforgiveness Causing You To Be Sick? The Merriam-Webster Dictonary defines the word forgive as giving up resentment of, or claim of requital. Whether you choose to forgive or not, will determine your level of wellness; (physically, emotionally and spiritually). When someone hurts you, the natural tendency is to retaliate by cutting that person out of your life. You experience, resentment, anxiety, anger and revenge. You just want to inflict pain on that person. Some persons go as far to say, I will never forgive him or her. Most persons have experienced hurt by someone. For a female, maybe her best friend might have walked into her relationship and taken her boyfriend or husband. On the job, you might have been passed over for a welldeserved promotion. Your parenting discipline style might have been too harsh and your children grow up hating you. Or your spouse might have been unfaithful to the marriage vows. There are many reasons persons harbor unforgiveness. However, do you know that this can lead to physical, emotional and spiritual illness? Science has proven that there is a great correlation between unforgiveness and illnesses physically and emotionally. There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed, says Karen Swartz, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Adult Consultation Clinic at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Chronic anger puts you into a fight-or-flight mode, which results in numerous changes in heart rate, blood pressure and immune response. Those changes, then, increase the risk of depression, heart disease and diabetes, among other conditions. Forgiveness, however, calms stress levels, leading to improved health. On a spiritual level. There are two types of forgiveness; God pardoning us of our sins and our obligation to forgive others. Our soul salvation depends on these acts. After man sinned, God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die so that we might be redeemed and have everlasting life. This gift is still available to us today. When we sin and ask for pardon from God, our sins are forgiven. However, there is a prerequisite to being forgiven by God. We must forgive those who have wronged us. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. It is stated in the Bible that when someone hurts us, we are obligated to forgive that person. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matt. 6:14-15). To Jesus, forgiveness and physical health were the same thing, as is revealed in the case of the paralytic. When He healed the sick man, the Lord said to him, Your sins are forgiven you (Matthew 9:12). Bernie Siegel, oncologist and author of the book Love, Medicine, and Miracles one of his, tells the story of one of his patients in whom cancer had spread through almost all of her body. She went to a place near the mountains and a beautiful lake. There, surrounded by that luxuriant natural beauty, she began to think about all the people who had offended her: her ex-husband, her father, a daughter, and so on. She began to write the names of each one and when she finished, she stood in front of the paper and said, I forgive everyone! She suddenly felt a vitality she had not felt in more than one year. Before that moment, she had barely been able to walk from the table to the refrigerator, but as the days went by, she felt encouraged to leave the house and walk. In time, she could even walk all the way around the lake. Then she called Dr. Siegel and asked him to do new tests to see if she still had cancer. What did the tests reveal? They revealed that the cancer had completely disappeared! Learning to forgive is a daily challenge that, thanks to God, we do not have to face alone. Jesus promised His followers before He returned to Heaven, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). This is a promise that you and I can claim in the face of the great and small challenges of daily living. (excerpt from the Magazine, Priorities. The Healing Power of Forgiveness pg. 14) If you need assistance in healing of unforgiveness, please contact or Nathelyn LaCroix, Health Ministries Director, SBC. Proprietor, Wholistic Lifestyle

9 GLAUCOMA The Thief of Sight 9 Do you ever feel like you can only see what s in front of you? When you turn your head to the side, does everything look blurry? You may have a condition of the eye called glaucoma. What is it? According to Dr. Timothy Root, an ophthalmologist and author, glaucoma is a condition where the pressure in the eye builds up to a very high level, because there is a problem with the production of aqueous humor. The pressure in the eye, the intraocular pressure, should be between 10 and 21 mmhg when tested by an ophthalmologist or optometrist during an eye exam. Signs and Symptoms There are none. Glaucoma literally steals sight. The only way to know if you have it is to have an eye exam. Sometimes a person may notice that gradually he or she cannot see as clearly as before, but ignores it. Some people may also think that perhaps it is because of getting older. However, glaucoma is called the thief of sight because of these very reasons. The danger of a high intraocular pressure is that the optic nerve may become damaged. This very important nerve is the portion of the brain that helps us to see. If this nerve becomes damaged, the individual becomes blind permanently. Treatment for Glaucoma In the Bahamas, we have many people with open angle glaucoma, and this is treated with various eye drops which regulate the aqueous humor. If this fails, it may indicate the need for surgical intervention. Having glaucoma is risky business, because a person s vision is very narrow which is called tunnel vision, and driving especially at night is a scary, dangerous thing. It may take some time, but if it continues to go untreated, the person eventually becomes blind and has to adapt to a whole new way of living. Please safeguard your vision; have an annual eye exam, because your eyes are your windows to the world. Serkeitha Meadows, RN

10 NATHELYN LACROIX - THERAPIST

11 EDITOR OF SUPPELEMENT: JOHN CAREY, PH.D

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