Throughout the month, Heartwise will promote the importance of a proper diet in preventing heart disease by labelling more than 1,000 items of Heart Healthy foods at participating supermarkets in the Penquis area. Stores cooperating in this effort include Goulette's IGA in Guilford, Shaw's in Dover-Foxcroft, Edward's SuperMarket in Dover-Foxcroft, Sav-A-Lot, Bud's Shop 'n Save in Dexter, and the Milo Farmers Union.

Also throughout the month, Heartwise will provide information on preventing heart disease with daily messages on WDME radio and with a display table in the front lobby at Mayo Regional Hospital.

Heartwise will participate on Feb. 3 in "Go Red for Women," the American Heart Association's effort to increase awareness of heart disease and stroke -- the leading cause of death for women. On that day people from around Maine will be wearing red to focus attention on cardiovascular disease.

Several educational sessions have been scheduled during February by Heartwise. On Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. there will be a Heartsaver CPR course instructed by Mel Thurlow, EMT-I, and on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. there will be a first aid class instructed by Nancy Hoskins, RN. Both classes will be at the Heartwise office, located in suite 400 of the Mayo medical office building.

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 8 a.m. a healthcare provider CPR recertification course is planned for the Resource Center at Mayo, with Sue Duplisea, RN as instructor. For more information, or to register for any of the three education programs, call Nina Pratt at Heartwise, 564-4207.

The free cardiac risk factor screening sessions will be at Heartwise on Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 6:30-10 a.m., and on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 8-11 a.m. Screenings offered will include fasting lipid profiles (cholesterol), blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, height and Body Mass Index. No appointments are necessary for screenings; simply show up at Heartwise during the scheduled hours.