Know your numbers. That was the key point in Dr. Gloria Butler’s talk during the health fair at Calvary Baptist Church on Saturday.

Dr. Butler, who practices family medicine, said if you want to stay healthY and avoid chronic diseases, know your blood pressure, weight, glucose levels and cholesterol.

Then, if there is an issue, work to get it fixed whether through lifestyle changes or medication.

“If we, as a community, don’t take things in our own hands and start taking care of ourselves, we are going to find ourselves with more disability, more likely to be a burden to the health care system and more likely to have a short time on this earth,” Butler said. She was the first in a series of speakers at the health fair, which was offered to help inform the community about important health issues.

“We started it about four years ago,” Earnastine Dulaney said. “I was the leader of the mission ministry and we were trying to find something to do to help the people of the neighborhood to better understand their health problems.”

Dulaney said over the years they have seen the impact of the fair in the lives of the church’s parishioners and the neighborhood.

“People are going to the doctor more and getting their blood pressures and their sugars and weight checked,” she said.

The fair featured talks by multiple local doctors and also offered the opportunity to have your blood pressure and glucose levels checked for free.

“I believe that these types of events will inspire people to do more for themselves,” Butler said. “We have a system where you must take control of your own health. If you do not, you end up in situations where there is desperation and where there is desperation there is failure.”

Routinely having simple tests done to check your blood pressure and weight can help to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.