Body & Soul A Celebration of Healthy Eating & Living

What is Body & Soul?

• A health program originally designed for African-American churches.

• A program that empowers church members to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables every day for better health.

• A program that works by combining: – Church Staff leadership– Educational activities– A church environment that supports

healthy eating– Peer counseling

The Blessings Of Body & Soul

Body & Soul churches embrace and celebrate good health through healthy eating.

Body & Soul congregations:– Eat more fruits and

vegetables.– Learn how health and

spirituality are connected.– Embrace other healthy

habits.

Why Body & Soul?

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

1 Corinthians 6:19

However…

Why Body & Soul?

60% of us are overweight or

obese.http://www.oakwood.org/upload/docs/Stewardship_01_Diet_Exercise.pdf

QUESTION: What Can We Do?

NOTHING, or….

We can make choices to:

positively impact our own health, and

positively impact the health of others.

History of Body & Soul

• Body & Soul is based on National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded research conducted in North Carolina (Black Churches United for Better Health) and at Emory University (Eat for Life Trial).

• The American Cancer Society and NCI worked with the researchers from UNC and Emory to translate this research into a program that could be delivered on a wide scale.

Measures of Success

• Increased consumption of fruit and vegetables among participants.

• Changes in church policies and practices related to foods served (link to SHIP).

• Increased awareness, knowledge, and self-efficacy of healthy eating among participants.

• Collaborative relationships.

MOTIVATIONAL REMINDER:

Whether, then, you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

For more information

• http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/FaithBodyandSoul

• To order a free copy of the Body & Soul Guide, call 1-800-422-6237. For more information, visit www.5aday.gov.

• Stewardship of Health: a series of health information briefs and a group study guide for Christian congregations. Stewardship of Health is available to parishes free of charge. Go to: http://www.oakwood.org/?id=1740&sid=1