Go Red For Women

The new movement, Go Red for Women, is the celebration of energy, passion, and power we have as women to band together and eliminate heart disease and stroke. Thanks to the millions who participated across America, the color red and the red dress now stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live longer, stronger lives. Today, the American Heart Association short-term goal is nothing less than 25% reduction in the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease by the year 2010. Like everyone else working on this goal, the American Heart Association is working hard to change the perception that heart disease is just a "man's disease," and it is beginning to work. By teaching more women how to talk to their doctors about heart disease, we can save thousands of lives each year. Because the good news is that we can often prevent heart disease.

If you hear about heart disease for the first time and wonder what it is, here's a little information:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) are diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Most heart and blood vessel complications develop over time and occur when your arteries develop atherosclerosis, a process that may begin in childhood and is a progressive accumulation of plaque in arteries.

The plate contains fat, cholesterol and other substances, and it can grow so large that it will reduce the blood flow through the artery. Most damage occurs when plaque become so fragile it breaks. The plaque rupture can cause blood clots from forming and training they can block the flow of blood to the rupture site, or it may break off and travel through the artery to other parts of the body. If any of these situations occur and blocks an artery that feeds the brain or the heart, it can cause a stroke or a heart attack.

(For Heart Attack and Stroke Warning Signs, read: here)

As doctors have learned more about cardiovascular disease, they have also discovered some steps that you can take to help keep your heart healthy. It is easy to learn how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle. You can begin with engaging in regular physical activity, then move to eating healthy, and that leads to reducing stress. You will not only keep your heart happy, it will also put a smile on your face too.

Does all of this sound like you will have to change your whole life? here's some fun ways you can add heart healthy habits into your daily routine.

• For physical activity, you can try walking, jogging, or even dancing with someone you love.
• For a healthy diet, you can eat more whole grains and fruits delicious.
• To reduce stress, you can take time to work on your hobby.
• If you smoke, you can also consider quitting. You can think this way, the money you save you may want to spend on a family trip instead of a pack of cigarettes and you are improving your health.