Joe Piscatella knows how hard it can be to improve your health. At 32 years of age, he underwent cardiac bypass surgery and was told he may not live to see his children graduate from high school. In the 34 years since, Piscatella has turned around his health through a balanced approach to food, fitness and stress management, and he is coming to South Snohomish County this spring to share his knowledge.

Register online now for “6 Weeks to a Healthier You,” a program that will be facilitated by Piscatella, the best-selling author of 12 books and one of the country’s leading experts on lifestyle and health.

“This program is about making healthy changes for a lifetime…once and for all,” Piscatella said.

Beginning April 17 at the Lynnwood Convention Center, participants in the program will learn about healthy eating, cooking, exercise, stress management and family support. The program runs six consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8 p.m., ending on May 22. It will focus on practical education, awareness and empowering individuals to make positive behavior changes.

Critical components of the program are the biometric health screenings, which are done once before the first session and then again between sessions five and six. The screenings will be done by Swedish/Edmonds staff and nurses, and the results will help participants better gauge their overall health at the beginning of the program and again toward the end.

“Comparing biometric details in the beginning and toward the end can show the results of real changes,” Piscatella said. “And although six weeks may not be enough time to turn around your health completely, it does allow enough time to lay the foundation for continued success.”

Piscatella’s experience sharing this program in other communities across the country has led to great success – in one community, 650 people lost 4,200 pounds, and in another, triglycerides fell by 23 percent.

“This is a great opportunity for our community,” said Carl Zapora, superintendent of the Verdant Health Commission. “Joe Piscatella has transformed and motivated many other communities across the country to improve their health. We can’t wait to see what the residents of South Snohomish County can do while being guided by an expert like Joe.”

The program fee is $49 per person; however, the value of the biometric screenings alone is $100. Scholarships are available, and groups of 10 or more can receive a discounted rate. To register or read more about the program, visit www.verdanthealth.org.

Brought to South Snohomish County by the Verdant Health Commission, this program is supported by many community businesses and organizations, including: Swedish/Edmonds, PCC Natural Markets, Edmonds Community College, Edmonds School District, City of Lynnwood, Harbor Square Athletic Club, LifeWise Health Plan of Washington, Molina Healthcare, YMCA of Snohomish County and Dale Turner Family YMCA.