Health fair in Hampstead highlights fitness, holistic medicine |

HAMPSTEAD ? Roclyn Porter pressed a button to inflate the two lungs on display at the Hampstead Health Fair yesterday.

?One is a healthy lung and the other is the equivalent of smoking a pack a day for 16 years,? she said. ?The black on the lungs is tar and it doesn?t inflate fully. Most people are freaked out. It?s a nice visual.?

Porter works for Family Mediation and Juvenile Services and explained the organization uses the lungs ? which are from pigs not humans ? for tobacco education. Her display was one of 36 different health-related groups at the Hampstead Middle School yesterday.

Nearly 300 people came to the fair, from children to seniors. Organizer Berny Longbook said the Hampstead Health Fair has become a community event after running for 11 years.

?Every year we see the same kids,? she said. ?They?ve grown up with the fair. It?s become a family affair.?

And each year, more local businesses want to participate. This year, the fair had new holistic health options, including Merrimack Valley Acupuncture and a reflexologist, who analyzes different parts of the body.

?There?s a lot of networking that goes on at the fair,? she said. ?That?s something the vendors tell us they like.?

One booth had a flat-screen TV and Kinect video game system, set up by Ted Curtin, owner of Hampstead Health and Fitness Center.

?We have a kids? fitness center,? he said. ?They learn to exercise and also to do interactive fitness video games. It?s a workout, let me tell you. I?m out of breath.?

The children at the event lined up to play a track and field game, running, jumping and throwing in place. Jeremy Wyckoff, 10, of Atkinson threw the longest javelin in the game.

?I think it?s really fun and good exercise,? he said. ?I play it a lot. No one?s going to beat my record.?

Julie Kinney, owner of Living Well Physical Therapy in Chester, had a machine that looked like a scale with a moveable base to measure people?s balance.

?This machine tests balance and strength issues,? she said. ?It shows if people have an increased risk of falling. Then we let them know how we could possibly help them.?

Other displays included information from an expert on Lyme Disease, free massages, free dental and hearing screenings and more. Phil Boshar, pharmacy manager for Walgreens in Hampstead, offered a free blood pressure screening for every visitor.

?This is our fifth year participating in the fair,? he said. ?We promote the blood pressure screenings, but we also do pneumonia and shingles vaccines for patients in their 60s.?

And residents said they appreciated the services offered at the fair. Bina Beauregard, 70, of Haverhill said this is the third year she?s come to the fair.

?I love it; it?s very informative,? she said. ?I did the balance test and it was great, especially for older people.?

Lisa Fiarhust, 46 of Plaistow came with her two sons, age 6 and 7.

?There?s so much information,? she said. ?The Lyme disease exhibit is fascinating. And the kids love it because of the free giveaways.?

Longbook said they?re already planning for next year, adding more vendors to the list.

?It?s definitely been a successful day,? she said. ?We always come up with ideas for next year today. Next year, we?re going to invite the Easter Seals we decided.?

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Source: http://yourhealthnews.net/health-fair-in-hampstead-highlights-fitness-holistic-medicine/

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