Indiana—When Jan Roland considered the life ahead of her, she saw trouble. "At 60 pounds overweight, cholesterol 100-plus points too high, dizzy spells, and shortness of breath," the Atlanta (Ind.) resident said, "At 64, I was feeling all I had to look forward to [were] major health issues."

Then Roland attended a CHIP (Coronary Health Improvement Project) program sponsored by the Cicero Church, and she now believes her life prospects have greatly improved. In fact, she became such a believer of the program she volunteered to work with the Cicero team as they presented the CHIP program at the New Life Assembly of God church in Noblesville last Oct.

CHIP counselors stress that CHIP is not a diet plan. It is a health and lifestyle improvement plan. Weight loss just happens to be a pleasant side effect!

John Taylor, Cicero CHIP leader and a science teacher at Indiana Academy, says he's seen the program work for many people. The group last Oct. really got into the program and enjoyed it as a team. The 32 participants bonded together during the five-week lifestyle program as they sampled different foods and learned new habits together. As a group, they lost 153 pounds, an average weight loss of eight and a half pounds per person. The final blood draw revealed cholesterol dropped 33.5 points per person, a 16 percent reduction.

Donna Ferguson, a registered nurse and program instructor, said some program participants with diabetes have been able to reduce their dependency on insulin, and their blood pressure was reduced through the program, lessening the risk of stroke.

Glen and Carol Rick, two Cicero CHIP organizers, said the program helps people back off some Western lifestyle eating habits and "it encourages people to eat fewer fatty foods and get more exercise. Since Adventists already promote a healthy lifestyle, we want to share it with others!"

Taylor said he gets intangible personal rewards from organizing the program. "When you hear people talk like Jan [Roland], it's so wonderful to know people benefit from it. And personally, it comes from my Christian experience. That's the way He worked. Christ was always going around healing people."

Judith Yeoman, Indiana Conference correspondent, as shared by Bob Hansen and William Fouts, of the Noblesville Daily Times, and Collene Kelly, Cicero church member