Horses pranced, and Mexican dancers swished their colorful dresses, turning downtown Colorado Springs into a fiesta on the opening weekend of Hispanic Heritage Month.

“It’s like a family reunion, like we’re back in Mexico. There’s such a great sense of community,” said Claudia Navarro Martinez while she sat in the plaza outside the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, taking advantage of a free biometric health screening during Fiestas Patrias.

The annual Fiestas Patrias celebration and Hispanic Heritage Month commemorate indpendence for Latin American countries from Mexico to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Chile. Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrations throughout the U.S.

In Colorado Springs, along with enjoying performances, food and fun, dozens of Fiestas Patrias attendees stopped by the UCHealth tent to learn how they could jumpstart healthy habits.

“The first thing I’m going to do is dust off my bike,” Navarro Martinez said in Spanish after going over her medical outlook with bilingual health specialist, Brandon Martinez Garcia.

“And I’m going to start drinking more water,” she said with a grin.

Martinez Garcia gave Navarro Martinez a detailed health screening including an instant measure of her cholesterol levels thanks to a quick finger prick that yielded a couple of drops of blood. The young health worker then analyzed the results and went over his patient’s risk for common medical challenges from diabetes to heart attacks and strokes.

While discussing health goals, the health specialist and his patient also bonded over their shared Mexican heritage.

Martinez Garcia’s family is from coastal Veracruz while Navarro Martinez’ family comes from Central Mexico.

Martinez Garcia and the other health specialists and nurses who staffed the health booth at Fiestas Patrias are part of a special community outreach program called Healthy Hearts and Minds. Launched more than 30 years ago by northern Colorado cardiologist Dr. Gary Luckasen, the UCHealth program brings research-based health interventions directly into schools and community events like Fiestas Patrias.

The Healthy Hearts and Minds team traveled from northern Colorado to Colorado Springs to bring their expertise to the Fiestas Patrias festival. They’re also excited about the continued growth of Healthy Hearts and Minds in Longmont and Colorado Springs schools.

Luckasen started seeing patients in Loveland in 1977 and launched the Healthy Hearts and Minds program in 1992. He knew that early intervention and teaching children and their families about lifestyle choices could make a big difference in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. (Read about a family whose lives changed thanks to the Healthy Hearts and Minds program.)

“It’s a huge benefit to the community,” nurse Julie Morain said of the Healthy Hearts and Minds program.

She loves working with adults and children alike.

At Fiestas Patrias, the team was doing full biometric screenings, which included checking each person’s blood pressure along with their height, weight, body mass index and generating nearly instantaneous measurements of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides.

“Then we spend 15 to 30 minutes with each person — as long as they want — going over risk assessments for diabetes, stroke and heart,” Morain said.

“It’s a great way to educate people. If they are pre-diabetec, a simple screening can help people turn things around,” she said.

Community health educator Sophia Litzman enjoys providing detailed health assessments both in schools and at events like Fiestas Patrias.

It’s wonderful to see people’s eyes light up when they get help and recognize that they can change their health outlook by making simple changes like walking more or lifting weights a couple of times a week.

“All of this information is very important to people. We go over the signs and symptoms of a stroke and the 10-year risks of heart disease,” Litzman said.

In particular, she loves focusing on preventing illnesses.

“This is my dream job,” said Litzman, who studied exercise physiology at Colorado State University.

Kimberly Riggins, 49, stopped by the UCHealth tent with her daughters and sister.

“I liked hearing all of this. It was so quick, and they only needed two drops of blood. Then he (Brandon) was able to explain all of it,” she said.

Her daughter, Katarina Riggins, 24, really appreciated hearing more about heart attacks and the different symptoms that women experience compared to men.

Litzman gave Katarina recommendations for exercises she might enjoy that could decrease her risks for cardiovascular disease.

“I don’t like to run,” Katarina said.

Litzman told her that’s just fine. She can find activities she will enjoy, and Litzman encouraged her not to over-exert herself.  It’s wise to make sure you can speak while you’re exercising. Otherwise, you might be pushing yourself too hard, Litzman said.

Ivana Bailey stopped by the tent with her two young daughters.

Getting a quick check up was more comfortable outdoors — and during a fun festival — than a normal visit to a clinic, Bailey said.

“It was a great experience. I never go to the doctor,” she said.

Her results turned out great and inspired Bailey to keep setting a healthy example for her girls.

“I’m happy that everything looked good.” she said.