Healthy Living

Recommendations for Tackling Obesity in BC
The healthy choice should be an easy choice. That is why the BC Alliance for Healthy Living advocates for and supports health-promoting policies, environments, programs and services so that British Columbians have opportunities to be healthy. As part of this work BCAHL has submitted BCAHL Submission on Obesity to the BC Government, which offers recommendations to…
How Do You Serve Healthy Food at Meetings?
A popular local caterer told us recently that they don’t provide heart smart muffins for meetings and events because there simply isn’t enough call for them. They can provide muffins with veggies like zucchini and carrots, but these muffins would also likely contain too much oil for them to be considered a truly healthy option.…
BCAHL’s 2010 Budget Submission
Soon it will be time for the Provincial Government to consider its budget for the fiscal year beginning in April 2010. As part of the public consultation process, BCAHL prepared and submitted a Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. Our Brief reiterates some of the recommendations that have been part of…
BCAHL Meets Ministers
During August, BCAHL Chair Bobbe Wood and I had the opportunity to meet with our two new Ministers – the Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport and the Honourable Mary McNeil, Minister of State for the Olympics and ActNowBC. Scott McDonald, Executive Director of the BC Lung Association joined us for the…
Tobacco Reduction Strategy
Tobacco is addictive, poisonous and kills 16 British Columbians every day. Even so, more than 600,000 people in BC continue to smoke, with young adults showing the highest rates of smoking. Even though 19- to 29-year-olds have become a major marketing target for tobacco companies, there are few programs to support them. This is why…
Smoke-Free Housing in Multi-Unit Dwellings Initiative
British Columbians are protected from second-hand smoke in public places but many are still exposed to unwanted tobacco smoke entering their homes from neighbouring units. The Smoke-Free Housing in Multi-Unit Dwellings Initiative worked with housing providers to create more smoke-free living spaces. The Heart and Stroke Foundation implemented a smoke-free housing pilot project to provide technical support…
Community Outreach Initiatives
When young adults are not working or studying hard, you can be sure they are enjoying their time off. Tobacco reduction, protection and prevention initiatives have to reach places where young adults play and live, and two community outreach initiatives achieve that goal. The Community Detailing Initiative will engage businesses and community organizations where young…
Community Detailing Initiative
The Community Detailing Initiative will engage businesses and community organizations where young adults “hang out” to promote cessation resources. These community partners know youth – their customers – and youth culture, and can reach them where they socialize and have fun; at bars, restaurants, shopping malls, events and recreation centres. Jack Boomer Project Manager Telephone:…
Quitters Unite!
Young adults were born double-clicking; they text until their thumbs are sore and use ‘message’ as a verb. Newspapers and billboards do not reach this media-savvy group – they get their information from twitter, networking sites, blogs and each other. The Heart and Stroke Foundation worked with professors to challenge students in senior level marketing classes to design a multi-media tobacco…
Community Based Awareness Initiative
Communities are critical to realizing the benefits of physical activity. Through this initiative, the BC Recreation and Parks Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation are giving them tools to spread the good news. This will raise awareness and promote local opportunities for physical activity so that people can act on what they have…
Walk BC
What is the easiest, cheapest and quickest way to exercise? Just put one foot in front of the other and repeat! Brisk walking has the greatest potential for increasing the overall activity level of a sedentary population. This initiative is providing supports to encourage people to walk regularly. The BC Recreation and Parks Association and…
Sip Smart!
From sport drinks to pop to fruit “punch”, sugar-sweetened beverages are everywhere. To help kids kick this liquid-sugar habit, the BC Pediatric Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation are launching an elementary school educational program. It includes innovative resource materials and a teacher-friendly learning module. By teaching kids why it is important to drink less…

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Questions about our policy recommendations, resources, initiatives, and activities? Reach out to us.