National Wear Red Day!!! That’s tomorrow, Friday February 3, 2017. This event is marked on the first Friday in February every year, since 2003, to draw everyone’s attention to the #1 killer of women (and men) worldwide – HEART DISEASE, and to motivate everyone to take steps towards its prevention. We have the American Heart Association (AHA) to thank for this super awesome initiative!
So…Why the color red? Well, take a look around you on Valentine’s Day!!! Red is also a bold color, and we are standing up and speaking out!
We are all encouraged to wear something red this Friday, to raise the awareness and support the cause to improve heart health in women and men. So, break out your red outfits, hats, scarves, ties, and shoes, and let the conversation get louder!
Yes… men are also affected by heart disease, but studies have shown that women are more likely than men to have other conditions, such as diabetes, obesity and depression, associated with heart disease. Women are also more likely manifest mild and unusual symptoms of heart attack, such as pain or discomfort in the stomach, jaw, neck or back, nausea and shortness of breath, as opposed to the classical gripping chest pain and cold sweat. This makes women less likely to seek medical care before it is too late.
So, besides wearing red on the first Friday in February, what do you need to do?
The AHA encourages taking control of your heart health and getting to know your numbers. What numbers? There are 4 very important numbers you need to know and monitor. Don’t start thinking of your spouse’s cellphone number or your several PINs or passwords. The numbers are your Blood Pressure (BP), Blood Sugar (or blood glucose), Cholesterol, Body Mass Index (BMI) values. Studies have shown that the modifiable risk factors of heart disease and stroke include high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, diabetes or high blood sugar, smoking, physical inactivity, and high cholesterol. So, visit your well-woman clinic and talk to your health practitioner about your numbers and your risks for heart disease.
What can you do to modify these numbers? Well, you can start by making small changes to your lifestyle and diet. Monitor your input (what you eat) and output (how much physical activity you get), and strive to achieve much more output than input so that you can shed the excess weight, and increase the length and quality of your life. Eating healthy has as much to do with portions as it has to do with the quality of food. More water…more fish, fruits and fiber…less alcohol, salt and sugar…NO smoking.
These are all things that you’ve probably heard many times in the past, and maybe brushed aside or gave some excuses as to why you couldn’t make the changes. Don’t put off these changes any longer. Remember…. you owe it to yourself to be the best version of yourself – physically, spiritually and materially.
So, come Friday, February 3rd, let’s rock our RED outfits and join the conversation on how to prevent heart disease; and every day of the year, let’s make those small changes to our lifestyles and diets, and enjoy the big rewards of healthier hearts and happier lives.
Photo courtesy American Heart Association http://www.heart.org