If you spend most of your day sitting and want to make a change, ask your family doctor or PCN staff member for your Prescription To Get Active.
How the Program Works
This province-wide PCN program uses activity “prescriptions” to encourage patients to get moving… at home, in the community and at local facilities. Prescriptions are based on the recommended activity levels from Health Canada (150 mins/week for Adults and 60 mins/day for Children).
Once you receive your Prescription, you can redeem it at any one of over 50 Edmonton-area recreation and fitness centres for free access* and support. You also receive a Getting Started 6-week program and other valuable resources to get you motivated, and ideas and information on different activities.
Why Be Active?
Did you know that from a single session of activity (like a short 10-minute walk) you can:
improve your mood, concentration, strength, endurance and posture, and help manage your blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure?
Look at all these benefits:
- Improved and/or maintained overall health (mental and physical)
- Stronger muscles and bones
- Better sleep
- Improved posture and balance
- Weight control
- Increased self-esteem
- Feeling more energetic
- Relief of symptoms from chronic health conditions
- Stress reduction and relaxation
- Resist illness better
- Reduced risk of falls
- Continued independent living in later life and a longer life
Being regularly active helps you:
- Manage and treat symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Reduce your risk of:
- high blood pressure by 30-60%
- diabetes by 25 – 58%
- heart disease by 33-50%
- stroke by 31-45%
- colon cancer by 30-60%
- early death by 31-50%
Take your first steps towards an active lifestyle.
Ask us or your family doctor for your Prescription to Get Active. For more information, resources and to see participating facilities, go to PrescriptionToGetActive.com