BETTER

community for all Arkansans.”

The Governor’s Council is a member of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities. The National Council aims to aid people with Developmental Disabilities in receiving the resources they need to integrate and include themselves in their community.

In addition to this, they aim to help them become independent.

As stated by their website National Council’s role is to “Provide leadership, education and attention on national issues and policy affecting all people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), advocate to

Congress and federal government agencies on the public policy agenda that supports people with I/DD and federal regulations that govern the DD Councils, secure strong funding for the State DD Councils through the Congressional appropriations process, provide Technical Assistance to our member DD Council staff to ensure they properly support their Council for success.”

Arkansas’ Council wants much of the same. Their goal is to make sure individuals with Developmental Disabilities, as well as their families, are able to participate locally, work and live comfortably.

As stated by their website, Arkansas’ Council’s goals are “Increasing and strengthening self-advocacy participation across the state, supporting programs to identify and remove barriers to information, services and support, advocating for policy changes to increase competitive, integrated employment. developing and supporting coalitions and encouraging advocacy to keep policymakers informed about disability issues.”

Every March, Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities celebrate March as National Developmental Disabilities

Awareness Month. All Arkansans are encouraged to do the same by researching and sharing resources about the council as well as how individuals with and without Developmental Disabilities can work together to create united, more inclusive communities across the state.

If you want to learn more and/or share resources on Developmental Disabilities, and what these councils are doing to help, you can visit these links: https://gcdd. arkansas.gov/, https://nacdd.org/

BY VIVIAN ANGELES

OR WORSE? THE COST OF BEING UNHEALTHY

One of the biggest reasons Americans say that they eat unhealthily is because the cost of healthy foods is more than unhealthy foods.

While this is true in most cases, there are many more factors to consider when comparing the cost of being healthy versus the cost of being unhealthy, and it’s not just the cost of food that should be considered. Registered Dietician Nicolette Star Maggiolo recently published a study breaking down the cost of eating unhealthy and several medical issues often associated with eating unhealthily.

Unsurprisingly, type 2 diabetes is high on the list of medical complications that can occur due to improper eating habits, but the cost of coping with type 2 diabetes is staggering.

With insurance, patients with type 2 diabetes pay about $280 per month on average for the medical supplies needed, including medicines, devices and supplies. According to this article, one in ten Americans has type 2 diabetes.

While genetics and other factors play a role in this figure, an unhealthy lifestyle and diet may pose the most significant risk.

The article also breaks down the cost of healthy and unhealthy meals, with monthly totals estimated at around $216 and

$199, respectively. The difference between the two may seem marginal, but the cost of the added medical expenses closes that deficit several times over.

Aside from the risk of type 2 diabetes, there are also “hidden” quality of life considerations in being unhealthy.

The article also cites a study that concluded healthier employees are less likely to miss work than those with unhealthy lifestyles.

Similarly, employees who practice more nutritious eating habits with their family members are less likely to take off from work to take care of sick family members.

The article also states that low energy and productivity make it challenging to complete tasks and focus, leading to lower income and job satisfaction.

Other things to consider when weighing the costs of being unhealthy are seen in a study from the Center for Disease Control in 2019 that shows 30% to 50% of adults in Arkansas report little or no engagement in physical activity.

When combining the results of this study with poor eating habits, the health risks increase dramatically. The CDC also reported in 2021 that 36% to 40% of adults are considered obese.

Back to the article by Maggiolo, she says that “investing in a healthy lifestyle can result in significant improvements, resulting in a more fulfilling, open, and satisfying life. Anyone can improve their physical and mental health by prioritizing health and wellness, which cannot be purchased. While the financial benefits of unhealthy living may appear appealing in the short term, they quickly add up and result in several additional costs, both financially and in terms of life quality.”

For the entire article, visit topnutritioncoaching.com/blog/ cost-being-unhealthy-2023; for source information from the CDC, visit cdc.gov/obesity/index.html.

BY JESSE CAIN