Go Red – For Your Heart!

The 10th National Wear Red Day is Feb. 1, 2013 to bring awareness to heart disease in women.

More women than men have heart attacks! Heart disease is the No. 1 ‘killer’ in women more than all forms of cancer combined.  According to the American Heart Association (AHA)  ‘one in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, heart disease claims the lives of one in three. That’s roughly one death each minute’.

Here I go on my  ‘soapbox’:

Heart disease affects women of all ages.  Birth control pills and smoking boosts risk in young women by 20 percent. Yes risks do increase with age; things like obesity and/or inactive lifestyle contribute to clogged arteries later in life. Having high cholesterol and being thin is NOT a free ‘get of jail card’. The AHA recommends you start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20, or earlier, if your family has a history of heart disease. Also always watch your blood pressure readings.

Many women are either unaware of heart symptoms or may rationalize pains/aches as due to other causes. Examples for chest/arm, neck or jaw aches/pains include ‘my bra is too tight’, ‘I worked out too much’, ‘I over did it cleaning’. Some women experience dizziness, tiredness, lightheadedness or actually faint! Fainting without anything else is common elderly women. Know they all could be ‘screaming’ symptoms of a heart attack/disease. You do not have to have any symptoms over 60% of women who die suddenly from heart attacks NEVER had any symptoms! Yes it is possible they did have symptoms but either they themselves or their healthcare provider(s) ignored them. AGAIN women do not get the ‘classic’ chest pain described in medical books (based on studies of men).

For more listen to Doc Handal’s podcast channel –  ‘About A Woman’s Heart‘.

SO WEAR RED  ON Friday, FEB. 1 st.