When Chuck Pusateri had a heart attack, questions whirled through his brain.

The 41-year-old father of three had no health problems when the heart attack struck, leaving him wondering about changing his diet and how he exercised, how he could reduce stress, whether he should change jobs and just how much longer was his life going to be.

B次元官网网址淭here was just a whole myriad of things that went through my head.B次元官网网址�

Pusateri found many of the answers through Island Heart to Heart, an organization heB次元官网网址檚 still associated with 22 years later.

B次元官网网址淚n fact, I did change jobs to some extent and I did start exercising differently and I did start looking at food differently. I sort of started a journey over the last 22 years,B次元官网网址� said the Saanich resident.

Island Heart To Heart operates out of the Hillside Seniors Health Centre attached to the Aberdeen Hospital, passing along information on the program to cardiac patients at Island hospitals.

B次元官网网址淲e know that thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of people who are missed because we donB次元官网网址檛 get to them in hospital or they donB次元官网网址檛 hear about it from their doctor so weB次元官网网址檙e trying to go out to the public and let them know itB次元官网网址檚 there,B次元官网网址� said Pusateri, a director with Island Heart To Heart.

The program hosts a series of seven two-hour classes, offered 10 times a year. The classes feature talks from cardiologists, pharmacists, dieticians and others to help provide insight on living with heart disease.

B次元官网网址淧eople learn things to help themselves,B次元官网网址� said Pusateri, who underwent his third heart surgery back in October.

B次元官网网址淎fter five days you leave the hospital and the hospital is very proud to have got you out in five days. But then you get home and you have a recovery B次元官网网址� sometimes a long, painful recovery B次元官网网址� and you start to look at, what do I do with the rest of my life, whatB次元官网网址檚 the rest of my life going to be like, what can I do to help myself so that I never have to go through that again?B次元官网网址�

Pusateri said the courses provide skills and coping mechanisms as well as answers to many of their questions.

B次元官网网址淪ome people have never done any physical activity, they donB次元官网网址檛 know one side of a rec centre from another,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗ow to eat, theyB次元官网网址檝e been eating the same way for 50 years, how do they become vegetarian? ItB次元官网网址檚 just beyond them. But we kind of get them started through these classes, to pick out some things they can do to change their lives a little bit.B次元官网网址�

He said the class of 30 or so people is also likely the first time many have been in a roomful of others who understood what they were going through.

The course costs $40 for an individual and $60 for a couple for the seven sessions.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just for people that have had a heart problem,B次元官网网址� said Pusateri. B次元官网网址淲e have some people in the class who know they have a family history of it and are trying to prevent a heart attack.B次元官网网址�

For more information on the program, visit .

editor@goldstreamgazette.com