Chances are high that you or someone in your family will be affected by Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) at some point. You can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke if you start early. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, kill nearly 1 in 3 women each year. That’s why it is important to Know Your Numbers, learn your Family History and discuss all risk factors with your healthcare provider.
A woman dies of cardiovascular diseases every 80 seconds, and 1 in 3 women is living with some form of cardiovascular diseases. The good news is that 80% of cardiovascular diseases may be preventable with education and action. Education means understanding the numbers that affect heart health, which are: Total Cholesterol, HDL (good) Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, and Body Mass Index (BMI).
National Wear Red Day, which kicks off American Heart Month, is tomorrow, Friday February 3. I encourage all of you to join me in “going red” to show your support and help to raise awareness of heart disease. Heart disease claims more lives each year than all forms of cancer combined. Tomorrow is a great reminder for all of us of how important it is to focus on our heart health.
The American Heart Association is a great resource when looking to make lifestyle changes; their website has toolkits & recipes to help you take the first steps towards leading a more heart-healthy life. www.heart.org
Signs of a Heart Attack
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
- Other signs such as breaking out in cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness
- Women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain
Signs of a Stroke
Learn to spot a stroke F.A.S.T. If you see…
Face drooping,
Arm weakness, or
Speech difficulty, it’s
Time to call 911.
Check out some more information on how and why to celebrate National Wear Red Day!
