INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seven central Indiana residents were selected as winners of the American Heart Association’s “Real People. Real Change.” program sponsored by UnitedHealthcare. The winners were recognized for living healthier lives and inspiring others.
The recipients were introduced at the Indianapolis Heart Walk Saturday, Sept. 9, and will represent the American Heart Association as ambassadors at select events in 2017 and 2018. Each recipient received a pair of custom-designed athletic shoes, and their employers each received a $1,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare in support of their employee wellness programs.
“UnitedHealthcare is grateful for the opportunity to recognize these seven inspiring people who are taking action to improve their heart health and the health of their families, friends and co-workers,” said Dan Krajnovich, president and CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Indiana. “These ‘Real People. Real Change.’ winners are shining examples of how making even small changes to our lifestyles can lead to dramatic improvements in our health.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, causing one in three deaths each year. Some heart disease risk factors include family history and aging; however, up to 80 percent of heart disease is preventable by making small changes to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle.
The seven winners correspond to the seven factors for ideal heart health that make up the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Simple 7”:
- Manage Blood Pressure
- Control Cholesterol
- Reduce Blood Sugar
- Get Active
- Eat Better
- Lose Weight
- Stop Smoking
The “Real People. Real Change.” Award winners and their employers are:
Manage Blood Pressure: Philip Andrew Thomas of
Clayton – Hendricks Regional Health
Thomas committed to
getting healthy in April 2016. By changing his diet and increasing his
exercise, his blood pressure decreased from 150/95 to 100/60, and he was
able to reduce his medication.
Control Cholesterol: Ivan Bohannon of
Indianapolis – Angie’s List
Last December, Bohannon’s
triglyceride reading was more than 400 and his LDL, or bad cholesterol,
was 250, putting him at high risk for heart disease and stroke. He began
exercising at least three times per week and eliminated added sugar and
extra carbohydrates from his diet. His triglyceride reading dropped to
100 and his LDL declined to 190. He no longer takes medication for his
cholesterol.
Reduce Blood Sugar: Ken Frank of Brownsburg –
JP Morgan Chase
Two years ago, Frank was diagnosed with
diabetes. In August 2016, he started low-impact exercise classes. In one
year, he has made tremendous strides and is no longer taking insulin.
His A1C reading, which indicates average levels of blood glucose,
dropped from 14.2 to 5.6, and he’s lost 50 pounds.
Get Active: Debbie Drake of Avon – Indiana
Wesleyan University
Drake averaged fewer than 4,000
steps per day before starting her current exercise routine. She has
since increased to an average of 10,000 steps per day. She sets an alarm
to get up and be active for 10 minutes every hour. Drake overcame many
obstacles during this journey to a healthy lifestyle, including the loss
of her husband, a total knee replacement and complications following the
surgery that left her hospitalized for four days.
Eat Better: Karla Sam of McCordsville – Davita
Kidney Care
Sam made a commitment to eating healthier in
February 2016. This included carefully watching portion sizes and
avoiding overeating. She cut back on the amount of processed foods she
ate and replaced them with fresh fruits and vegetables. She also began
packing breakfast, lunch and healthy snacks to help her stay on track.
Sam has lost 37 pounds and enjoys her increased energy level when
playing with her young children.
Lose Weight: Rick Huffman of Sheridan – CNO
Financial Group
For Huffman, the motivation to change
his lifestyle came in August 2016 when doctors told his wife and son
that their health was in jeopardy due to their weight. Huffman realized
his bad eating habits were influencing his entire family. He started
eating smaller meals throughout the day and replaced junk food with
fruits and vegetables. He also started exercising more frequently. As a
result, Huffman reduced his blood pressure, cholesterol and blood
glucose numbers, and he’s lost more than 120 pounds.
Stop Smoking: Misty Ackles-Dumas of Indianapolis
– MSD Lawrence Township
Ackles-Dumas started smoking at
a very early age. By the time she reached high school, she was smoking
up to three packs per week. The impetus to finally quit came late in
2016 when her mother became ill and passed away. Ackles-Dumas began
using a smoking-cessation medication and started a comprehensive
exercise program. Within four weeks she had stopped smoking and no
longer needed the medication.
Additional information about each winner and the “Real People. Real Change.” program is available at www.heart.org/indyrealchange.
About the American Heart Association
The
American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart
disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We
team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for
stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and
information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based
association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization
dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get
involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org
or call any of our offices around the country.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare
is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit
programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees
and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and
contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and
6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare
is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a
diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @UHC
on Twitter.
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group.