by Joy Bowick, Public Relations

Through the support of the YES campaign, more congregations around the Lowcountry can lighten their hearts and their weights in a new 10-week "Lighten Up" program, a church-based approach to lifestyle change for the heart and soul.

The program's goal is to introduce people to eating better and living healthier in a fast-paced society by combining science and faith.

This unique program developed by Brent Egan, M.D., associate professor of pharmacology, and Mary Joan Oexmann, director of "Lighten Up," derives its motivation from prayer and Bible study, and logs its success with on-site health assessments and education in an interactive format. The program began operation Feb. 1 with support from the Healthy South Carolina Initiative. Heart and Soul, through the Palmetto Project, is the community partner.

"This is a rather new concept in the area of weight control, cholesterol management, and health concerns. We access blood lipids, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight and other cardiovascular risk factors at baselines after 10 weeks and one year. It's wonderful and people are feeling better physically and spiritually," said Oexmann.

For Oexmann the "Lighten Up" vision came many years ago when she thought of combining her clinical knowledge and her love for people. She moved to Charleston 24 years ago to be the research nutritionist for the General Clinical Research Center. It was the first of its kind in South Carolina.

"As a nutritionist the greatest challenge is to change behaviors. This can only be achieved by treating the mind, body and soul," said Oexmann.

The prototype for the program started six weeks ago in Oexmann's own church, Folly Beach Methodist.

"We needed to work out the nuts and bolts of designing the 10-week intervention health program; my church agreed to participate and people are making changes to decrease their cardiovascular risks," Oexmann said.

The program officially began on March 17, in the Plymouth Congregational Church at 124 Spring St.

Rev. James R. Fields, of Plymouth, said he believes in leading by example and the "Lighten Up" program is no exception. He can be seen with about a dozen other participants every Tuesday at 10 a.m. to pray, discuss successes and failures and support his congregation.

Structured much like a modern classroom, "Lighten Up" provides a notebook to all participants in which they keep all of the handouts, classwork and homework. During each session participants discuss their Bible study, journal, health facts and homework. This is followed by checking weight and blood pressure.

Group discussions include why smoking is dangerous, how to read food labels, how to interpret lipid profiles and why bacon is not the best breakfast choice. Each week the group discusses a different topic from “why do you eat” to “why die young?” The groups are encouraged to find their strength in the Bible and share those verses with one another in the meetings.

"No one ever said the road was easy, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," said Fields paraphrasing a Bible verse. "We all need to get our bodies into shape, but more importantly we need to get our hearts into shape. That is what will be important on judgement day."

For more information on "Lighten Up," contact Oexmann at 792-3407. Or for information on how to earmark your YES dollars for the "Lighten Up" program as well as obtaining the YES campaign pledge form, contact the Annual Fund Office at 792-1973.