Nursing is a high-stress career with long shifts, viral exposure, and little sleep — all things that can wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system and contribute to chronic diseases.
One medical professional in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, wanted to combat the risk with her staff by bringing a special wellness program to her hospital.
"There's recognition that our nurses … do not take very good care of themselves because of the work schedules and the challenges, the stresses that come with that," Dr. Indu Poornima told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dr. Poornima is the medical director of the Allegheny Health Network Women's Heart Center and a cardiologist at Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side.
Between a $100,000 donation from a former AHN patient who found renewed health after switching to a plant-based diet and the will of a passionate cardiologist to give back to her team, the AHN Cardiovascular Prevention Program was born.
This new venture is a six-month program that includes medical testing. It will track body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose as an inflammatory marker. All participants will be tested again when the program ends.
This program's goal is to encourage a healthier lifestyle for the nursing staff. It will include plant-based cooking demonstrations and education about exercise, sleep, nutrition, alcohol, stress, mindfulness, meditation, and more, as well as offer a one-year gym membership.
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Poornima will check in with all 85 participants after 12 months to see if they have continued with the program's recommendations. She hopes the program will expand in the near future.
One participant has already switched from eating meat with almost every meal to living as a vegetarian. "I felt like I had more energy, I didn't require as much caffeine and got better sleep," Cali Clark, a cardiology fellow at AGH, said.
Plant-based diets are already linked to lower blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, risk of Type 2 diabetes, and risk of certain cancers. A plant-based diet also produces 75% fewer greenhouse gases than a carnivorous diet, according to The New York Times. Not only is this diet healthiest for your heart, but it's healthiest for the planet.
For those looking to eliminate meat from their diet, they can try Meatless Mondays, join Veganuary, or follow vegan influencers who teach easy recipes.
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