CVS/pharmacy Debuts the "To Your Health" Program in Los Angeles Bringing 240 Free Health Screening Events to the Community

LOS ANGELES, March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS/pharmacy, the nation's leading retail pharmacy, brings its "To Your Health" free health screening program to Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday, March 26. The program will provide free preventive health screenings for Los Angeles area residents at 240 events now through December as a way to help citizens determine their risk for chronic diseases and get them on a path to better health.

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(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110302/NE57355LOGO-b )

To help celebrate the program's presence in Los Angeles, on Saturday, March 26, the "To Your Health" event will incorporate "The Makeover Mile" – a one mile health walk led by medical and diet expert, Dr. Ian Smith, to fight obesity and encourage Americans to lead healthier lifestyles. The walk will start at 11:30 a.m. at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA located at 2900 Whittier Boulevard in Los Angeles, Calif. Registration for the walk starts at 10:30 a.m. and there is no fee.

(To view a video on the Los Angeles "To Your Health" program, click here).

"Exercise is an important way to combat weight gain and obesity, which can contribute to many chronic diseases," said Smith. "The Makeover Mile walk will encourage people to get out and take active steps toward better health."

The walk will finish at the CVS/pharmacy located at 3644 East Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles, where CVS/pharmacy will provide free adult health screenings for walk participants and the community at large starting at 12:00 p.m., as part of its "To Your Health" program. The event will end at 4:00 p.m.

This program and each of the additional "To Your Health" events in Los Angeles will offer participating adults $150 worth of free screenings for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, bone density (osteoporosis) and vision. Doctor consultations and medication reviews with a CVS Pharmacist are available. Dental and chiropractic screenings and referrals for mammograms and pap smears are also available in select locations. No appointment is necessary.

"These preventive health screenings will provide members of the Los Angeles community valuable information needed in order to make positive changes, before the onset of serious health issues like diabetes and heart disease," says Chris Bos, Area Vice President for CVS/pharmacy.

In 2010, the "To Your Health" program detected health concerns in an alarmingly high percentage of participants. Of those screened:

• 34 percent had high cholesterol
• 38 percent had a high to moderate risk of developing osteoporosis
• 37 percent had hypertension
• 29 percent had blood sugar levels that indicated a risk for diabetes

In addition to offering free health risk assessments targeting chronic disease, the 2011 "To Your Health" community program has expanded to provide wellness services, including Healthy Beauty, which emphasizes total body care. As a sponsor of the CVS/pharmacy "To Your Health" events in Los Angeles, Unilever will offer customers information about skin care, hair maintenance and personal care to help them be at their very best each and every day.

For more information and a full calendar of "To Your Health" events, visit www.cvs.com/toyourhealth or call 888-604-0333.  For more information about The Makeover Mile or to register, please visit www.makeovermile.com.

To access an embeddable code for the above video, please contact [email protected].

About CVS/pharmacy

CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), is America's leading retail pharmacy with more than 7,100 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at info.cvscaremark.com.

About Dr. Ian Smith

Dr. Ian Smith has served as the medical/diet expert for six seasons on VH1's highly-rated "Celebrity Fit Club," is the creator and founder of The 50 Million Pound Challenge and is a medical contributor on the nationally syndicated television show, "Rachael Ray." Dr. Ian was recently appointed by President Obama to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. He is also the author of eight books, including the New York Times Bestsellers, The Fat Smash Diet, The Extreme Fat Smash Diet and The 4 Day Diet. His eighth book, EAT, will be available in April 2011.

SOURCE CVS/pharmacy

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