It’s no secret that one of the best things we can do for ourselves is to be physically active and eat a balanced, nutritious diet.

While the importance of exercise and diet on physical and mental health has long been heralded by health professionals, many people find it difficult to make the necessary changes to support a healthy lifestyle.

“This is where I can help,’’ says Sport Northland’s Healthy Lifestyle Support person Ann-Marie Lambly. “Modern day living can put huge demands on people’s time, energy and mental health and finding the motivation to make changes without support can be very difficult.”  

Ann-Marie is travelling to Dargaville once a fortnight to meet with and support those who have enrolled with the Green Prescription programme. Her hopes are to build a good working relationship with health care and service providers and increase client support to once a week.

Green Prescription is a support and motivation service which helps people become more active. It includes free consultations with a trained health advisor to discuss health and lifestyle goals.  It can offer the opportunity to take part in wellbeing programmes within local communities.

Born and raised in Dargaville, Ann Marie says she has a vested interest in wanting to support her home community. “I want to go give something back to a community that has been a big part of my life and sharing my knowledge and experience is one way I can do that.”

“Being a local I have a good understanding of the area and I am hoping this will help build a quicker rapport and aid in finding the right goals for individual participants.”

Having undertaken her own personal journey to a better lifestyle, Ann-Marie says she is well aware of the highs and lows of achieving change. “Studying and commuting between Dargaville and Whangarei on a daily basis while raising a young child wasn’t easy, but it gave me insight on overcoming challenges, the need to keep healthy and fit and the ability to see life’s bigger picture.”

Apart from supporting healthy lifestyle planning, Green Prescription provides education and knowledge of conditions such as diabetes and asthma which can benefit from improved nutrition and exercise. 

If you or your whānau would like to get more active or make a healthy lifestyle change, then get in touch. Just ask your Doctor or Nurse for a Green Prescription, call 0800 ACTIVE or you can self-refer on our website here: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/51869