Prevention is the key to lowering your chances of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease, stroke or high blood pressure. St. Francis Heart Center is offering free classes, programs, health fairs and screenings throughout September to improve the community’s health through education and prevention.
All of the events are open and free to the public.
Several of the Change of Heart classes will be held at the St. Francis Heart Center’s Community Center, located on the southeast corner of St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis, 8111 S. Emerson Ave. St. Francis-Mooresville, located at 1201 Hadley Road, also will host several of the events.
Registration is required. Call 317-782-4422 or register online at www. StFrancisHospitals.org/heart for these and many other classes throughout the fall.
Classes include:
What is a heart murmur?
Tuesday, Oct. 5, 6:30 pm
Includes light meal
Presented by Marc Gerdisch, M.D.
Heart murmurs are caused by valves inside the heart that don’t close properly Sometimes, people can live with heart murmurs a long time without any symptoms. But if the problem becomes more serious, the blood flow to the heart may be affected. Cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, M.D., will talk about new treatments and surgeries for heart valves, including ongoing research studies at St Francis.
How to protect yourself from stroke
Thursday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m.
St
Presented by J.D. Graham III, M.D. FACC
Graham will talk about the importance of keeping the carotid artery leading to the brain free of plaque and disease, decreasing the risk for stroke. Class attendees may sign up for a free carotid artery screening
Why does it hurt to walk?
Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m.
St
Presented by Dawn Salvatore, M.D.
Thursday, Nov, 4, at 6:30 p,m,
(special registration number for Shelbyville program: 317-398-5261
Presented by Robert Zickler, M.D.
Leg pain can be a result of poor blood flow to the legs through the arteries, or it can be from poor blood flow back to the heart, causing enlarged or varicose veins. Zickler and Salvatore, both vascular surgeons for St Francis Medical Group, will discuss the blood flow to and from the legs, signs and symptoms of arterial or venous disease and treatment options available. Those attending may then sign up for a free peripheral vascular screening scheduled at a later date.
Treatment options for atrial fibrillation
Saturday, Nov,13, at 9:30 a.m.
Includes breakfast
St Francis Hospital classroom 1&2
Presented by John Moore III, M.D., Marc Gerdisch, M.D.
Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the heart beats irregularly at a high rate. If severe, this condition can lead to heart attack, stroke or death. Moore and
Coronary calcium scoring: Identifying cardiac risk
Thursday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m.
St
Presented by Sunil Advani, M.D.
Build-up of calcium in plaque in coronary arteries can cause heart attacks. Sometimes the plaque doesn’t completely block the artery but can break off causing a heart attack. Coronary calcium scoring is a high-tech way of finding the arteries with calcium build-up and is another way to identify your risk for heart disease. Advani will describe this test and answer your questions about heart attack risk factors A special screening offer will be made to those who attend this class
Change of Heart classes offered in Fall 2010
Heart Smart Dining
Monday, Sept 27., 6:30 p.m. at the
Thursday, Oct 21., 6:30 p.m. at the
Americans eat nearly half their meals away from home. How can you control what you eat when you don’t cook for yourself? Learn how to make wise menu selections and eat smart while dining out.
Healthy Meals on a Budget
Thursday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. at the
Monday, Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m. at St Francis - Mooresville
As food prices climb and budgets get tight, smart purchases at the supermarket are important. In this class, you will learn ways to stretch your food budget while still getting the nutrients you need.
Exercise Tips for Your Heart
Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at St Francis - Mooresville
If you can’t find time to exercise or arent’ sure what the best exercise is for you, this class is for you. Discover that exercise can be healthy and fun Learn how to set up a schedule for yourself.
Super Shopping
Thursday, Oct 14, 6:30 p.m. at the
Monday, Oct 18, 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis - Mooresville
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the
With all the new and changing products on the shelves, grocery shopping can be overwhelming, Learn where to find the healthy foods and how to avoid packaging tricks commonly used to market foods, Discover how food labels make you a smarter shopper.
Atrial Fibrillation: A Patient’s Perspective
Wednesday, Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. at the
Thursday, Oct 28, 6:30 p.m. at St Francis - Mooresville
Atrial fibrillation affects more than 5 million Americans with many of them right here in
Healthy Eating
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m.at St Francis – Mooresville
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 6:30 p.m. at the
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 6:30 p.m. at the
Diet’s don’t work! Learn about healthy lifestyles in this class. Find out how much a “serving” is and how to manage a healthy weight. Discover how fats, carbohydrates and protein affect our bodies. Do you know how much salt, fiber and sugar are in the foods you buy? This class offers the foundation for a healthy future.
Healthy
Monday, Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m. at St Francis – Mooresville
Tuesday, Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. at the
Don’t blow your good eating and dining habits this season Learn how to manage the holiday feasting and celebrations with lower-fat and flavorful options to traditional recipes.
Meatless Cooking Tips
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m. at the
Reverse heart disease by eating more. Adding more fiber and meatless meals to your diet is easy with new products now on the market. This class will help you with menu planning and recipes so you can incorporate more meatless meals into your daily life.
Reduce Stress
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m. at St Francis – Mooresville
Tuesday, Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. at
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 6:30 p.m. at the
Negative stress causes changes in lifestyle and behavior, which may lead to unhealthy choices. Learn to identify the causes of stress in your life and how to improve your health.
