. goodmorning. this is "news 4 your sunday". >> i'mrica gonzalez in for pat lawson muse. we're almost a week in theew year. if you're like so many of us, you need a resolution ort two abetting healthier. nbc 4 is working for you and we're here toou help. health and fitness expo is less than a ek away. we'll be talking to some of the people about what they'll be doing there and ways to tnk of healthier lives for us and for our community in general. let me introduce you to dr. charles howell who is a professor of medicine and also the director of viral hepatitis ngnter. also joi us, dr. peter weitze good morningo you both.

thank you for being with us. thank you for partnering with us. as long as the expo has been around, howard university n hospital has b partnering with us. so thank you. why has it been so important for you to do so? >> well, think we view this as an essential part of our mission to improve the health of the population living in the washington, d.c., virginia, metropolitan maryland area. >> right. and there are thousands of people that come to the expo every year and for different reasons. so you a play part of one of perhaps the many reasonepeople willoming for screenings, for health screenings. talk to us aut the type of screenings that will be offered and what people can look forward to. >> well, with respect to the sleep department, our purpose it to raisewarenessf the

crucial importance of sleep in everyone's life and the potential severe impact that sleep disorders can play in some people'sli s, so we'll be predominantly talking about raising awareness. we will have some screening questionnaires that weha can with people who want to have a little survey of whas going o in terms of their sleep and sleep >>quality. doctor, what would you say are some of i would say maybe the most prevalent sleep area?ders in the what are people struggling with? it seems like such an easy concept to slee but it's a real struggle for people. >> so it definitely is a struggle for this community and nationwide. we know sleepor drs are extremely prevalent. insomnia being probabl the most common. but of particular concern to us is a problem called obstructive sleep apnea which we know can have devastating effects on a li

person's q of life and health. we feels i particularly important to this community because it is a problem of increased prevalence and severity and that's what we try to gett help t our underserved communities are particularly at risk. >> if youave an sue, you can come and have a screening provided by howard university hoital and perhaps that sets things in motion, points you in the right rection, lets you know what you're up against, correct? >> correct. so people from our cter will be there talking with people who are interested in discussing what's going on with their sleep. we'd b happy to share lots of information about what's going on. >> fantastic. dr. howell, you mentioned the dmv as a whole. we're thinking like 2019 as far as us getting healthier as a

community. what would you say are some of the biggest health issues plaguing our community? what is perhaps something that keeps coming up again? >> i think some of the major medical conditions in the genel population include cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, heartso ers, type two diabetes, obesity, and the consequences of negative health conces of that. i think that it's importantno say addition to sleep, in addition to the hepatitis areas which i represent here, we will be providing health information and screening in a variety of sorders, including the ones i mentioned, hiv, hepatitis c, pertension, diabetes, and many others.

it's an excellent opportunity for members of the audience and the communio get information and to actually get health screening at a time when disorders are not as obvious. symptoms have not developed, and we can detect these sort of at an earlier sge whether they're care annable to treatment. >> maybe you've never attended our health and fitness expo. maybe this will be your first time. please know a of this is free. you have access to doctors, to health information and it's all free. we really encourage everybody to get out here. we have few seconds left. health and wellness are big concepts overall. what would you say, maybe one or two things people can do instantly to srt this year off and see an improvement in their lives? just a coue things, whether it has to do with sleep or eating or exercise? what would be a couple suggestions? i think the one that you hit on thatud would be a t part

of any type of wlness strategy would be exercise. having adequate exercise is an important component of sleep and helping to engender adequate sleep time. it's so important, you know, sedentary life tile style is cr and essential to what i mentioned, diabetes, bod pressure, obesity, cancer. >> i know i sleep better when i exercise harder. >> and so i think it's certainly something that -- exercise is certainly an activity that would be -- would touch on many areas of health. >> perfect. i'll have you chime in onhi quickly. >> i agree completely. people should think about both quality and quantity of sleep. we know quantity is crucial.

quantity itself has an impact when we don't get enough hours of sleep. cardiovascular disease, weight control is now very linked with quantity of sleep. and then quality, if you're spending the time, but you're not waking rested or your partner's worried about things you're doing durg the night, then get in, talk to people, and an ounce ofio preve can be very valuable. >> the doctors with howard university hospitals will be with us this weekenddi tal about what all you can expect over the course of the next weekend. "newsay 4 your su coming right back.

back now talking about the nbc 4 healt and fitness expo next weekend. we hope youl join usor that.

joining us talking about the services that will be provided th weekend, lisa winer. you can't miss them whe you first walk in to the health and fitness expo. this is the 50 yefifth year you are partnering and briing this bile health vehicle to the expo. talk to me about, number one, hithe partne thank you so much for doing it. why you're doing it, why you continue to do it and what the services offer. >> this will be our fifth year as you said at the health expo. we're there for the community. kizery is v invested in building healthy and i think that -- did you know that where you liv affects your health? kizer permanente is there t promote access to health care, access to healthy foods andss acce to safe routes to where you work and whe you play.

