By Marcia Mollenkopf & Brenda Rea

Klamath Falls was the first demonstration community to be designated a Blue Zones Project community in Oregon. The Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks.

With that in mind, the Klamath Falls Adventist Church wanted to do something to help the community further the theme of healthy living. The Full Plate Living program was chosen, and supplemented with short culinary medicine demonstrations, whole-food, plant-based food samplings and short spiritual applications using the NEWSTART acronym (Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Clean Air, Rest, Trust in the Divine) throughout the 8-week session.

With the central focus of creating a happy, healthy lifestyle, the health ministry team hosted the program in the church's fellowship building each Tuesday with more than 20 participants from the church and community finishing the course.

The series began by introducing foods that contain water-filled fiber and ways to help you feel full faster at mealtimes. Participants learned that filling seventy-five percent of your plate with natural fiber-rich foods and twenty-five percent with other foods was a good way to start. Other sessions presented ideas for knowing what to put into each plate section.

The importance and benefits of water for good health were emphasized as well, as the group learned the benefits of replacing high-calorie, sugar-filled drinks with water. Many in attendance did not realize the amount of sugar these beverages contain.

Movement and exercise, along with helpful ideas for it, were included as attendees participated in simple activities to show how habits are formed. Because habits can be helpful or harmful, replacing harmful habits with healthful ones is essential. Series attendees were encouraged to consider their own personal "why" as an essential part of making healthier choices and connecting to their own purpose, meaning, and spirituality.

As the series progressed, small groups were formed, and attendees began to form relationships with each other as they shared their thoughts. – A vital aspect of health behavior change.

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