Dress to Impress ... With a Message From Your Heart

Red alert: It's time to wear your heart on your sleeve, or your skirt, your pants, your dress, your tee-shirt, your lapel...

Friday, February 6th, marks the sixth annual Wear Red Day. It's all part of The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign designed to alert women about their risk of heart disease and motivate them to take action. Beyond symbolizing the heart, red is a color that demands attention. It shouts Stop! Pay attention, in this case, to the signs of heart disease and the measures you can take to prevent it.

When the campaign first launched in 2003, the public perception of heart disease was that it was primarily a male condition. Although significant progress has been made in increasing awareness that it affects as many women (actually, more) there's still a disconnect among women about their personal risk for developing the disease. The fact is heart disease is the number one killer of women in this country. But by taking charge of your health, making simple lifestyle changes, you can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease.

Addressing the Issue
Each year, a coalition of non-profits, including the American Heart Association and Women's Coalition for Heart Health, corporate sponsors such as Campbell's Soup and Macy's, and a bevy of celebrities and fashion designers pitch in to raise funds and public awareness that women need to tend to their own hearts by recognizing the risk factors and symptoms of heart disease and taking measures to lower their risk.

You can promote this life-saving message by purchasing a Red Dress Pin, taking part at Macy's Wear Red Sale, voting for your choice of three original Nicole Miller dresses designed for Campell's AdDress Your Heart campaign, or by supporting the Heart for Women Act. Go to Have a Heart to learn more about each of these initiatives.

Throughout the month, ThirdAge, will be sharing the latest research about risk factors and preventative measures women--and men--can take to promote heart health, starting with the basics.

Don't smoke, and if you do, quit. Women who smoke are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smoking women. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke and cancer.
Aim for a healthy weight. It's important for a long, vigorous life. Overweight and obesity cause many preventable deaths.
Get moving. Make a commitment to be more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
Eat for heart health. Choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.
Know your numbers. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), and blood glucose. Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal.

Photos courtesy of The Heart Truth, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.