February 1, 2015
West Columbia, S.C. – Lexington Medical Center is pleased to begin its “Take 5 for Heart Health” campaign for February. “Take 5 for Heart Health” encourages community members to take time for their heart health with five key elements: Eat Right, Chill Out, Get Moving, Call 911 and Know the Facts. As part of the innovative program, Lexington Medical Center is partnering with Midlands businesses to provide free, fun heart health events including exercise classes and stress relief activities throughout the month of February. You can begin signing up for the classes and events today at www.LexMed.com/Take5.
The free events include golf at Rawls Creek Golf and Mid Carolina Club, an olive oil and vinegar tasting at The Classy Cruet, cooking demonstrations with Charleston Cooks, ice skating and roller skating at Plex Indoor Sports in Irmo and Sandhills, a grocery store tour to learn about healthy food shopping, a moonlight paddle on Lake Murray in a canoe, a Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve hike with Phoenix Adventures, Stacked Fitness boot camp, SKA Dance Fitness classes, Columbia Museum of Art passes, Columbia Classical Ballet Company Swan Lake tickets, meditation with Vital Energy, Broadway in Columbia tickets to Flashdance at the Koger Center for the Arts, a Lunch & Learn on sodium and potassium, volunteering at Pawmetto Lifeline and the Harvest Hope Food Bank, and 8K road race training with Fleet Feet Sports. And that’s just the beginning. Participants at the classes and events are encouraged to wear red as a sign of support for spreading the message about heart health.
“We’re thrilled with the response we’ve had from our business partners to provide important heart health education to our community,” said Barbara Willm, vice president of Community Relations at Lexington Medical Center. "Heart disease is an epidemic in South Carolina. One out of every three deaths in our state is related to cardiovascular disease. The “Take Five for Heart Health” campaign educates our community about heart health and encourages people to lead a heart-healthy life through exercise, education and minimizing stress."
Heart disease has been the #1 killer of women since 1910. More women die of heart disease than men, and 64% of women who die of a heart attack did not know they were at serious risk. It’s important for women to follow up with their physicians regularly.
Lexington Medical Center is dedicated to treating heart disease with comprehensive cardiovascular care.
For a full list of events, visit www.LexMed.com/Take5. Businesses can sign up to offer free classes and participants can register on the website. Participants must sign up in advance. Class space is limited, and classes will close when they reach capacity.
During the month of February, you can also see Lexington Medical Center’s new 2015 heart commercial. The 60-second spot, produced entirely in-house by Lexington Medical Center, personifies a heart attack and educates viewers about heart attack symptoms. The commercial is a continuation of the 2013 and 2014 commercials, “I Am A Heart Attack.” You can view the commercials on YouTube.com/LexingtonMedical.
The “Take 5 for Heart Health” campaign will culminate with an interactive Heart Fair on Sunday, March 1 from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel at the intersection of Interstate 20 and Bush River Road in Columbia. Attendees can learn about the latest cardiovascular technology, taste heart-healthy foods, attend mini-lectures by physicians on cardiovascular topics, have a chair massage, take a citizen CPR class and receive a blood pressure screening.
Here are five ways that you can Take 5 for Heart Health:
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Eat every 3 to 5 hours during the day to avoid overeating at mealtimes.
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Use simple breathing techniques to lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
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Strive for 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity on most days of the week.
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When it comes to heart attack and stroke, call 911 instead of driving yourself or a loved one to an emergency department.
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Know your risk factors for heart disease and how to recognize symptoms.
For more information on Lexington Medical Center’s “Take 5 for Heart Health,” visit www.LexMed.com/take5.
Lexington Medical Center is a 607-bed teaching hospital in West Columbia, South Carolina. It anchors a health care network that includes five community medical centers and employs a staff of more than 8,000 health care professionals. The hospital is ranked best hospital in the Columbia Metro and #2 hospital in South Carolina by U.S. News & World Report and was named one of the “Best Places to Work in South Carolina” by SC Biz News, in partnership with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and Best Companies Group. Lexington Medical Cancer Center is an accredited Cancer Center of Excellence and has a clinical research and education affiliation with MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. The network includes a cardiovascular program recognized by the American College of Cardiology as South Carolina's first HeartCARE Center. The network also has an occupational health center, the largest skilled nursing facility in the Carolinas, an Alzheimer's care center and more than 70 physician practices. Lexington Medical Center operates one of the busiest Emergency departments in South Carolina, treating nearly 100,000 patients each year. The hospital delivers more than 4,000 babies each year and performs more than 25,000 surgeries. Its postgraduate medical education programs include family medicine and transitional year residencies.
