By Andrea Holata BRIGHTON — The Seminole Pathways V 30-day challenge ended in success Oct. 30, when 37 participants and the Health Department gathered at the Elder Services building in Brighton to celebrate their collective loss of a whopping 288.4 pounds. “This program was statistically the most successful of any weight loss

A swimming pool isn’t just for fun anymore. Ask anyone who has taken a water fitness class and he or she will tell you it’s a challenging workout in a cool, calm pool. “It seems easy, but it’s not,” said Tammy Osceola. “We are sweating under water,” added Amy Latchford. Water fitness is

BIG CYPRESS — Perky pink hues from bubble gum to bright magenta brightened a somber reason for the Big Cypress Reservation’s Wear Pink Day: breast cancer awareness. Amid cheery balloons, more than 50 Tribal members and employees in pink-ribboned T-shirts, skirts, hair ties and tiaras, mustered at the entrance of the

By Andrea Holata MARCO ISLAND — Tribal members, young and old, from all reservations converged in Marco Island from July 21-26 for the Seminole Wellness Conference, a Tribalwide health-based event that provides  participants with tools to make better choices for healthier futures. The conference, now in its 20th year, educated, counseled and

By Paula Bowers-Sanchez I was approached by a grandmother with serious concerns for her granddaughter’s health. She told me the child makes poor food choices and is sometimes depressed. When I discovered her grandchild was 9 years old and weighed 140 pounds, I realized her concerns are becoming all too common

Between June 27 and July 3, Tribal members celebrated the Fourth of July with fun and fitness at the eighth annual Firecracker Walk. About 100 people participated in several different walks, held in Hollywood, Big Cypress, Naples, Immokalee and Brighton. In Hollywood, about 30 people walked around the horseshoe on the

By Paula Bowers-Sanchez This month I will focus on women’s health. If you are like me, you are the CEO/CFO/Executive Chef, etc. of your household. If you are like me, you are so busy taking care of everyone else and being a strong, independent woman that you will sometimes forget about yourself. Oh,

BIG CYPRESS — After trying "so many times" to lose weight and get healthier, Sam Tommie said he’s on the right track now thanks to a pedometer walking challenge called Stomp the Swamp at the Big Cypress Reservation. "What I always needed was support. Then the pedometer made it much more

By Paula Bowers-Sanchez The importance of keeping your heart healthy is paramount. Your heart is the control center of your body. All your daily activities are only possible if your heart is in good working condition. Keeping your blood pressure within optimal ranges (120 over 80) – along with optimal cholesterol levels,

HOLLYWOOD — Seniors in Hollywood are served breakfast and lunch daily but are on their own for dinner. To promote healthy eating, the Elder Services and Health departments teamed up and gave a cooking demonstration on Feb. 26. Right before lunch, the aroma of garlic sautéing in olive oil filled the