Open Your Heart to Yoga

To recognize February as Heart Health Awareness Month and to
encourage people to take steps to improve their heart health, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s
Hospital will be offering an “Open Your Heart to Yoga” event on Wednesday, February
28 at 5:30 p.m. This event will be held in the gym of the McKendree Metro Rec Plex,
205 Rec Plex Drive in O’Fallon. It is free and open to the public.
At this event, Regina Chiu, MD, cardiologist at the Prairie Cardiovascular Consultants at
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, will give a brief presentation about a managing your
heart health and some of the new treatments and technologies Prairie is bringing to
patients and the community. Yoga instructors from the McKendree Metro Rec Plex will
then lead participants through some relaxation and restorative yoga poses. Information
about yoga classes, St. Elizabeth’s cardiology services and other heart health materials
will be available for those in attendance. Participants are encouraged to bring
yoga/exercise mats if they have them.

According to the American Heart Association, practicing yoga can help prevent or
reverse heart disease when done as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. As such, yoga can
help lower blood pressure, increase lung capacity, improve respiratory function and
heart rate, and boost circulation and muscle tone. It can also improve your overall wellbeing
while offering strength-building benefits.

Although the event is free, registration is preferred, as spaces are limited. To register for
the “Open Your Heart to Yoga” event or for more information, email
[email protected].

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is part of the Southern Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters
Health System, which also includes HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in
Effingham, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, HSHS Holy Family Hospital in
Greenville, and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland.