This year's edition of the national health camp, organized by the Health Department at the SDA Bulgaria, was held under the motto "To be healthy, I must be helpful".
From August 24 to 29, the Annual National Health Camp was held on the southern Black Sea coast, organized by the Health Department of the SDA Bulgaria. The camp was attended by nearly 90 people who took part in lectures and workshops on how to be useful to ourselves and others.
"A lot of people think that to be helpful, they have to be healthy. This is not true. When we are beneficial to society, it makes us healthy. We included three aspects – how to be helpful to ourselves, how to be helpful to our loved ones, and how to be beneficial to society in the form of volunteering. If at least one of them a person manages to apply after the camp, we will be happy," says Doctor Plamena Stoimenova, Head of the Health Department and organizer of the camp.
The new thing this year was the holding of joint events for both families with children and adults. The lectures included topics such as 'How Life Changes the Brain or the Aging Brain', 'Neurobiology of Depression', 'Addictions and the Brain', 'Screen Addiction in Adults and Children', 'Childhood Illnesses', 'Childhood Emergencies' followed by practical activities. The leading speakers were Dr. Gergana Geshanova, a specialist in preventive medicine, Dr. Stoyan Stoimenov - a general practitioner, Stefan Stefanov - a pastor with an interest in psychology, Dr. Georgi Bukov - a pediatrician, and other specialists in the field of health topics.
"Parents very often think that health topics are very difficult and complicated for children. But in fact, if we start educating them on these topics from an early age, it will be much easier for them to create the right habits, and these lessons can be made available to the smallest ones as well," says Anastasia Genova, Nurse and Organizer of children's health activities. The purpose of the children's activities was to teach children how to take care of their health and to present different game approaches to help parents.
Participants shared that many of the topics were new to them or built on knowledge they already had. "The topic of emotional intelligence was the most interesting for me, I have been interested in this topic for several years. Also, how to invest in our health, because our body is a temple of God's Holy Spirit and the two are connected," says Neli Stoykova from Varna. The participants had time to socialize with each other, which they shared created a nice and positive atmosphere for everyone.
Outdoor sports were an invariable part of the program for both young and old. Doctor Geshanova emphasized the importance of physical activity in order to have a healthy and fully functioning body. "I want the participants to remember that many things in our lives depend on our lifestyle, on the choices we make, on our cooperation with God. The key to a healthier and more fulfilling life is trusting God. What He teaches us is the real thing - follow it and you will be happy," adds Dr. Geshanova.
The organizers of the health camp showed that health topics can be interesting, fun and for everyone. No matter what age we are, health is a topical issue and one must constantly educate oneself and take care of oneself.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you do not belong to yourselves? For you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
*Communications, SCASD, Primorsko, Bulgaria
