Many times when conversations about improving health come up, it is natural to think about the physical aspect with exercise, but what we put inside our bodies is equally important. From what Sailors eat, drink and smoke are common contributing factors to overall health. It is important to remember that total wellness includes a healthy mind, body and spirit.

The Health Promotions (HP) committee onboard the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is dedicated to raising awareness and providing opportunities for Sailors to achieve total health.

"I tell my patients all the time, health is priceless," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Chamu Chimhau, the assistant director of George Washington's Health Promotions committee. "It's a foundational thing that you can't afford to sacrifice. You can't just go out and buy good health, so you must take care of yourself."

Although HP is a fairly new initiative for George Washington, the team has already jumped in feet first to begin promoting good health.

"Right now, we are heavily distributing information through various avenues," said Lt. Karla Krasnoselsky, the director of George Washington's HP committee. "We list health tips on the plan of the week and the command's newsletter. We also have departmental reps that can take the information we give at meetings and teach their peers about different ways to gain a healthy lifestyle."

In addition to disseminating information, the HP team also hosts events.
"We held a health fair in July during the Safety standdown, and will hold another one during the next standdown," said Krasnoselsky. "We have a tobacco cessation table hosted by one of our corpsmen, and we started holding yoga classes on the FAF [Floating Accommodation Facility] September 28."

Health promotions is a program supported fleet-wide. It is a program that provides educational resources that promote resilience and readiness, in addition to preventative methods.

Commands can be awarded the Blue-H Navy Surgeon General's Health Promotion and Wellness Award, which helps earn points for the beloved Battle E many ships seek. Though awards can bring pride and a sense of accomplishment, this is not why this program is important. HP is vital because it helps Sailors maintain a healthy lifestyle, which provides a mission-ready crew.

"Overall health means that Sailors are able to support the mission," said Chimhau. "They are able to perform day-to-day tasks, and there are typically less health risks, which makes them more effective."

As a team, HP strives to help Sailors be of sound mind, body and spirit, regardless of stress and change.

"People do get caught up with stress, with work demands, and it gets very easy to compromise on healthy eating choices and good sleeping habits," said Chimhau. "With information being so easily accessible, it becomes a constant reminder that resources are available. It helps them realize that it's not something so far-fetched, but that every Sailor has the power to live a healthy life."

Sailors who are interested in helping others reach a healthier lifestyle should join the HP team. Meetings are held the last Thursday of every month.

For more information and tips to improve health, visit http://www.med.navy.mil.

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For more news from USS George Washington (CVN 73), visit http://www.navy.mil/.