A variety of topics are addressed, including risk factors for heart disease, diet and nutrition, exercise and stress management. Too much cholesterol in your bloodstream increases your risk of heart disease. High cholesterol is a silent disease, and there may be no symptoms until complications develop. The screening requires a simple fingerstick, and the results are available within five minutes. No fasting is necessary.
Registration is required and there is a fee.
The course consists of five evening classes from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Mary's Hospital Conference Center. Classes are designed for first-time parents and they begin in the seventh month of pregnancy. The classes feature a tour of the Women and Infants' Center at the hospital. Topics include how to recognize labor, how labor progresses, the partner's role, breathing techniques, possible interventions and pain relief. Infant care and early parenthood also are discussed.