health - WKTV Journal

Cold feet. Cramping in the legs. Legs falling asleep. These are all signs of peripheral artery disease or PAD.

This Saturday, Oct. 1, Metro Health Hospital will be hosting free screenings for PAD. The screenings are painless, usually involving taking a person’s blood pressure in the arms and ankles, with the screenings taking about 30 minutes. Screenings are available from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. Space is limited and registration is required. To register call, 616-242-4880 or visit metrohealth.net/pad.

“Peripheral artery disease is where there is blockage and plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the legs,” said Dr. Fadi Saab, who specializes in cardiovascular disease at Metro Health, during a recent interview. Saab said the same can happen in the arteries to the heart or brain with people having PAD being a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.

People who have PAD usually have other health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol, Saab said. Those at-risk include those over 50 with diabetes, those who are obese or those who have a family history of heart disease. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, other circulatory problems and a family history of PAD also put patients at advanced risk. Those who are African-American and Native-American also are at a higher risk.

The free PAD screenings can help high-risk patients learn about the disease early enough so they can make lifestyle changes to help their circulatory system. The goal is to detect issues early enough in patients to reduce the risk of amputation.

Anyone experiencing leg cramping or pain with walking or leg pain at rest should get screened. Slow-healing wounds or sores on legs or feet also call for a screening.

Results will be provided to the participant to take back to their physician for further review. For more information, visit the Metro Health website.

With spring just around the corner, a time when many people take advantage of the warmer weather and head outdoors, the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the first ever Wyoming Community Health & Wellness Expo Saturday, March 5.

“Spring is a great time to focus on health and wellness,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “This event was created to inspire the community to prioritize their well-being, and connect them to local resources.

The free event will run from 1 – 3 pm. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. About 20 different businesses, clubs and organizations from the Wyoming area will host tables and hand out samples, coupons, and other goodies. Fitness demonstrations, nutritious snacks, speakers, and health screenings will be some of the activities.

The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department will be offering a sampling of its fitness programs such as yoga, Zumba and line dancing, said Valarie Mester, a recreation programmer for the department.

“We offer a number of programs through our offerings at the senior center and through our youth and family programs,” Mester said, adding this is a chance for people to try these programs and see what they are like.

Also on hand will be Shape for Life Studios, 1290 36th St. SW. Through its partnership with the recreation department, Shape for Life Studios offers spin classes and personal training. Mester said the studio representatives will be bringing in spin bikes for participants to try. Another recreation department partner is Metro Health, which will be providing health information.

Several other city departments will be at the expo such as the city’s water department, which will be covering the topic of clean water, and both the fire and police departments will be on hand to talk about related health and safety issues.

“It’s really about getting people more active, thinking about the food that they are eating and making sure they are visiting their physicians for regular check ups and screenings,” Mester said.

While a brand new event, Mester said organizers are expecting between 200 to 400 participants this year which is based on the number of current participants in the Parks and Recreation Department’s programs.

“The event is free and open to anyone, both residents and non-residents,” Mester said.

For more about the Wyoming Community Health and Wellness Expo or other programs offered by the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or call 616-530-3164.