Project Heart Smart Program

BRIDGEPORT — The Heart Institute at Bridgeport Hospital will offer Project Heart Smart, an eight-week diet, exercise, and stress management program to reduce heart disease, beginning January 26 in the ninth floor Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant Street. Sessions will be held 5 to 8 pm Mondays through March 15.

The fee is $31.25 per week and includes a T-shirt and heart-healthy gourmet meal from Fairfield’s Centro Restaurant at each session. Spouses/partners can enroll at the same time for just $16.25 per week. To register, 888-357-2396.

Project Heart Smart is designed to decrease the risk of heart disease through weight loss, healthy eating, and exercise, and by reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress levels. The Project Heart Smart team includes a cardiologist, cardiac rehabilitation nurse, registered dietitian, exercise physiologist, and social worker.

“Many factors contribute to the risk of heart disease,” said Dr Stuart Zarich, Bridgeport Hospital’s chief of cardiology. “For those that can be managed, such as diet, exercise, and stress, Project Heart Smart provides an excellent framework for healthy living.”