Maybe it’s those hot red heels, your red winter gloves, those favorite red workout pants, that spicy little RED dress or your favorite red suit – either way, dust them off and wear them this month with pride for American Heart Month!
All the Go Red fun kicks off on Friday, February 3rd on National Wear Red Day. So grab your best gal pals, do something for yourselves as a mental health break, and take a photo to share on social showing off your red with #GoRedTriad.
But Go Red is much more than wearing red on one day. “Going Red” is about how you are protecting your heart on the inside, and the hearts of your mothers, sisters, daughters, co-workers, and friends.
Go Red for Women is a year-round American Heart Association movement focused on awareness, prevention education, risk factor reduction, healthy behavioral changes, and women’s heart health research. Together, we are flipping the script to ensure ALL women have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life.
“In a matter of seven years, I lost my father and several grandparents, prematurely, due to heart conditions. This makes me personally passionate about educating our community about the power we have to live longer, healthier lives, with preventative lifestyle choices. My goal is that women in our community one day know their blood pressure numbers as confidently as they may know their weight,” said Leah Hazelwood, Vice President of Go-Forth Pest Control and Chair of the 2023 Triad Go Red for Women Campaign.
This year’s campaign is focusing on the importance of women making their health and wellness a priority, with an emphasis on awareness, education, prevention, and management of high blood pressure among women in the Triad. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the second leading cause of preventable heart disease and stroke death, second only to smoking, and more than half of all deaths from high blood pressure are in women.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States, killing one woman about every 80 seconds. Nearly 60 percent of all stroke deaths are women, and cardiovascular disease claims more women’s lives each year than all forms of cancer, accidents and diabetes combined. The good news is that heart attack and stroke-related events can be largely preventable with education and lifestyle changes, such as knowing your vital health numbers, moving more, eating smarter and managing blood pressure. Better cardiovascular health helps lower the risk for heart disease, stroke, and other major health problems.
But how do you know what to do? How do you know where to start?
Life’s Essential 8 can help. These are the key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health, as defined by the American Heart Association. They focus on four health behaviors and four health factors, including:
4 Health Behaviors:
- eating better
- being more active
- quitting tobacco
- getting healthy sleep
4 Health Factors:
- managing weight
- controlling cholesterol
- managing blood sugar
- and managing blood pressure
How do you stand on your 8? To learn more about blood pressure and how you can manage or reduce your personal risk factors for heart disease and stroke, visit www.heart.org/lifes8.
To get involved with Go Red for Women in the Triad, visit TriadGoRed.heart.org.
Go Red for Women is nationally sponsored by CVS Health, and locally sponsored by Life is Why Sponsor, Novant Health, and Platform Sponsor, Go-Forth Pest Control.
