Go RED!

I wore my red!

I'm posting this late, but today kicks off the Go Red for Women campaign by the American Heart Association.

Among all U.S. women who die each year, one in four dies of heart disease. In 2004, nearly 60 percent more women died of cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke) than from all cancers combined. The older a woman gets, the more likely she is to get heart disease. But women of all ages should be concerned about heart disease. All women should take steps to prevent heart disease.

Both men and women have heart attacks, but more women who have heart attacks die from them. Treatments can limit heart damage but they must be given as soon as possible after a heart attack starts. Ideally, treatment should start within one hour of the first symptoms.*

What can women do to reduce their risk of heart disease?**

There are several lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease:

• Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day on most days of the week.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Quit or don't start smoking.
• Eat a diet that's low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.

You'll also need to take prescribed medications appropriately, such as blood pressure medications, blood thinners and aspirin. And you'll need to better manage other conditions that are risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Some women at high risk of heart disease may also benefit from the use of supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

*from womenshealth.gov
**from the mayo clinic