Healthy Living

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In British Columbia, we are among the healthiest and have among the best health outcomes in Canada and the world. Every day, we make choices about the food we eat and our lifestyles. We can make healthy choices for healthy living every day.

While healthy living may mean different things to different people, BC is committed to helping people of all ages achieve the best in health. The best in health starts with:

• Eating healthy foods
• Exercising regularly and staying active
• Preventing and reducing illness or disease

Healthy living and physical activity are beneficial at any age. We can act now for better health!

Act Now BC

Healthy living is one of the key goals for BC, and that commitment supports several programs and measures to help protect and improve you and your family's health. The new ActNow BC program aims to lead the way in healthy living and physical fitness with one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind in North America. Starting is easy with ActNow BC! With just 30 minutes of moderate exercise and five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, we can all improve our health. For more information, click on the ActNow BC Web site at http://www.actnowbc.gov.bc.ca/.

British Columbians celebrated the first annual ActNow BC Day March 19, 2005, and communities around the province hosted walking events to encourage everyone to take a step towards better health.

2010 Challenge

We invite people of all ages to participate in ActNow BC and the 2010 Challenge - and help make British Columbia the healthiest jurisdiction ever to host the Olympic and Paralympics Games!

• Healthy Eating: Increase by 20 per cent BC's population who eat recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
• Physical Activity: Increase by 20 per cent British Columbians who are physically active.
• Tobacco Use: Reduce tobacco use by 10 per cent among British Columbians.
• Overweight and Obesity: Reduce BC's population classified as overweight or obese.
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Increase by 50 per cent women who access prevention and information on risks of alcohol use during pregnancy.

More Programs

British Columbia also offers the following programs:

• ActionSchools! BC - a best practices physical activity and healthy eating model designed to assist schools in promoting healthy living.
• The School Fruit and Vegetable Program - a pilot study provides a serving of fruits or vegetables two times a week during the school year for elementary school children.
• BC's Tobacco Strategy: Targeting Our Efforts - this focuses on groups with the highest tobacco use such as young adults and Aboriginal persons, and includes QuitNow.ca, Kick the Nic and Tobacco-Free 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - awareness and prevention programs to eliminate alcohol use in pregnancy, and Helping Moms Quit to assist pregnant teens and young mothers to quit smoking.

More Information

For more information on healthy living and preventing illness, use the BC HealthGuide Program - health information and advice that you can trust available 24-hours every day in four easy formats.

BC HealthGuide OnLine - Click on this website at www.bchealthguide.org for a world of current, medically approved information on over 3,000 health topics, tests, procedures and resources.

BC HealthFiles - Find these fact sheets on BC's latest public health, safety and other tips on BC HealthGuide OnLine or at your local health unit. Translated files are available in Chinese, Punjabi, French and other languages.

BC NurseLine - Call BC NurseLine to speak to a registered nurse 24/7 or a pharmacist from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day - with translation services in over 130 languages.

BC HealthGuide handbook - See the handbook for information on how to recognize and cope with health concerns including tips on home treatment, care options and when to consult your doctor. Visit your local pharmacy or Government Agents Office for your free copy.

Take control of your health today with BC HealthGuide. It's innovative health care designed for you and your family.

More Resources

For more information, visit also these websites.

Health and Wellness

• BC HealthGuide Program
• Ministry of Health

The Path To Health And Wellness: Making British Columbians Healthier By 2010

• A Report of the Select Standing Committee On Health
• An Ounce of Prevention: A Public Health Rationale for the School as a Setting for Health Promotion: A Report of the Provincial Health Officer
• 2010 Legacies Now
• BC Healthy Living Alliance

Physical Activity

• ActionSchools! BC
• Action Schools! BC Pilot Study Evaluation Report and Recommendations
• Cost of Physical Inactivity Report
• Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living
• Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living for Children and Youth
• Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living for Older Adults
• The Active Living Environment Program

Healthy Eating

• Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating
• Dial-a-Dietitian
• Dietitians of Canada - Eat Well, Live Well
• Healthy Eating, Cheap and Easy
• BC Nutrition Survey
• Making It Happen: Healthy Eating at School
• The Senior Chef: Cooking for One or Two

Healthy Choices for Pregnancy

• Alcohol and Other Drug Problems and B.C. Women
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Strategic Plan for British Columbia
• College of Midwives of BC

Stopping Tobacco Use

• Every Breath You Take - Provincial Health Officer's Annual Report
• Tobacco Control Program
• Tobacco Facts
• QuitNow

Healthy Schools

• ActionSchools! BC
• Action Schools! BC Pilot Study Evaluation Report and Recommendations
• Active and Safe Routes to School
• Dietitians of Canada - Eat Well, Play Well
• Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living for Children and Youth
• Healthy Schools Resource Guide
• Making It Happen: Healthy Eating at School
• The Directorate of Agencies for School Health