SAN JUAN - A Rio Grande Valley community resource center is taking additional steps to make sure people in their area are living a healthier life.

The community resource center in San Juan said living healthy is on the minds of people that turn to them.

The community center director manager, Janie Pinon, said it’s her personal goal to make sure they provide the necessary tools to make it happen.

“Precinct 2 wants to build better communities and they want to also bring healthier lifestyles,” she said.

Pinon said educating people in the area is important. Experts also share information about natural medicines people could use to be healthier such as using pressure points and mustard seeds to naturally alleviate pain.

“We’re teaching them how to do everything on their own, and at the same time even open up a little business,” she said.

In addition, they offer exercise classes as well as teach healthy recipes.

“They teach them how to do the healthy recipes so that way the parent can go home and continue to cook healthy recipes for the rest of the family,” she said.

Pinon said they encounter a lot of people who hesitate going to a doctor. She said they usually fear what they might find out.

The director said they also want to educate parents on how to implement healthy foods in their children’s diets.

“If they go to the grocery store, and if they have the option of buying a vegetable or fruits as to where they can buy snack, I recommend they buy the fruit and vegetables,” she said.

Pinon said parents need to start thinking about the children’s health in the long run and the effects unhealthy food can cause.

“They’re gonna end up with a weight problem, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure and god knows what else,” she said.

Pinon said anyone is welcome to join the classes to learn how to live a better life. The center is located at 509 E Earling Road in San Juan.