The Heart of New Ulm Project

The Heart of New Ulm Project is a 10-year initiative designed to reduce, and eventually eliminate, heart attacks in New Ulm, Minnesota. Our goal is to make New Ulm the healthiest city in the country. This means helping residents improve their health risks, such as physical activity, nutrition, obesity, or tobacco use, among others.

Anyone who lives in the 56073 zipcode can participate in the Heart of New Ulm. Those living outside that zipcode are welcome to take part in the screenings and can certainly benefit from the community interventions. However, only those within the 56073 zipcode will be tracked for purposes of the study. More than 5,000 people have been screened.

In its first year, Heart of New Ulm identified thousands of people with heart problems or metabolic conditions that put them at risk for heart attacks. Of the nearly 5,000 people screened, findings show that New Ulm residents were fairly active and less likely to smoke, but that their diets lacked fruits and vegetables. Nearly three in four adults in New Ulm are overweight or obese.

Read the Reports to the Community from 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm Upcoming Events & Classes

The Heart of New Ulm project sponsors cooking classes, dancing classes, health challenges, walking clubs, and more. To see the full listing of events and to register, go to the Hearts Beat Back website.

In an effort to improve primary and secondary prevention strategies for heart disease, Allina Health is partnering with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, as well as community, government, business and other local stakeholders to conduct a long-term initiative focusing on the City of New Ulm.

The Heart of New Ulm Project services are designed to complement existing medical care. Project related services, including screenings, some advanced diagnostic testing, health education, and community-based lifestyle improvement programs, are being offered to New Ulm residents at no charge because of local and national fundraising efforts that are taking place through Allina Health, New Ulm Medical Center Foundation and the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation's $5.7 million investment.

Facebook group page

The Heart of New Ulm now has a Facebook Group page to community residents in a conversation about the Heart of New Ulm project. To join the Heart of Ulm Facebook Group, log on to Facebook, search for Heart of New Ulm and join. The group provides an opportunity for community discussion about the project, upcoming public screenings, the Community Challenge and more. It's that easy.

HONU Blogs

The Heart of New Ulm features several blogs on its website written by project dietitians, health educators and casting call winners. Check back frequently for updates with helpful ideas and inspirational stories.

Health Edition

Health Edition is a joint venture between New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) and The Journal, New Ulm's daily newspaper. It's published quarterly in The Journal to update area residents on health care and New Ulm Medical services and programs.

Testing helps you prevent fractures, bone loss

As we get older we lose bone mass, which makes our bones weaker and more likely to break. Fortunately, a bone density test can help doctors assess your bone health before a fracture occurs. Knowing the strength of your bones now will allow you to take the steps necessary to avoid preventable bone loss and fractures in the years to come.

Community health planning focuses on obesity, substance abuse, mental health

New Ulm Medical Center has been studying the community’s most pressing health problems, with help from public health officials, local schools, park and recreation and other organizations. They have come up with New Ulm’s three main health challenges in 2013: overweight/obesity; substance abuse; and mental health.

Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm Project upcoming events and classes

Go to the Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm Project event page to find out about all the upcoming activities and happenings sponsored by the project.

Fun Family Fitness Day

Bring the whole family to 2013 FunFamily Fitness Days - a free event Sunday, April 7 from 1 to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 22 from 1 to 5 p.m.; and Friday, Dec. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the New Ulm Family Recreation Center, 122 South Garden Street, New Ulm. You can: swim, walk the track, play basketball, use the racquetball courts, enjoy a snack and refreshment.

This event is sponsored by the New Ulm Medical Center Foundation, the Physician's Group of New Ulm, and New Ulm Park and Recreation.

Breastfeeding support group

The breastfeeding support group provides support for breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women. It meets every 3rd Monday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Same Day Surgery waiting room. Moms are encouraged to bring their breastfeeding children along.

For more information or to sign up for this support group please call 507-217-5333.

Better Breathers Club

If you are living with lung disease, the Better Breather’s Club can help improve your quality of life and provide a supportive network of friends. It meets from 2 to 3 p.m. in the lower level of the New Ulm Medical Center Clinic on the following dates in 2013: Feb. 21, April 18, June 20, Aug. 15, Oct. 17, and Dec. 19.

For more information on this support group, please call 507-217-5956.

Virginia Piper Cancer Institute – New Ulm cancer support group

This support group for patients will be led by Janice Beauduy, MD, LP and is free to attend. This group is for all types of cancer. However, cancer-specific groups may be formed in the future. This group meets the first Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the VPCI conference room in the lower level of the New Ulm Medical Center clinic. Enter through the clinic doors.

For more information on this group, call VPCI- New Ulm at 507-217-5562.

New Ulm Weight Loss Surgery Support Group

The New Ulm Weight Loss Surgery Support Group meets the third Monday of each month from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. in the New Ulm Medical Center Auditorium on the third floor. No fee or registration is required. Confidentiality and respect are a must. Family and friends are also welcome. The purpose of the group is to provide a safe place to share similar experiences, adjust to new life styles and provide support and information to those who are thinking of having a weight loss surgery. Research shows that patients who regularly attend a support group will lose more weight and keep it off compared to someone who doesn’t attend a support group. Call Sue Schommer, group facilitator and dietitian for the New Ulm Medical Center, at 507-217-5639 for more information.

Diabetes education

New Ulm Medical Center diabetes education strives to provide patients with the knowledge and tools to become engaged and active in their diabetes management. It is designed to help patients manage diabetes every step of the way.

All classes are taught by registered nurses and/or dietitians who are certified in diabetes education.

The costs of the classes are often covered by insurance plans.

Diabetes education classes available

For more information call NUMC at 507-217-5000 and ask to speak with our Diabetes Educator or one of their staff members.

Metro area classes

For a list of all classes offered in the metro area through Allina Health visit the classes, events & support groups section on allinahealth.org.

DAAN inspires healthy choices

DAAN program shows improved healthy habits in area youth

A student works on an activity about reading food labels during a DAAN lesson.

For more information, call the New Ulm Medical Center Foundation at 507-217-5188.

As Americans, we take for granted that life expectancy will improve with each generation. The CDC reports that for the first time in 100 years, children's life expectancy is projected to decline due to poor lifestyle choices around inactivity, nutrition and overweight. Minnesotans are gaining weight at a faster pace than the rest of the nation with a 132 percent rise in obesity since 1990, while the nation rose 110 percent.

That’s why New Ulm Medical Center brought the DAAN program to New Ulm area schools. Thanks to a $22,000 grant from the New Ulm Optimist Club, the NUMC Foundation was able to purchase three DAAN kits for area schools.

This program, developed by the Buffalo Hospital Foundation, is an initiative to foster a healthy, balanced lifestyle in children by inspiring wise nutrition and activity choices.

DAAN (dâ on) is a Native American term that means to live a healthy, balanced life. DAAN services can be found in area schools, workplaces and the community.

The DAAN™ @ School aims to teach elementary school students in grades second, third and fourth and their families about healthy nutrition and activity choices. It was designed and piloted by health experts from Buffalo Hospital and several schools in Wright County, Minnesota.

The program teaches kids about healthy lifestyle choices such as choosing their meals and snacks wisely and maintaining an active lifestyle. The DAAN “kit” comes with a fully developed curriculum as well as food models, a skeleton, games and a host of other activities. The hands-on approach has been shown to be very effective with this target age group. There is also a newsletter that teachers may choose to send home to parents to keep them in touch with what their child is learning about a healthy lifestyle in school and what they can do to continue that education at home.