February is American Heart Month
February is American Heart Month and the perfect opportunity to assess heart health and identify or manage risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure.
The Southern Nevada Health District and its partners are offering free programs and classes in February to help people manage hypertension and other heart disease risk factors. Additional information is available on the Get Healthy Clark County website.
Free Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure Program: Keeping blood pressure in check is important for people with hypertension and lowers the risk for stroke or heart disease. Offered in partnership with the YMCA of Southern Nevada, the Healthy Hearts Ambassador Program provides personalized support to help people with hypertension develop a blood-pressure self-monitoring routine, tips to maintain cardiovascular health, and nutrition education. Classes are free and begin in February at the Bill and Lillie Heinrich YMCA (4141 Meadows Ln., Las Vegas, NV 89107) and SkyView YMCA (3050 E. Centennial Parkway, North Las Vegas, NV 89081). Spots are limited and registration is open now. The program is available in English and Spanish. For more information, call (702) 832-4901 or email ledmond@lasvegasymca.org.
Free Youth Cooking Class: Learning how and what to cook is key to a healthy lifestyle. In partnership with the 100 Black Men of Las Vegas, the Health District is sponsoring a cooking class for young people, ages 5-18, to learn about heart healthy cooking. Guest chef Gentry Richardson will host the virtual Youth Cooking Class from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, February 23. The class is free but registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-youth-cooking-class-tickets-244128684467?aff=ebdssbdestsearch. Interested participants should RSVP by 8 p.m., Friday, February 18.
Free Blood Pressure Checks
Free blood pressure checks are available at the following locations:
- Friday, February 4: The Beautiful Studio, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at the Go Red Event, 3950 N. Tenaya Way, Ste. 120, Las Vegas, NV 89129
- Saturday, February 5: Blade Masters Barbershop, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., 2245 N. Decatur Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89108
- Saturday, February 12: Executive Cuts Barbershop, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., 921 W. Owens Ave., Las Vegas, NV.89106
- Saturday, February 26: Hats Off Barbershop, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., 5625 S. Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas, NV. 89118
The Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has additional resources to help individuals make small lifestyle changes that can reap healthy rewards, including:
Free Hypertension Education Program: “With Every Heartbeat is Life” is a six-week program to help people learn to lower their risk for heart disease and to better manage other health conditions. The class is free and limited to members of the Martin Luther King Senior Center. Space is limited. For more information, call (702) 759-1270 or email gethealthy@snhd.org.
Apps: Get Healthy Clark County offers free smartphone apps to help increase physical activity and eat better. The Walk Around Nevada app and online program helps to track daily physical activities. The Neon to Nature app can help locate walking, hiking, biking, or horse trails throughout Clark County. Half My Plate can provide a little motivation to include more fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks. The SNAP Cooking App has healthy recipes that can be prepared, well, in a snap! The app also makes it easy to find retailers that accept SNAP benefits by ZIP code. People can find the app that fits their lifestyle by visiting the Get Healthy Clark County Mobile Apps page. Visit Viva Saludable for apps that are available in Spanish.
Nevada Tobacco Quitline: Quitting smoking is one of the most famous resolutions and one of the best decisions a person can make. Get Healthy Clark County has free tobacco cessation resources available to help, including the Nevada Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). The Quitline is available in English and Spanish 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) and it is a phone-based service available to Nevadans age 13 and older. Callers will work with a coach who can provide quitting assistance. Some people might be eligible to receive free supplies of nicotine replacement patches, gum or lozenges. For more information, visit Get Healthy Clark County Live Tobacco Free or the Viva Saludable Live Tobacco Free websites.
Free Diabetes Self-Management Classes: For people with diabetes, self-management is the key to staying healthy and reducing the risk of complications. The free classes are taught by trained facilitators who can help participants better manage their condition with evidence-based meal planning, physical activity, and diabetes resources. The class is appropriate for people living with diabetes, caregivers, and people who have prediabetes. Virtual and in-person classes are scheduled throughout 2022. Classes are free, but class size is limited. For information or to register, visit www.gethealthyclarkcounty.org/myd, call (702) 759-1270 or email gethealthy@snhd.org or vivasaludable@snhd.org.
