Healthy Living Resources
The Tri-County area has a variety of great resources to support you on your path to better health. In addition to our Community Calendar of healthy living activities, be sure to check out these resources for physical activity, healthy eating, mental health, and substance abuse & tobacco use prevention.
Get active and get healthy! From special events, fitness classes, women's health programs, dancing, cooking, yoga, and support groups, this guide showcases all of the healthy living activities that AL!VE, Your Community Well-being Place (800 W Lawrence Ave, Charlotte, MI) has to offer. Note that AL!VE is also a destination health park, and there are no entry fees to visit. All mid-Michigan residents and visitors are welcome. For questions, call (517) 541-5800.
The tri-county area is fortunate to have over 150 beautiful parks and trails, with amenities ranging from walking paths and playgrounds to boating and fishing. These are all wonderful places to get out and get active! They can be used by anyone who seeks the serenity of nature, the excitement of recreation, or a walk in the woods beside a river or lake. Created by the Capital Area Health Alliance, this brochure features 36 destination parks and trails throughout the tri-county area. You can download a web version of the brochure here or find printed copies at your local parks and parks departments, community centers, health departments, and neighborhood organizations.
Hear the real stories of people living with smoking-related diseases and disabilities. Learn how smoking affects illnesses and conditions. And view videos, commercials, and tips from the Centers for Disease Control's Tips from Former Smokers campaign, which motivated 104,000 cigarette smokers to quit for good in 2014. The CDC has many free resources to help build your skills to quit for good. For free help, visit
CDC.gov/quit.Mental health is a key part of your overall health. Brief screenings are the quickest way to determine if you or someone you care about should connect with a mental health professional - they are a checkup from your neck up. This program is completely anonymous and confidential, and immediately following the brief questionnaire you will see your results, recommendations, and key resources.
It can be challenging to feed your family healthy meals on a tight budget. This cookbook, published by CAHA, is intended to help you make the most out of foods that you’ll find at a local food pantry. You are welcome to download it, print it, and share it with your families, colleagues, and friends. And remember to take the time to sit down and eat at a table, turn off the TV and cell phones, and enjoy your food! Compiled with help from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Mid-Michigan District Health Department, and MSU Extension.
What is pain? Pain is an unpleasant sensation or emotional experience. It is not necessarily bad, it is our body’s way of telling us what it needs. Pain can be challenging when it becomes chronic. The good news is there are many ways to cope with pain. The
Coping With Pain brochure was created in partnership with the Capital Area Health Alliance, Ingham Opioid Abuse Prevention Initiative, Tri-County Office on Aging, and Barry-Eaton District Health Department. For more information, visit the Coping With Pain brochure website
here. East Lansing Parks, Recreation & Arts offers a variety of aquatics, arts, dance, enrichment and fitness classes to community members of all ages each fall, winter, spring and summer. You can also drop in to any fitness class for a small fee, and try out a new class today. Browse classes and register online, register by phone at (517) 333-2580 ext. 1, or stop by the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, during business hours.
Healthy! Capital Counties works to ensure that all people in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties live in a physical, social, and cultural environment that supports health; live in a safe, vibrant, and prosperous community that provides many opportunities to contribute and thrive; and live in a community with minimal barriers and adequate resources to reach their full potential. Learn about the health of the Tri-County area and the steps local public health departments and community leaders are taking to improve health outcomes.
Lansing Parks & Recreation provides over 500 recreation programs and events for children, youth, and adults. Activities take place during the week, after-school, and on weekends. Whether you are looking for a swim, dance, exercise, or martial arts class, or a recreational team sport, you are sure to find something for your entire family.
Community and school gardens provide fresh, healthy food and have the potential to improve quality of life. The Garden Project has compiled this guide to share its knowledge of local resources to help you get started. The Garden Project also offers Garden Leaders Training Sessions each year that provide much of the basic information needed to start a new garden or improve an existing garden. Contact the Garden Project staff at (517) 853-7809 or gardenproject@glfoodbank.org with questions or comments.
Let's Garden Lansing is an online listing of local educational classes and events on gardening, food, and nutrition. A joint project of NorthWest Initiative, The Garden Project, the Allen Neighborhood Center, the South Lansing Community Development Association, MSU Extension, and the City of Lansing.
Just because it’s too hot or too cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t be out walking! There are many indoor opportunities to walk during these months, such as community centers, malls, and schools. And if you do want to be out in the brisk winter weather, there are plenty of groomed trails and walkways to visit. Check out our Let's Walk! Resources flyer for walking tips, walking locations, mobile walking apps to get you started or keep you motivated, and other free walking resources.
