Doctors pitch winter challenge to improve Manitobans’ health

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Manitoba’s doctors have launched a winter challenge to help Manitobans improve their overall health and are offering a contest as an incentive to get more people moving, says Dr. Randy Guzman, president of Doctors Manitoba.

People need to set realistic goals to improve their health, Guzman added. It’s not reasonable for someone to go from the couch to a five-kilometre trek. For best results, people should move from the couch to a walk around the block and keep expanding from there.

“Start small,” said Guzman, a vascular surgeon at Winnipeg’s St. Boniface Hospital, “because it’s the small steps that you start out with, that will ultimately result in overall better health.”

“And exercise is super important,” he added. “As a vascular surgeon, I unfortunately see the end result of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, smoking, amputation, strokes and aneurysms.

“Those are all things I’d rather not see in patients, but I do. So, it’s really important to focus on your own health and start those steps,” Guzman told the Sun in a phone interview from Winnipeg on Thursday afternoon.

An hour earlier, Guzman addressed local media in the province’s capital, as he announced a contest on behalf of Doctors Manitoba called, “Getting Healthy Winter Challenge,” a push to get more people to adopt healthier habits.

The grand prize is a Churchill adventure trip for two. The winners will receive flights to and from Churchill, accommodations, meals and local adventures, such as a beluga whale viewing trip and a fat biking tour.

The contest is now open and runs until Feb. 28. Manitobans can sign up at GettingHealthy.ca, a website that was created by Doctors Manitoba.

“Medical misinformation is everywhere on the internet,” Guzman said. “There’s so much information out there, it’s hard to interpret, which is why we are focusing on providing trustworthy, research-backed medical resources from local Manitoba doctors at GettingHealthy.ca.”

There is no cost to enter the contest, except for the investment of the time it’ll take to answer the question, “How will you improve your health this month?”

A large majority of Manitobans (87 per cent) said they believe they aren’t doing enough or could be doing more when it comes to physical activity, eating well, getting better sleep, reducing stress and catching up on immunizations or medical screenings, according to research commissioned by Doctors Manitoba.

“Overall,” said Guzman, “I think we could be healthier. There are lifestyle habits and choices that people can make to improve their health. It’s just a matter of starting.”

Within Brandon city limits, there are numerous winter activity destinations, including the Riverbank Discovery Centre, which has a trail network of at least 20 kilometres for walking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

The outdoor skating oval at 2020 McGregor Ave. is open — weather permitting — and features music and fire pits nearby.

Hanbury Hill — at 600 Braecrest Dr. — is a toboggan hill for all ages, with a small run for younger children, and a longer run for older ages.

And about 10 kilometres south of the Wheat City, there are numerous trails in the Brandon Hills Wildlife Management Area, with loops ranging from 2.5 to 7.5 kilometres in length for hiking, cross-country skiing, cycling and bird watching.

Manitoba isn’t that much different from other provinces when it comes to the general population, Guzman said, but there’s room for improvement.

More than 18,000 Manitobans took part in the 2024 edition of the Winter Challenge, according to data supplied by Doctors Manitoba.

In a followup survey, more than 88 per cent said they followed through with their pledge abut getting healthy, and 93 per cent said they were planning to continue getting healthy in the months that followed.

Those are the kinds of stories that Guzman said inspire him.

“I was in the clinic today and one of the patients was talking about how he lost 50 or 60 pounds. And it was small steps that got the results of ultimately better health, like eating a bit better and doing a little more exercise,” he said.

“Starting small, doing minutes on the treadmill, and then working your way up, but trying to keep consistent and having the grace to fail sometimes, but to get back up,” said Guzman.

“Keep trying.”

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