Be Heart Healthy at any Age!

 Are you wearing your red today?  Today is National Wear Red Day. Americans nationwide are sporting red dresses, red blouses or red ties today to raise awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. National Wear Red Day starts The Heart Truth Campaign to celebrate February as American Heart Month.

 The Heart Truth and the introduction of the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness were initiated in 2002 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and partner organizations. Read more about it here. The campaign is geared toward women between the ages of 40 to 60, which is the period in which a woman’s risk for heart disease begins to significantly increase. However, the message is also important for young women as heart disease can begin to develop as early as the teenage years. Older women have an interest too as it is never too late to take measures to prevent and control heart disease risk factors. For women who may already have heart disease, it is important to note that existing heart disease can be reversed through diet and lifestyle change.

Take a look at these stats:

• Women are twice as likely to die from heart disease than from all cancers combined
• 39% of women who have heart attacks do not survive their first attack
• More women who have heart attacks die within one year compared to men
• One in two women will have serious heart trouble in their lifetime
• Women with heart disease have different symptoms than men

The largest risk factor for heart disease, by far, is smoking. Other risk factors include African American or Hispanic heritage, obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes and family history of heart disease. What measures can women take to prevent heart disease?

• If you are a smoker, stop!
• Begin a physical activity program
• Control blood pressure/blood sugar levels if you have HTN or diabetes
• Eat right. Adopt a Mediterranean-style or DASH Diet-style of eating
• Include omega 3 fats in your diet (salmon, mackerel, flax, walnuts are good sources)
• Practice relaxation techniques
• Seek appropriate management for medical conditions

Remember, a Registered Dietitian can be a true asset in helping to design an individualized eating plan for you to help you in meeting your weight loss, blood pressure or diabetes management goals.

Wear red today and help spread the critical message that heart disease is the #1 killer of women and that there are things that women can do, starting today, to reverse their risk of heart disease.

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make that change!
~ Angie