“Speak up by Wearing Red”

    Friday, February 5, 2010, is National Wear Red Day® - a day when Americans nationwide will take women’s health to heart by wearing red to show their support for women’s heart disease awareness.

The Red Dress® was created and introduced by The Heart Truth™ as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002. The Heart Truth™ is a campaign of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. In 2000, they learned from a survey that only 34% of women were aware that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. They joined forces with the American Heart Association to get the message out.

Over the past 5 years the campaign has been educating women about the risks of heart disease and how to recognize their warning signs.

What are those RISK Factors?

Nine out of 10 heart disease patients have at least one risk factor

• High Cholesterol
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Cigarette smoking
• Overweight or Obesity
• Poor diet
• Physical Inactivity
• Alcohol use

Heart Attack Warning Signs

• Chest – Pain, pressure, fullness or squeezing
• Head – lightheadedness
• Arms, Back, Jaw, Neck, Between Shoulders – Pain, discomfort, numbness
• Skin – cold sweat
• Lungs – Shortness of breath, trouble breathing
• Stomach – Upset Stomach, urge to throw up
• Other signs - In addition, some women may feel very tired for days or weeks before an attack. They may also have heartburn, a cough or heart flutters
• When in doubt – Check It Out!!

The percent of awareness of heart disease is now up to 57%. The Heart Truth™ campaign is focusing on how women can take action to reduce their risks. This year the American Heart Association is offering “GO RED BETTER U” – a FREE 12 week online nutrition and fitness program that can “makeover” your heart.
 

Take Charge:

Here are the key steps to a Heart Healthy Lifestyle –

• Be Physically Active
• Follow a Healthy Eating Plan
• If you smoke –work hard to quit

How do I know what to do?

Check out these great websites for a wealth of information and tips