Churches are the perfect places to teach about heart-healthy living, say leaders of a movement called &uot;Search Your Heart.&uot;

Representatives of all Miss-Lou churches are invited to learn about this program and to take back to their congregations the information that will lead to better nutrition, physical activity and other values that add up to better care of their hearts.

&uot;We want each church to send two representatives,&uot; said Sheri Rabb of Natchez Regional Medical Center. &uot;They will be trained and given all the materials they need to take the information back to their churches.&uot;

The July 18 meeting will be noon to 3 p.m. in the Magnolia Room near the cafeteria on the first floor at Natchez Regional. A specialist from the American Heart Association will provide the training.

Activity kits and a videotape of healthy eating will provide the outline for the program, said Kamesha Ellis of the Jackson office of American Heart Association. &uot;In addition to providing information to implement healthy choices, the AHA will help to promote the program and to get free speakers to come to the churches to reinforce the instruction,&uot; Ellis said.

Kim Lindsey, stroke specialist at Natchez Regional, also will be available to meet with groups. &uot;The program is step by step, a church-based 10 commandments for making the body a heart-healthy temple,&uot; she said.

Using biblical content, the instruction covers seven components for church groups to study. Four activities teach ways to monitor blood pressure, how to start an exercise program, how to eat heart-healthy and how to reduce the risk of stroke.

&uot;We believe through the churches that more people will get involved,&uot; Rabb said. Ministers who attended an earlier meeting were enthusiastic about the possibilities, she said.

The American Heart Association has set a goal of decreasing by 25 percent the deaths caused by heart disease and stroke before 2010. &uot;With the implementation of this program in our area churches, we will be helping to reach that goal,&uot; Rabb said.

Reservations for this free program can be made by calling American Heart Association at the toll-free number, 800-451-3744; or by calling Rabb at Natchez Regional at (601) 443-2534.