Hospital holds health & safety fair

HANCOCK — When it comes to your health, the folks at UP Health System-Portage know how to have a good time.

The 9th annual Health and Safety Fair was held Saturday at their campus in Hancock. Kids got to enjoy a strider bike course and have a stuffed animal treated with a cast.

Adults got a chance to talk with health and nutrition experts about nearly anything.

Health and Fitness Manager for UP Health System-Portage Angela Luskin said, “One of the new things we’ve added is a Question and Answer session with our physicians. So we have physicians here today, Dr. Ronquist, an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lipson, a urologist, and then Dr. Holladay for OB-women’s health, and they’re here today just to have one on one time with them. You can ask them whatever question you know about your health you may have.”

The fair offered lipid profiles and other health screenings and people could have their car seats checked to make sure they are being used properly. Participants can take what they learned at the fair and follow up on it.

Luskin said, “If they could implement one new thing that they learned-maybe it’s getting a little bit more fiber in your diet, maybe it’s the importance of screenings, that maybe a full lipid profile’s necessary every two years, maybe their BMI was just a little out of that normal range and maybe they can start affecting that with taking a daily 30 minute walk. There’s a lot of small things we can do everyday to improve our health.”

The entire event was free and 100 bike helmets were given away.