Follow your heart: EPIC Center in Montreal focuses on cardiovascular disease prevention
Posted September 17, 2022 5:28 pm.
Last Updated September 18, 2022 12:50 pm.
From aquafitness classes to many other heart-pumping activities, a centre in Montreal is dedicated to healthy hearts.
The Montreal Heart Institute’s EPIC Center is the largest centre for cardiovascular disease prevention in Canada.
“The way it works, we have the whole gym facilities and we have all the programs that are dedicated and crafted for them. But we also have research activity,” said Dr. Louis Bherer, a neuropsychologist and the centre’s director.
“What I love in this place is the vibe. Like people are coming here with a smile.”
For more than 50 years, the centre has been encouraging healthy lifestyles among its more than 5,000 members.
“The endorphin effect is really great. It really relieves your stress from a working day and also the social aspect as well,” said Jean-Rene Hudon, a member of EPIC Center.
“It’s a very diverse clientele, people of all ages, all background, all abilities. But the common thing here is the respect.”
The centre is for primary and secondary prevention, as well as research.
New members are entitled to a complete health check-up. They then meet a kinesiologist who prepares a game plan for them.
“The goal of this centre is to prevent cardiovascular disease, of course, but also promote good life habits like not only exercise, but also nutrition, stress reduction and so on. So it’s really a global intervention,” said cardiologist Dr. Martin Juneau.
More than 135 classes take place each week. The staff is made up of more than 80 employees, including nutritionists, nurses, and general practitioners.
“We’re all driven by a mission, which is maintain a healthy lifestyle and try to avoid chronic diseases,” said Bherer.
“My plan is really to come here every day for the next 30 years,” added Hudon.
