Chief Medical Officer Dr. Terry Mason Leads Cook County Residents to Better Health Habits

Dr. Terry Mason

Cook County Health and Hospitals System Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Terry Mason, will lead Chicagoans in the tenth annual Restart4Health, a program that provides information and support to improve eating and lifestyle habits.

Dr. Mason, a lifetime advocate of healthy living, believes many of the health issues afflicting the Chicago community are best addressed with TLC - “total lifestyle change.” At the beginning of each new year, he urges people to go on a meat fast – not eating any meat for 30 days.

 “The benefits of the dietary and lifestyle changes include weight loss, lower blood pressure, better health and longer life. This year, there will be an increased focus on helping people to stop smoking, which is at the root of twenty percent of American death rates.  This is a program to kick-start your body in the right direction, and is a great way to start the new year,” said Dr. Mason, Chief Medical Officer, Cook County Health & Hospitals System.

Group meetings which are open to the public will be held in the atrium of Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 West 95^th Street, Chicago. The first three weekly sessions, convening at 6:30 PM, will occur on Tuesdays – January 3, 10, and 17 at Trinity United Church Of Christ.  The meeting on January 24 will be held at Soul Vegetarian Restaurant, 205 East 75^th Street.  The meeting on January 31^st will be held at Malcolm X College, 1900 West Van Buren, featuring a fitness demonstration by Mr. Roy Walker.

The first session of Restart4Health 2012 (January 3) will discuss historical and civil issues that contribute to the African American community being disproportionately affected by heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. A clip of the movie “Forks Over Knives” will be shown.

Session two (January 10) will feature a screening of the documentary film “Unnatural Causes” which addresses the idea that “where you live matters” when it comes to health. That will be followed with a discussion of how the body works and processes foods.