Here’s how Motivate Lake County can change your health and life

By Patricia Nugent

In an effort to encourage the people of Lake County to take control of their health, a new program—Motivate Lake County—was launched this month.

“We saw it necessary to use technology as a platform to efficiently deliver population health to change the lives of individuals,” says Ron H. Graham, health commissioner of Lake County General Health District (LCGHD). The initiative is a partnership between LCGHD and hChoices, an online wellness program.

“Our platform allows people to input, track and understand their health numbers through an innovative private dashboard,” says Ron. “People can set and achieve goals and find motivation.”

Steve Pelton, president of hChoices explains the site. “MotivateLakeCounty.com acts as a resource for opportunities to inspire, engage and educate people through health fairs, wellness challenges, classes, presentations and support groups. We provide all the resources for Lake County residents to become the healthiest possible version of themselves,” says Steve. “Our secure platform tracks people’s health data and allows for them to participate in several challenges each month.”

For instance, last month many folks took the online salt challenge for one week. They received 100 points for each day they consumed less than 2,300 milligrams of salt. Those who successfully completed five of the seven days were entered into a drawing for $50.

The wellness blog and wellness video gallery housed on the site cover a wide variety of healthful topics, from guided imagery to sleep apnea and how food might be affecting your sleep.

To make the educational opportunities possible, Motivate Lake County has forged numerous partnerships with local hospitals, fitness centers and the YMCA. An extensive and comprehensive list of resources on its site includes links to everything from where to find day care to medical supplies and nursing homes.

“In the future, we’d like to see this program become a model around the state and even the country demonstrating how organizations by working together could have a positive impact on the communities they serve,” says Steve.

Visit MotivateLakeCounty.com to register, or call 440-478-5640. Check the site for a host of upcoming events. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Mimi Magazine is a proud wellness partner of the initiative.