PBS has introduced a new podcast, the Take One Step podcast, as part of a new health campaign launched to raise awareness of heart disease. The campaign features a wide variety of resources to help inform people about the number one killer in the US.

To accompany the premiere of The Hidden Epidemic: Heart Disease In America documentary and panel discussion (produced by WGBH Boston and airing Wednesday, February 14th on most PBS stations), pbs.org has launched a web site with resources, tips, tools, and ideas to improve your heart’s health, a series of audio podcasts, and extensive information from community and promotion partners. The documentary and web site also coincide with National Heart Month in February.

One component of these partnerships is an eleven-part audio podcast series featuring best-selling author Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Julie Bain, Health Director of Reader’s Digest magazine. The series includes ten easy steps to a healthy heart from Dr. Roizen and, in the eleventh podcast, Dr. Roizen interviews Larry King of CNN’s Larry King Live and the Larry King Cardiac Foundation about King’s own heart attack, how it changed his life, and inspired him to form the foundation.

“Our goal with the Take One Step campaign for heart health is to let Americans know that heart disease is largely preventable,” states Laurie Donnelly, Executive Producer for the PBS documentary. “In addition to the broadcast program, our online resources help show visitors that there are a number of simple steps and actions they can take to reduce their risks for heart disease.”

The web site includes hands-on materials for individuals and families, including downloadable pdfs with heart disease symptoms, surprising facts, risk factors, and advice on what visitors can do to prevent and treat heart disease.

Twenty “Did you know..?” steps to better health inform visitors about common misconceptions about diet and exercise; these health tips come to life through online video tips featuring ten U.S. Senators, including Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, Mel Martinez of Florida, and John McCain of Arizona.

PBS is also working with fifteen public television stations on local and state-wide outreach activities to support Take One Step efforts. Details about these local events are also hosted on the site, which include activities in Juneau, AK, Tempe, AZ, Fort Meyers and Tallahassee, FL, Hawaii, Iowa, Mt. Pleasant, MI, St. Louis, MO, Albuquerque, NM, Binghamton, NY, Charlotte, NC, Toledo, OH, Philadelphia, PA, and San Antonio, TX. A heart health event guide pdf is available for communities who would like to organize activities locally or work with their local YMCA facility to coordinate an event in their community.

In addition, PBS worked with other public television programs to curate more than twenty heart-healthy recipes from Real Simple, Ming Tsai of Simply Ming, and kid-friendly recipes from PBS favorites Arthur, Postcards from Buster, and ZOOM.

The site offers a wide variety of links and resources to PBS’ partners and campaign affiliates, including AARP, America on the Move, Reader’s Digest, WomenHeart, and the YMCA of the USA.