L iving a healthy life requires a first step, and staff from Indiana Regional Medical Center and Indiana University of Pennsylvania students will team up to help area residents find the right path.

To celebrate heart health month in February the two groups will host a free heart health screening and fitness expo on the IUP campus to help people kick-start their 2018 fitness goals. Students from the IUP Department of Kinesiology, Health and Sports Science will host multiple health and fitness demonstrations, as well as assist hospital staff in conducting health screenings.

The expo, set for Feb. 24 and dubbed Listen to your Heart, will bring together the expertise of the two health care groups to provide tips and guidance on determining a health baseline and a path for improvement. During the expo there will be fitness demonstrations that show residents how to perform simple exercises that can build muscle and tone the body. Additionally residents can get their blood pressure checked, as well as undergo blood tests that will provide information on blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Amanda Augustine, manager of corporate and community wellness at IRMC, says participants at the expo will be taught ways to improve cardiovascular health and given guidance on how to lose any unwanted pounds.

“This is really kind of an open house thing that will really be a benefit for the community,” Augustine says. “It’s important for people in the community to be aware of their risks. It’s a way for them to come out and participate in the event.”

Those who have the blood tests performed will receive near-instant results, Augustine says. That way they can fully take advantage of all the expo has to offer.

“The professionals will be on site to educate about the numbers and what they mean for the patient,” she says. “This is also a great opportunity to become aware of all the resources in our community to help them improve their heart health.”

Cardiovascular disease is a key concern in the U.S. About 85.6 million Americans are living with some form of cardiovascular disease or the after-effects of stroke. It is the leading cause of global death. About 800,000 people in the U.S. die annually from heart disease, stroke or other cardiovascular issues, according to the American Heart Association. This makes up about one-third of all annual deaths. Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined.

“This is why it’s so important to educate the people in our community about the risks of cardiovascular disease,” Augustine says. “Those risks don’t appear overnight. They tend to creep up over time. If we can stop that or give our neighbors a lifestyle intervention… oftentimes we can prevent people from having to take cholesterol medicine or becoming diabetic.”

Some simple exercises will be taught by the IUP students, says Bob Alman, an associate professor of kinesiology at IUP. Not only will the expo be good for the community, Alman says it will provide invaluable experience to the students, many of whom will soon graduate and be looking for work. The students will assist the hospital employees with blood draws, blood pressure testing and weight management assessments.

By working with the community, the IUP students will learn first-hand what it’s like to see people who have blood pressure issues or high cholesterol. Most of the time the students take vital signs from each other and rarely see any concerning readings.

“They’re not used to seeing people with these problems,” Alman says. “They might have preconceived notions of someone with high cholesterol being extremely overweight, but there are plenty of people who are in good shape who have these problems.” He points to comedian David Letterman who had notoriously high cholesterol and ended up undergoing bypass surgery. “This really gives our students an opportunity to work with the adult population and give them the hands-on experience they need.”

In addition to the hospital and university representatives on site for the expo Augustine says there will also be a number of area vendors, too, such as fitness centers, dietitians and yoga studios that can provide long-term solutions to residents.