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An educator and dietician, Lynda Johnson has been leading Lafayette County residents along the path to better health for over three decades. Johnson, whose 32year career saw the rise and fall of the USDA's food pyramid, retired on December 31, 2012 from her position as nutrition and health education specialist with the University of Missouri Extension. have to start with young people who are more at risk than their parents," Johnson said. "We try to encourage students and staff to move more and eat healthier." and her many years of service are to be applauded." Beginning her career as a family and consumer science teacher in Belton, MO, Johnson always had a passion for educating. "I suppose I took after my mother," she said. "My mother was a school teacher for 40 years." After teaching for five years, Johnson earned a master's Johnson's career may be degree in nutrition and also winding down, but the impact became a registered dietician. of her work will endure. "Lynda has been instrumental in In 1980, she began her career developing new programs in with the University of Missouri Lafayette County that focus on Extension in Cass County. healthy lifestyles," said Three years later, she came to Toniann Richard, executive Lafayette County and became director of the Health Care the area's nutrition and health Collaborative of Rural Missouri education specialist in 1983. (HCC). "Our community is blessed to have such a "Our role is to bring resources wonderful resource in Lynda, from the University of Missouri out to the people," Johnson said. "Our goal is to improve quality of life." The programs created by the MU Extension are unbiased and researchdriven. Johnson said she is most proud of sustainable initiatives like the Active and Healthy Schools (AHS) Program which restructures how schools view nutrition and exercise, and makes physical activity accessible for all students. "We Johnson said she worries about Americans' sense of selfresponsibility to their health. The MU Extension will continue to develop programs, she said, but people still have to take the initiative. "The information is out there," Johnson said, "if people will just seek out the assistance. It takes an effort to make healthier choices." When asked what's next, Johnson plans to strengthen ties with Lafayette County, get more active at her church and continue to serve on Health Care Collaborative's executive board. HealthNews.net Lafayette County People in the U.S. suffer from 1 billion colds, annually. Here's what you can do to stay healthy: Live Healthy Live Well is a Social Innovation for Missouri program funded in part through the Missouri Foundation for Health. Other funders include, Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, REACH Healthcare Foundation and BCBS of Missouri. Program partners include Health Care Collaborative (HCC) of Rural Missouri, Lafayette County Health Department and MU Extension. Lafayette County Live Healthy Live Well

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