A local food market is launching a one-month health challenge in which people are encouraged to take photos of themselves making healthy choices to earn points.

Beth Christopher Krause of Louie’s Fresh Market in Lake Linden said, for the photos to count as part of the challenge, they have to be posted to the store’s Facebook page.

The winner of the challenge, she said, gets to go on a 60-second store shopping spree to gather up to $500 in groceries. Second place gets a $100 store gift card and third gets a $50 gas card.

Healthy choices can be food and lifestyle choices, like swapping a sugary drink for water or being in nature, even laughing with friends.

Krause, who is the natural food director at Louie’s, said the challenge is all about healthy choices. She has been introducing more organic foods and special diet options into the store’s offerings.

“We just wanted to try to highlight that we have this kind of stuff here,” she said, “and also do something fun for the community.”

February seems like a good month to do this, she said, because so many people have the mid-winter blues.

For the challenge, people can compete individually or in teams, said Krause. The challenge, as she said, is just for them to take photographs of themselves making healthy choices; the healthy choice is up to the people.

Photographs could be of a plate of food showing healthy eating options, or even of them going on a walk, said Krause.

“Or having a nice, relaxing bedtime routine that’s new to them,” she suggested, “anything that just feels like a healthier choice. It doesn’t have to be food.”

The Health Challenge coincides with February’s American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health.

Nationaltoday.com reports that according to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is the world’s No. 1 cause of death, killing over 17 million people every year. February is a time for creating awareness about various heart conditions, and this awareness can go a long way in helping to reduce the rate at which heart-related diseases are taking people’s lives. February is a month to focus on taking extra care of heart health and help those who already suffer from heart diseases.

People, families and organizations are encouraged to actively participate in the activities of this month, nationaltoday.com states, from preparing heart-healthy meals to setting up online support groups to encourage one another to eat healthier, work out, and mainly develop healthier habits.

Louie’s Health Challenge is a great way for people to engage in American Heart Month, while at the same time, enjoying a healthy, community-wide competition.