Wearing Red for my Heart Health

Friday, February 7, 2014



Heart Disease. At 27, why should I be too worried about it, it's for older women, right?

Wrong. 

Did you know?
  • An estimated 43 million women in the U.S. are affected by heart disease.
  • Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
  • Only 1 in 5 American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.

As much as we fight for equality day after day, this is one area men and women are vastly different.

What can make your heart unhealthy?


Birth Control
For younger women, the combination of birth control pills and smoking boosts heart disease risks by 20 percent.

Stress
Men live more a cest la vie life, it's in their nature. But us women, we worry and stress and worry some more. This can then up your blood pressure, affecting your heart health.

Sleep
 If we are stressed, we have trouble sleeping. Our to do lists race through our head as soon as we hit the pillow. Sleep is a huge contributing factor to your heart health.


What you can do today to keep your heart healthy.

  • Know your numbers. Cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure. 

  • Check your family history.

  • Choose birth control carefully.

  • Eat balanced, healthy meals.

  • Exercise three to four times per week

  • Wear Red to celebrate National Wear Red Day to spread awareness



Why I'm Wearing Red on National Wear Red Day.

 

You have seen my diets and healthy lifestyle choices that I say are fun and all about seeing if I can do it. But the truth is, it's for my health first hand foremost. I want to tell you why I want to live healthy. Why I pay close attention to getting my cholesterol and blood pressure checked.

You know how I said it's important to know your family history? My uncle has had multiple heart operations and my mom had congestive heart failure and high blood pressure. For me, my heart health is very important since the odds are already kind of stacked against me. Having just gotten married, I have a whole new life ahead of me. It's filled with houses, kids, family, friends and good times. I need to be on track with my heart health. Even at the age of 27.

I eat healthy. I switched off a birth control because it was raising my blood pressure. And I get yearly check ups to make sure everything is on track. I need to exercise more, a big way to improve my heart health. I want to get back into running and really fight for my heart health.

Today, I wear red for my heart health, for losing mom to what could have been a complication of heart disease. Please join me and remember, it is never to early to think about your own heart health.



 

 

 

 

1 comment:

  1. So true! I have some family history of heart issues, and I have even one of my own (nothing serious, at all, but still) and I'm only 26. I try to eat pretty healthy and stay active for my health. And I wore red yesterday too :) Thanks for sharing this information!

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