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Cardiac Rehab Expands With Gentle Exercise, Meal Prep Offerings

September 2, 2020

Categories: Feature

NKCH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program is adding yoga, tai chi and heart-healthy meal preparation classes to help patients recover after a cardiac event.

The long-standing cardiac rehab program is well known for its array of outpatient education and exercise programs that help set patients on the path to a lifetime of health, but organizers also realize patients appreciate having new options.

Gentle Exercise

“The goal of cardiac rehab is to help patients maintain good cardiovascular health, but cardiac rehab is more than cardiovascular fitness,” said Drew S. Allen, DO, FACC, a cardiologist with Meritas Health Cardiology and medical director of NKCH Cardiac Rehabilitation. “It’s also about helping patients connect to their mind, body and spirit. I liken it to finding the currency that motivates patients to stay healthy for the rest of their lives.”

Patients will be able to substitute two of their 36 regular cardiac rehab classes with two tai chi and/or yoga classes: Gentle Yoga, Yoga for Chronic Pain and Tai Chi. All the classes will be offered through Community Health and Wellness at the NKCH Fitness Studio at 2700 Clay Edwards Dr., which is adjacent to NKCH.

Healthy Eating

Cardiac Rehabilitation will also complement its nutrition programming with monthly, 90-minute classes on heart-healthy meal preparation, such as cooking with produce, held at Northland Hy-Vee locations. Led by a nutritionist, the classes will help participants learn how to plan and prep heart-healthy meals. Participants also will prepare a dish to take home.

“Just as we added yoga and tai chi, we know offering programming that shows patients healthy ways to cook food is something they can utilize down the road after they complete cardiac rehab,” Dr. Allen added.

Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Offerings

A dedicated team of exercise physiologists, registered nurses, dietitians and pharmacists, overseen by Dr. Allen, help patients set recovery goals to improve their quality of life both physically and emotionally. The program includes:

  • Education on heart disease and ways to reduce risk of future problems
  • Individualized exercise and training programs
  • Lifestyle evaluation with recommendations for diet and exercise changes
  • Opportunities to establish lifelong health habits
  • Cardiac and other major muscle group reconditioning exercises NKCH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program is nationally accredited by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Holistic Care

Dr. Allen is mindful of how the pandemic has affected capacity in Cardiac Rehabilitation, and the unit has added hours to accommodate smaller class sizes in adherence with social distancing.

“Our referring physicians can rest assured their patients will safely receive excellent education and exercise programs,” Dr. Allen said. “By focusing more on the whole person with all of these options, our patients add tools to their personal cardiac rehab toolbox, which will help them maintain good cardiovascular health for many years.”

Drew S. Allen, DO, FACC

Drew Allen, DO, FACC

Dr. Allen earned his medical degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He completed his residency and chief residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and fellowship in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at the University of Missouri.