>> a l of people may not get around to seeing physicians, sitting medical advice on a regular and the fact that this is all free and it's all kind of a one stop shop is one of the coolest things about this expo. when people stop in at the shop, if you will, whatan they get checked out for as far as health wellness? >> so we will have our mobile health van there and in the health van you'll be able to get bmi, your body mas index checked. you will get your blood pressure checked and you will be able to get a flu shot >> oh, really?r. because it' not too late. >> no. we are in the middle of the season. >> all of this stuff is fr, so that is wonderful to note. aside from our health and fitness expo, this mobile unit go around the whole dmv.

talk to me about the schedule an where it goes and why. >> the mobile health vehicle is outfitted wh two exam rooms and we have a reception area and we even have a lab. the vehicle goes to all parts of ryland, all parts of virginia th that are served by a kizer the district of columbia. we're out on the road almost every day of the week. >> rlly? >> we are. we do weekend events. we go to where peoplek. w we provide services -- last year we had a program at a barbershop >> what is it that people say to you when they come to see you, when they step foot inside this mobile health unit? >> they're so grateful for u being there. some people have transportation issues. they can't make it to a doctor office. some people are limited by not having health insurance. so when the kizer vehicle is out, it's -- all are welcome.

we see members and nonmembers alike. >> we have thousands of people that attend this event.pe we really ou can join us this upcoming weekend. we've got a few more seconds left, lisa. i would like y for to leave folks with this word, this is in your commercials. for some people may be thinking 2019 is already off to a lost start, things aul diff i just can't get it done, what beuld you say to them? encouragement tealth ne this new year and to give it a try? >> i would say know your numbers. know your bmi. know your blood pressure. know what your sugar level is. that's a good starting point. >> that's all you need,ht r just put a first step forward. >> absolutely. >> lis winer, the director of mobile health services, kizer permanent, thank you very much. stay with us. we're coming back with what you can expect to see when you come

visit us a at the health fitness expo this coming weekend.

we look forward to this every year, so whether it's saturday or sunday,o we hope you'll join us for the upcoming nbc 4 health and fitss expo. we know it's a favorite around here. joining us to talk more about e what you'll able to see this weekend is the co-founder of broccoli city daryl thank you so much for being with us. lying ike to think you guys are hip approach to health and wellness at a community level. thank you so much. you were one of our guests on news 4 midday. we were introducing the concept of broccoli city to our guests. for those who are not familiar with it, explain to folks what broccoli city is. >> thank you for having me this morning. 're about shifting culture

towards health and wellness, making it cool to be healthy and active and engaged in our community and measure success for people to have lifestyle change that lead us down the road towards living a healthy life. >> excellent. i think you hit the nail on the head for a lot of people. it's the accessibility component that is onee biggest factors as to whether or not they get grocery, get healthy food, see physicians. at the health and fitness expo, this is all free. you yget to come and talk to doctors, it's all free. ou're going to be at the festival. you're going to be on a panel specifically saturday afternoon talking about building a healthier community. so tell us -- give us some insight as to what that panel is going to consist of. it's a very large concept. how do you take on a giant like health and community? >> so we do a program calledoc li talks. we talk about these different

issues and r make -- break it down in tangible things. we're going to have a mental health expert, fitness expert and really talk about solution-based ways we can behe thy. it has to be easy. it doesn't have to be pie in the sky to e healthy and be active in our daily lives and make it so it's a very easy and tangible way we're able dot. we're happy to have brittany johnson from nbc 4 moderating and we're happy to be having this extension of our broccoli talks at the health and fitness aypo. >> when people live in a food desert, it is hard for me to get goo quality food, much less to see a doctor or to know what's good for me. what kind of advice do you give people who may be in those situations? >> so a couple things that we do. one is making sure that fol have information. that's always key. we do different programs. we have a code green program we

