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Fort HealthCare Hosts Next Walk With A Doc Event On November 11th

Community Health
Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Fort HealthCare is hosting the next Walk With a Doc (WWAD) free walking event on Saturday, November 11th, 2017 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Walkers will enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating walk with different healthcare providers each month. The November 11th walk will be led by Stephanie Nottestad, MD of Fort HealthCare Cambridge Family Practice. Dr. Nottestad will provide support to the walkers and answer simple health questions during the walk. This is a FREE program and registration is not required. All ages are welcome.

A two-mile scenic walking route will begin at the Fort HealthCare Surgical Associates building near Bicentennial Park in Fort Atkinson, located at 212 Milwaukee Avenue West. You needn’t walk the entire two miles if you are not able to. Please dress for the weather and bring your smartphone, as you are encouraged to post to social media about your experience using the hashtag #FHCWalkWithADoc.

Dr. Nottestad is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice.

Also for the month of November, we will have a second Walk With a Doc on the same day (November 11th) during the Frosty Rock Challenge. This will be a two-mile walk with the route beginning at the Fort Atkinson High School. The walk will start roughly at 9:10 a.m. and is led by Bridget Monahan, MPH, RN of Fort HealthCare Health and Wellness department. Bridget will be holding a sign to help participants navigate to the walk during the Frosty Rock Challenge.

Future walks will take place on the second Saturday of each month at 9:00 a.m.

Announcements and updates about future walks will be announced via the Walk With a Doc website (www.walkwithadoc.org) , the Fort HealthCare Walk With A Doc webpage (www.FortHealthCare.com/WalkWithADoc) , and the Fort HealthCare Walk With A Doc event on Facebook (follow Fort HealthCare at www.Facebook.com/FortHealthCare and on Instagram @fhc_forhealth).

According to the American Heart Association, walking has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity. Walking is low impact; easier on the joints than running. It is safe – with a doctor’s okay – for people with orthopedic ailments, heart conditions, and those who are more than 20 percent overweight. In addition, research has shown that you could gain two hours of life for each hour of regular exercise.

Walking as little as 30 minutes a day can provide these benefits as well:

  • Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
  • Help maintain a healthy body weight and lower the risk of obesity
  • Enhance mental well-being
  • Reduce the risk of osteoporosis

Walk With A Doc is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages, and reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle in order to improve the health and well-being of the country.Fort Atkinson joins a growing list of communities nationwide that have created local WWAD programs. WWAD was created by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist who practices at Mount Carmel Health Systems in Columbus, OH and he has been walking every weekend since 2005. The expansion and support of the program is thanks to Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

WWAD is just one way that we’re working to fulfill our Mission to improve the health and well-being of our communities with a Vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long term basis. For more information, visit FortHealthCare.com.