Capital Health Plan launches Walk with a Doc program

Special to the Tallahassee Democrat
·2 min read
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Capital Health Plan is starting Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients together to walk one Saturday a month. The first event will take place from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, July 22, at Cascades Park
Capital Health Plan is starting Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients together to walk one Saturday a month. The first event will take place from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, July 22, at Cascades Park

Capital Health Plan, the Big Bend's health maintenance organization (HMO), is encouraging local residents to take a step toward better health by joining Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients together to walk one Saturday a month. The first event will take place from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, July 22, at Cascades Park, 1001 S. Gadsden St.

Walk with a Doc is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire communities through movement and conversation.

“This program has had tremendous success in hundreds of cities around the world,” said Dr. Amy Neal, Associate Medical Director for Capital Health Plan. “We are very pleased to bring this program to our Tallahassee community as it has shown to help improve health for participants worldwide.”

Capital Health Plan is launching Walk with a Doc at Cascades Park on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
Capital Health Plan is launching Walk with a Doc at Cascades Park on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

The Walk is open to the community. Participation is free, and pre-registration is not required. Walkers will enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating walk with Dr. Amy Neal and other healthcare professionals, who will provide support to participants and answer questions during the Walk.

“Walk with a Doc is honored to team up with Capital Health Plan at Cascades Park in Tallahassee. By incorporating this program into their plan, Capital Health Plan is demonstrating an exceptional level of care and commitment to their community,” said Dr. David Sabgir, founder of Walk with a Doc.

“There’s no question that increasing exercise, even moderately, reduces the risks of many diseases, including coronary heart disease, breast and colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Amy Neal, Associate Medical Director for Capital Health Plan. “Research has even shown that you could gain two hours of life for each hour that you exercise regularly.”

According to the American Heart Association, walking as little as 30 minutes a day can provide the following benefits:

  • Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels

  • Help maintain a healthy body weight and lower the risk of obesity

  • Enhance mental well-being

  • Reduce the risk of osteoporosis

Tallahassee joins a growing list of communities worldwide that have started local Walk with a Doc (WWAD) programs. WWAD was started by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio. He has walked with patients and community members nearly every weekend since 2005.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Capital Health Plan launches Walk with a Doc program