Thrive for Life: Healthy Eating and Living Guide – a guidebook to nutrition, healthy recipes, and lifestyle improvements, offering easily digestible insights into trending health topics – has been produced by the community, for the community with Stockwell’s East African and Middle Eastern communities, health professionals, and dietitians.
Healthy Heart Hub
Stockwell GP Dr. Vikesh Sharma’s Healthy Heart Hub emphasises the importance of empowering communities to combat the high rate of heart attacks and strokes in ethnic minority groups: “This guide serves as a testament to the unity of healthcare professionals and communities, working together to address health disparities and raise awareness in Stockwell and beyond.”
Patients recorded as high risk by GPs were invited to Dr. Sharma’s weekly sessions for guidance, demonstrations on tools such as blood pressure monitors, and insights into resources like the NHS Heart Age Calculator, learning to manage health risks from the comfort of their own home.
Community contribution
Samira Hamadou found out at the hub that her heart age was 10 years older than her age – but she learned how to turn back those years. Now a food ambassador for Healthy Living Platform and leader of a women’s group in Thriving Stockwell’s Community Living Room Programme, Samira played a crucial role contributing ideas to the book alongside community builders Marta Sordyl and Radia Ahmed. Rima Rouf-Choudhury, Thriving Stockwell’s social media and Communications Manager, wrote the book with input from Dr. Sharma and senior community dietician Jasmine Carbon from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
Paul Gill, from project funders Novartis, said: “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that we would create not only a healthy recipe book, but a health and well-being book to help people make the right choices”.
More information
Order of download your copy to help with healthy choices
- Read and download the Thrive for Life guide
- Over 300 residents and stakeholders came to the launch event at the Old Laundry in October .See the video showcasing the day.
- Thrive for Life was developed by Thriving Stockwell, with Stockwell Primary Care Network, Lambeth Council and the local voluntary and community sector working together to reduce health inequalities and create healthier neighbourhoods and positive change.
- Stay up to date with Thriving Stockwell:
- Twitter (@Thriving_Stock),
- Facebook (@thrivingstock),
- Instagram (@thrivingstockwell).
