The month of February is American Heart Month and the American Heart Association encourages the public to wear red on Feb.4 to raise awareness.
The number one threat to women’s health is heart disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). On the first Friday each February, the nation comes together, igniting a wave of red from coast to coast.
“It’s no longer just about wearing red; it’s no longer just about sharing heart health facts. It’s about all women making a commitment to stand together with Go Red and taking charge of their own heart health as well as the health of those they can’t bear to live without,” the American Heart Association said in a statement.
The pandemic has exacerbated many stressors in daily life, and there has been an increase in those experiencing heart disease, lower physical and emotional wellness. The American Heart Association continues to remind women to be proactive about their health, as one in three women die each year from heart disease, and 45 percent of women older than 20 have some form of heart disease.
For Black women, that number is 49 percent and for Hispanic women, about 40 percent.
Lifestyle change can be the difference in preventing heart disease. Moving more, eating smart, and managing your blood pressure all can help The American Heart Association encourages women to “reclaim their rhythm ” to live longer and better by using music to get moving, improve heart health, and take back control of their physical and mental well-being.
Through February, the American Heart Association is encouraging people to take additional action through their Go Red for Women movement by:
- Making a donation to support the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association at WearRedDay.org.
- Join Research Goes Red , a joint collaboration between the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women and Verily’s Project Baseline to engage more women directly to participate in research.
- Joining the conversation by using #GoRedJXN WearRedDay, #HeartMonth and #GoRedforWomen on social media.
