Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) was brought to Harding Univeristy’s campus this fall, overseen by associate professor of kinesiology, Dr. Britney Finley.

The student-led organization focuses on teaching individuals how to lead a healthier lifestyle while treating their bodies as living temples.

The organization offers various activities for members to participate in such as Zumba, self-defense classes, yoga, weightlifting and cooking classes. More variations will be offered as the organization moves forward.

“We are trying to bring awareness to the student body of why it is good to eat healthy and to be living actively and how to be an active person,” HEAL member and junior Desiree Byrd said.

President of HEAL, sophomore Anna Beaver, joined the organization because of her passion to focus on taking care of oneself, rather than working out for looks.

“It does not have to be about body image at all,” Beaver said.

Many people may not know what to do when they walk into a gym. Beaver said she wants to encourage and educate people in the correct way to exercise through this organization.

“You just have to come and participate and gain that knowledge of the correct form you need to be using in the gym,” she said.

As the director of HEAL, Finley said she is very passionate about creating a culture of wellness on Harding’s campus incorporated with glorifying God.

“Take care of your temple,” Finley said. “I am so passionate about physical education and health education and HEAL, because we have to take care of our bodies to be able to do what God wants us to do.”

According to organizers, HEAL’s purpose is to bring awareness to unhealthy living and get people excited about eating healthy. Over 60 students have signed up to participate in HEAL on campus this fall with 15 group leaders. Both men and women are welcome in this organization.
Junior Cody Rozell, a HEAL group leader for men, got involved because of his own personal experiences with active lifestyle habits.

“I joined HEAL because fresh out of high school, I played sports, but I did not know how to work out,” Rozell said. “I did not know how to eat well.”

Rowell and other HEAL members believe strongly in HEAL’s mission statement to have a foundation of healthy in order to serve God for a longer time.