Looking Fabulous in Red!!

Friday, February 1st is National Wear Red Day in honor of raising awareness about women and heart disease. So ladies (and men) pull out your best red outfit and show your support for this very important cause and health issue that is the number one killer of women in the United States. Of course you know I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t give you a few statistics. Here are some very important things you need to know about women and heart disease.

•  Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women.
• One in every three women dies of heart disease. One in 30 dies of breast cancer.
  African American women are more likely than other groups of women to die from heart disease.
• Heart disease is the #1 killer for Latina/Hispanic women in the U.S. (High rates of diabetes, lack of exercise and obesity put this group at a higher risk for heart disease).
• Women’s heart disease risk starts to rise in middle age.
• About 3 million American women have had a heart attack.
• Two-thirds of American women who have had a heart attack don’t make a full recovery.
• Nearly two-thirds of American women who die suddenly of a heart attack had no prior symptoms.
• Americans can lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82 percent just by leading a healthy lifestyle.
• Only 20 percent of women consider heart disease to be their own greatest health risk.

If you have heart disease or know someone that does, the National Wear Red Day website has some great fact sheets focusing on women with heart disease. Also, if you want to get one or a bunch of those cute, red dress pins, go to the National Wear Red Day website to order them.

Like breast cancer, this is a very important issue to me because it hits very close to home. In 2000, my mother suffered a mild heart attack and had to receive an angioplasty to reopen her clogged heart arteries. She was and to some extent still is on several different types of medication to keep her heart “in check.” Like many women suffering from heart problems, she has to take aspirin everyday for the rest of her life, in addition to exercising regularly, eating healthy and reducing stress.  A small price to pay for having a longer and healthier life. But as we all know, making significant life changes is not easy and often a challenge no matter how healthy we want to be. Needless to say, my mother has her moments of weakness where cheesecake is a must have, but she has not had a recurring attack. Which is an absolute blessing!

The fact sheet I suggested above discusses medication and is important to read if you have heart disease or know someone who does. I say this because my mother suffered from so many different types of symptoms (i.e. depression, bruising, weight gain) as a result of the medication, that it became frustrating to her. Who wants to take medication when it causes you other problems? I urge you to ask as many questions as you want with your physician. If you don’t understand something tell them. Remember, you are your best health advocate! 

My mother and I will both be wearing red on Friday, February 1st in honor of all women and their families affected by heart disease. I hope you will do the same, because not one of us is truly exempt from heart problems or heart disease.