CELEBRATING THE FIRST APPROVED FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE!
First Assembly of God Hamakua is the first Blue Zones Project Approved™ faith-based organization in the state of Hawaii! The church and its members celebrated this accomplishment with a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a plant-based potluck, and a gardening demonstration in December.
In order to become Blue Zones Project Approved, First Assembly of God adopted the following best practices that promote well-being:
- Formed Walking Moai® teams and plant-based potlucks
- Created a tobacco-free policy
- Hosted a diabetes education talk with members and the community
- Held a Blue Zones Project presentation for the community
- Created a community garden
"We decided to get involved with Blue Zones Project because we care about our community and neighbors and want them to live healthy, happy, abundant lives,” said Pastor Lynne Higa. The community is invited to join Pastor Higa and members of First Assembly of God at their weekly service, held every Sunday at 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (Marshallese service).
If your faith-based organization is interested in participating with Blue Zones Project, email Jade Iokepa at jade.iokepa@healthways.com or call 576-5572.
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East Hawaii residents had the opportunity to improve their well-being by participating in a Power of Purpose Workshop at Kalani in Kapoho on January 8. Attendees took the time to discover their gifts and talents, learned how to navigate through life’s transitions, and got the chance to mingle with like-minded individuals who are also working towards improving their health and well-being.
Each person has an individual set of strengths and talents that can be used to lead a truly meaningful life. Whatever your role within your community, begin adding years to your life by participating in our next Purpose Workshop:
Wednesday, February 22
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School, Cafeteria
Open to the community!
To RSVP, email: jade.iokepa@healthways.com or call (808) 756-5772
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WIKIFRESH CHEF’S IT UP WITH BLUE ZONES!
WikiFRESH hosted a Blue Zones Project Cooking Demo on December 7, with an amazing quinoa recipe that was served alongside fresh made salsa, guacamole, and low-sodium chips.
“Quin-what?” you may be wondering. Quinoa — pronounced “kinwa”— is one of the world’s most popular health foods. It’s actually a seed that’s gluten-free, high in protein, and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also high in fiber, magnesium, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin E.
Best of all, quinoa is delicious and so versatile! It’s cooked the same way as rice and can be used in a wide range of dishes. Many people swap out rice for quinoa, while others add lots of herbs and veggies for a complete meal.
If you missed this healthy cooking demonstration, don’t fret. You can still get a taste of the quinoa recipe, since it’s a staple on the menu at WikiFRESH. A big mahalo to WikiFRESH for sharing their time, cooking skills, and wonderful recipes with our Blue Zones Project ‘ohana.
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SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE OF AGING GRACEFULLY
Blue Zones Project was recently invited to attend a collaborative Education and Economic Development seminar to learn about healthy aging from international and local experts. “East Hawaii’s population is getting older, and we are becoming a ‘super-aged’ community,“ said Charlene Iboshi from Community First and JCCIH (Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hawaii), who helped put together this event. “By learning about other similar populations, we can better support initiatives for a healthy, super-aged community in Hawaii County.”
Guest speakers included Takuya Nakamura, Director of the Advanced Healthy City Program in Fukuoka City, Japan; Cullen Hayashida, Ph.D., Senior Advisor to St. Francis Healthcare Systems; Carol Ignacio and Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek of Blue Zones Project; and Jesse Ebersole of the Hawaii Fire Department. Takuya Nakamura provided an overview of Fukuoka city’s plans to create an age-friendly city and the requisite infrastructure to strengthen a culture of people helping people; Cullen Hayashida spoke on active aging as a way to address the shortage of healthcare workers and the high cost of long-term care; Carol Ignacio and Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek gave an overview and progress report of the Blue Zones Project in East Hawaii and how it’s working with our seniors to improve well-being; and Jesse Ebersole discussed fall prevention for elders and secondary intervention for high-risk ER-readmission candidates.
Mahalo to Community First and JCCIH for bringing together these experts to connect, collaborate and learn from each other to improve the health and well-being of our seniors in Hawaii County.
Pictured: Charlene Iboshi, Community First and JCCIH; Jade Iokepa, Blue Zones Project Engagement Lead; Lisa Cabalis, Blue Zones Project Community Engagement Manager; Dr. Cullen Hayashida, Senior Advisor to St. Francis Healthcare Systems; Takuya Nakamura, Director of Advanced Healthy City Program, Fukuoka City, Japan; Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek, Blue Zones Project Organization Lead; Mr. Toshihiro Hirata, Assistant Director of Advanced Healthy City Program, Fukuoka City, Japan.
