Wellness
When one thinks of the YMCA, exercise is usually at the top of the list. Swimming, lifting weights, working out or yoga all take center stage at the Y. Beginning this weekend, though, sitting in place and becoming aware of the present moment gets added to the list of healthful activities.
For the second year in a row Dukes County comes out on top in a statewide health ranking. Islanders, it seems, have low rates of premature death and obesity, and the Vineyard rates high when it comes to recreational facilities and low in fast-food options.
But in some health measures, the picture is not so rosy. Dukes County (which consists of Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands) had the highest number of residents reporting excessive drinking, and the highest number of those uninsured.
Mansion House Health Club just sprinted toward the future, in heart-healthy fashion, of course. The gym recently purchased new high-tech equipment, including elliptical units, treadmills, stationary bikes and crossover equipment with 19-inch touch screen displays that allow users to track fitness goals, surf the web, watch TV, check emails and connect to mobile devices while working out.
The Harbor View Hotel is hosting a five-day detox retreat from April 8 to 12. The retreat is part of a program offered by Dr. Roni DeLuz, a registered nurse and naturopathic doctor who holds a PhD in Natural Health. The program features special content on Lyme and other chronic diseases. The Lyme Center of Martha’s Vineyard is offering one scholarship for the retreat.
The next session of meditation classes with Elliott Dacher, MD begins Wednesday, March 27. Classes run from 6 to 8:15 p.m., take place at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Medical Staff Library, and run for eight weeks.
Over the last six years, more than 300 Islanders have participated in Dr. Dacher’s meditation and life skills training classes. Classes include step-by-step meditation instruction.
Starting in April, patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer will be able to get more of their treatments on-Island under a new agreement between Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Cancer Center.
Renovations are underway to turn the former emergency room area in the old section of the hospital into a six-bed oncology unit with offices for a new three-day-a-week nurse practitioner and physicians who will rotate in monthly from Boston, said Carol Bardwell, chief nurse executive for Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.