The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) has a wealth of printed materials on creating a healthier Michigan free of tobacco use and secondhand exposure that can be shared or requested by anyone in the community. Learn about Michigan's Smoke-Free Air Law, Michigan tobacco statistics, free counseling and referral services, e-cigarettes, free nicotine replacement therapy, what can be done to keep children from starting the tobacco habit, the range of tobacco-based products available for purchase in stores and online, tobacco marketing, and more.
Do you know or work with individuals who may have, or has already experienced, a mental health challenge? Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI) offers one-day courses in Youth and Adult Mental First Aid, which is the initial help given to a person showing symptoms of mental illness or in a mental health crisis until appropriate professional or other help can be engaged. Early prevention or detection could prevent a more serious illness or even a suicide. For more information, contact CMHA-CEI at 517-887-5234.
The Meridian Township Parks and Recreation Department runs many exciting community programs and events. With 904 acres of parks, 750 acres of land preserves and nearly 80 miles of bicycle-pedestrian pathway, there are numerous opportunities for you and your family to get out and get busy enjoying what the parks have to offer. In Prime Meridian, you'll find a calendar of events, adult and youth sports information, information on parks and more!
If you are interested in the resources offered by the State of Michigan to help you achieve your weight loss goals, take the MI Healthier Tomorrow pledge. You will receive a free Starter Kit with motivational tips, money-saving offers and other goodies. MI Healthier Tomorrow will keep you going when you sign up for their e-mails or text messages. It's a little motivation twice a month to keep you focused on what you pledged so you can reach your goal of losing weight and being healthier. Losing just 10% of your body weight can make significant improvements to both your physical and mental health. A 10% weight loss for those who are overweight can: improve blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, improve heart health, decrease risk of Type 2 diabetes, strengthen the immune system, decrease back and joint pain, improve breathing and sleep, increase energy and stamina, and improve mood and self-confidence.
For more information, visit MI Healthier Tomorrow. As a resident of Michigan, you and your family have access to a statewide Prescription Assistance Program (PAP). Create and print your FREE discount prescription drug card coupon at
www.michiganrxcard.com. This pharmacy coupon card will provide you with Rx medication savings of up to 75% at over 68,000 pharmacies across the country including Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger, CVS/pharmacy, Walmart, Kmart, and more. You can create as many coupons as you need. The coupon is pre-activated and can be used immediately.
The Michigan Tobacco QuitLine works to reduce and eliminate tobacco-related deaths and diseases in Michigan through leadership, collaboration and education. It offers a free online personalized tobacco cessation program that can help Michigan residents give up tobacco for life. It also has various articles about quitting, information about tobacco and your health, and a smoking calculator.
MSU Extension’s Food & Health programming promotes healthy lifestyles and empowers Michigan residents to take control of their personal health. Learn about
Food Budgeting and how to stretch your food dollars,
Food Preservation methods such as freezing and canning, promoting
Healthy Relationships to improve your overall health and wellbeing,
Nutrition, Physical Activity, and
WeightManagement.Includes workshops such as Cooking Matters and Stretching Your Food Dollar. Visit the MSU Extension website for articles, class schedules, and workshops.
The Ingham County Health Department achieves drug-prevention goals through cooperation with volunteers and other human service providers in Ingham County. This cooperative group is called the
Ingham Substance Awareness and Prevention Coalition, or ISAP. The Resource Directory for Individuals and Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder was developed in July of 2020. Its goal is to provide a one stop-shop resource tool for those seeking help for substance use disorders at the local and state level.
Cyberbullying or electronic bullying is a growing problem that destroys young lives by exacerbating or causing mental health and substance use disorders. To prevent those harms, take precautions before cyberbullying starts.
Supportive breast cancer fitness and yoga classes for patients and survivors to help reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and aid in prevention of recurrence. The Turning Point Program helps breast cancer survivors improve their emotional, physical and overall quality of life. The first year of the program is FREE for new participants, and scholarships are available. Visit their
website or
Facebook page.
Resources include Community Health Care Centers, Sexual Health Services, Mental/Behavioral Health Services, Tobacco and Vaping Quit Support, Support Groups, Support Lines, Physical Activity, Community Centers, Nutrition and Food Assistance
Transportation, Housing Shelter/Transitional Housing, Relationship and Sexual Violence Support, Housing Assistance/Case
Management, Personal Needs and Financial Assistance
