How one Alabamian’s faith compelled her to change the lives of tens of thousands of children

(Video above: Christy Swaid discusses HEAL, the non-profit she founded that is tackling childhood obesity in Alabama)

By Karim Shamsi-Basha

With tearful eyes, Christy Swaid shows a “thank you” note from a student in Alabama’s Black Belt region. Among a few lines highlighted in yellow, one said, “HEAL has changed my life.”

That pretty much sums up the mission of the non-profit Swaid founded to address a need she saw in the state. HEAL, or Healthy Eating Active Living, was born.

“Deep in my heart, I was recognizing that children are on a path of disease, so it was more or less a rescue mission,” Swaid said. “I couldn’t sit back and watch a child behaving in a way that will lead them to disease. I am determined to put them on a path of wellness and to give them a better quality of life and a brighter future. We teach children as young as second grade to exercise in their target heart zone, and to eat a balanced diet which includes lean proteins, lean dairy, whole fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.”

At a recent HEAL event at their Vestavia Hills headquarters, there were healthy dishes with a taste that rivaled some of the best restaurant offerings in Birmingham. They ranged from Gluten-free muffins to yogurt and fruit parfaits to grilled veggies.

The biggest surprise? Children made them.

The event was one of many HEAL holds around the state to promote health and fitness.

It was a dream for Swaid to help children replace a path of disease with a path of wellness. Swaid started the program with one school in 2005. Now the foundation serves over 90 schools and 17,000 children all over the state of Alabama.

“HEAL was born out of an idea,” Swaid said. “We knew we had a captive audience, so it was the perfect platform to take our idea into physical education classes and then bring it down to the youngest age possible. By the age of 10, some children are already showing signs of early disease and diabetes.”

Swaid links her faith from spirit, heart, and mind to the body.

“My faith in Christ compels me to be his hands and feet,” she said. “I believe that faith should take form in practical action.”

“HEAL has changed my life,” is not only a line highlighted with a yellow marker on a piece of paper folded in a drawer somewhere in Vestavia Hills, but a validation that people recognizing a need can make a difference.

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