do. we do grocery store walks. we're able to get healthy items. just show how to prepare quick things like a stir tfry, how prepare things you put in your freezer, is in a tangible way we're able to prep and make easy to make healthy lifestyle decisions and working out around the house and doing thies you're ao do in your daily life that's a part of what you do. >> what would you say is the number one thing that you advise people to do when they're trying to get on a healthy start? they're trying to get on the right track and make some good decisions. maybe it's been a long time oor choicesmaking with eating habits and exercise. what's the first thing you suggest and recomme? >> i just say drink water. drink lots of water. cut out some of the sugar drinks and just drink watus. that's a really simple thing that's really good for your entire body. and a very entry level thing t

do that is drink water. >> and cost effective. >> exactly. >> what is the number one deterrent that people have when choosing a healthy lifestyle, when taking thatto first ste do well by their bodies? >> i think sometimes it's in your mind. we say we can't do it or it's difficult. it's just a shift that we make. i think people are able to make it. once we do it, weeel better and our body feels better and we do it and it becomes part of our habit. >> last couple seconds, i think a lot of people are familiar with you guys because of the bro broccoli city weekend festival. are you planning something for this coming year? >> yes. the festival will be april 27th. wel be doing a lineup announcement january 16th. it wil be one of t biggest and best yet. we will be pushing on building healthy communities at the festival. >> fantastic. we look forward to seeing you there. heu can come and visit with daryl. going to be on a panel

saturday afternoon at the health and fitness expo. it's called building a healthier community. daryl, thank you so much. stick around. we'v m got muche coming up. after this people aren't talking about how much money they saved buying giant brand chicken.

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i'm joined now by pat, better known ps they lady this morning to talk about health and wellness for all ages. specifically for kids, getting them to exercise without really realizing it is exercise. it's just not playing, for goodness sake. go out and p have soy time. it's important. >> it's so important. if you have a yard, a back yard, let your neighbors know that you tlow childrencome and play. i look out all the time and see football, soer, basketball, hockey, kids roller blading, scootering in my yard. but it doesn't have to just be your yard. there's the playground. invite children to go to the

>> it's about setting good examples for children at an early age so that it just comes lifestyle for them. they are good habits to keep. so some of th examples, she's going to come in and step in. we're talking about fun things. you've brought a ball, a jump rope, bubbles. this is all just play time. how would you suggest paren get their kids into having a little fun with some very inexpensive itemst they can pick up at the grocery store, s or walgreens or what not? >> plan py time every day with your child. if you walk to school, this would be a little b of ext time that you get to walk with friends and you get to play. if we get there early, we get to go to the playgrod andlay. children want to see their friends and they enjoy being hetive. >> maybe take the ball so they can bounce the ball on the way to school and theom and dad take it from them. you get the ball back when you come home this evening.

the hoola hoops are really fun. the parents get in on this as well. what wouldsa you why is this such a big deal rig now? in 2019 we have a lot of kids th that are hooked on the phones, etoked on electronics. why is sng so simple as play time important for ourl over health? >> we need the physical activity, the hands down, erica. we also need to socialize and children need to learn to play togethern their owno that they can learn how to negotiate owand learn to make up their own games, be creative instead of always having an adult sayin you must do it this way. >> or on the phone, this is how the games. >> the electronics are great, but let's be realistic. they're not helping you burn off calories. >> no, they're not. we're becoming sedentary and our

heads are down and we're in ae trance in thones. you'll be at the health and fiexpo and it's usually the parents that we can't get awayrom the hoola hoops. please look for the play lady and we're going to do a little hoola h wping. parentl say i haven't done this in years. these are weighted, so it's waste, to get around your right, pat? >> absolutely. anyone g cane it a try. erica just hoolaew hooped a minutes ago and it was no problem at all. gentlemen, we want you and grandmothers. >> pap already got us roped into this, no pun intended, but it's usually the ladies who are there takingnutes on the hoola hoops. you have to say somebody else

would like a turn. please join us at the health and urtness expo sy and sunday the 12th from 9:00 to 5 and then sunday from 9:00 to 4:00. >> come play th us. al

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okay. okay. okay. 6:00 on this sunday morning. here's what we're following for you on "news 4 todre." fifighters pulling a woman from a burning home over the district in the night. it's the latest of several fires sparking in the southeast this weekend. he vatican says they don't want to wait any longer to put a former washington cardinal on trial for sexual abuseut trials. fi why they are pushing ahead. and no progress yesterday, but it's a new f day congress in the white house to hopefully find some w to get a federal government back open. we're still on shutdown watch. we've got a lot going on. first, i want to show you for u joinin on this early sunday morning. i'm