Columbia may not be so healthy for women

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — When it comes to being fit and healthy, it appears the Capitol City has some work to do. According to a survey by Women’s Health Magazine, Columbia ranks 84 among the 100 most populous cities in America for healthiness. Dr. Jim Givens, Bariatric surgeon at Lexington Health Medical Center says, he’s not surprised. “If you look at the overall level of exercise that South Carolinians get, if you look at their diet, if you look at the entire lifestyle of the typical South Carolinian, it just doesn’t add up with the rest of the country,” says Dr. Givens. The survey ranked the cities using more than 30 areas of critique and three categories: Health, lifestyle and fitness. Columbia received points for the number of OB/GYN’s per 1,000 women along with the number of colon cancer screenings and short commuting times to and from work. However, on the downside, the city has a low-life expectancy rate and a high death rate due to stroke. “High fat, high carbohydrates, leading to obesity all of those things lead to hypertension, hardening of the arteries all of these are things that could cause a heart attack or stroke,” says Dr. Givens. Diabetes also plays a role. “Diabetes is a complete epidemic in the South it’s almost a pandemic,” says Dr. Givens. But Dr. Givens says there are ways to overcome the numbers. “It’s a lifestyle of choosing things that are good carbohydrates and staying away from things that are bad carbohydrates,” says Dr. Givens. That includes eating more fruit. “Strawberries, any kind of berry, blueberries things like that,” says Dr. Givens. Crandall Sims reporting, “Doctors say exercise also plays an important role in lifestyle change and it doesn’t have to be your typical form of exercise. Take for instance your car, doctors say try parking further away and walking, also eliminate the elevator and take the stairs.” Dr. Givens also says we need to be proactive instead of playing catch up. “If you look at children in grade school, there’s a lot of obesity. Can we overcome it, sure we can but we have to start early…at grade school and not when their adults,” says Dr. Givens. For more on the survey just visit www.womenshealthmag.com