UnityPoint Health is still taking sign-ups for its free Cooking with Heart series, which begins Oct. 4.
The four-week cooking courses will be led by UnityPoint Health dietitians to help attendees make simple, affordable and heart-healthy changes to their eating habits — and have fun while doing it, according to a news release.
An additional course geared toward people with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes also will be offered in October. More than 37 million people — or 11.3% of the population — are diagnosed with diabetes, and that number jumps up to 38% or 96 million people with prediabetes, the release states. The Quad Cities’ population fares worse than the national average with 13.3% of the population diagnosed with diabetes.
“Diabetes does not discriminate. It impacts individuals of all ages, genders, races and ethnicities,” said Teresa Pangan, UnityPoint Health prevention and wellness strategist, in the new release. “People with Type 2 diabetes are also two- to four-times more likely to suffer from heart disease or stroke. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.”
In the release, UnityPoint Health – Trinity Director of Cardiology Services Kathy Pulley said the courses have helped hundreds of people improve their health in the last four years. “We’ve seen amazing results from our Cooking with Heart participants. They’re losing weight, lowering their blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels and preventing chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension,” she said.
Classes will be taught in the state-of-the-art Cardiac Nutrition Center at the Trinity Heart Center, 2701 17th St., Rock Island, and include:
- Cooking with Heart for Diabetes, 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning Oct. 4
- Cooking with Heart Foundational, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Oct. 5
- Cooking with Heart for Diabetes, 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning Nov. 1 (No class Nov. 22 for Thanksgiving; final class will be Nov. 29)
Virtual classes also are available. Registration is required, but admission is free thanks to the Trinity Health Foundation, Gilda’s Club of the Quad Cities and their donors. Cooking with Heart for Diabetes also is co-sponsored by Genesis Health System.
For more information and to register, visit unitypoint.org/cookingwithheart.
