This February, Go Red For Your Heart
Wear Red for Women on February 4

February is National Heart Month, so it seems like a good time to ask, “What comes to mind when you hear the phrase heart attack?”

People of a certain age may think of Redd Foxx's portrayal of Fred Sanford on "Sanford and Son." In the 1970s, Foxx could be seen regularly on TV clutching his chest as he faked a heart attack and shouted to his deceased wife, "This is the big one! Hang on, Elizabeth, I'm coming to join you!"

This may have made for funny television, but that type of scene plays right into society's misperception that only elderly men suffer from heart disease or stroke.

Here's a statistic for you: While heart disease and stroke kill one in every 3.7 men, one in 2.5 women lose their lives to heart disease and stroke. By way of comparison, breast cancer kills one in 30 women.

Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, claims more women’s lives than the next seven causes of death combined — about 500,000 a year and nearly twice as many as all forms of cancer.

Perhaps ever more staggering is the fact that a majority of women don't know how deadly heart disease and stroke are. That is why during National Heart Month, the American Heart Association is also celebrating “Wear Red for Women” Day on February 4 to raise awareness of heart disease in women and encourage women to take charge of their health.

Ways Men and Women Can Reduce Their Risk of Heart Disease

With just a few lifestyle changes women—and men—can substantially reduce many of their risk factors for heart disease and stroke. And if you've already had heart disease or a stroke, these lifestyle changes can help you to a more successful recovery.

Make a date (and keep it). Each year on your birthday, schedule a check-up. Have your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels checked, and ask your doctor to help you reach or maintain a healthy weight. Be sure to follow your healthcare professional's recommendations, including taking prescribed medications.

Tune in as you tone up. Add more physical activity to your life by stepping, marching or jogging in place for at least 15 minutes a day while watching your favorite TV shows. Increase your activity by five minutes each week until you’re getting a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week

Grab some H2O when you go. Take a water bottle with you wherever you go. It’ll keep you hydrated and the bottle’s weight will strengthen your arms.

Keep out of sight, out of mouth. Keep packages of unhealthy food hidden in the pantry. Put raw veggies and fruits in front in the refrigerator and healthy snacks in the front of the pantry, so that’s what you see first. If you keep grabbing healthy foods for a minimum of 21 times, it will soon become a habit.

Eat right to control cholesterol. Eating foods high in saturated fat can lead to high cholesterol. To help keep your cholesterol levels down, eat foods low in saturated fat, such as lean chicken or turkey (roasted or baked, with skin removed), fruits and veggies, low-fat or fat-free dairy products and whole grains.

Shake the salt habit. To help lower high blood pressure, watch your salt intake. It may be disguised in food labels as sodium alginate, sodium sulfite, sodium caseinate, disodium phosphate, sodium benzoate, sodium hydroxide, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sodium citrate.

Kick butts. If you smoke, quit. Try this four-step way to snuff your habit. On Day 1, cut the number of cigarettes you smoke by half. On Day 3, cut the number of cigarettes you smoke in half again. On Day 5, cut your smoking in half again. On your Quit Day, quit!

Be a good loser. Excess weight increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. To achieve steady, painless weight loss, take it easy. Each day, if you eat 200-300 calories less than you would normally consume, and exercise at least 30 minutes on most or all days of the week, you’ll get closer to your goal and be able to achieve weight loss that’s steady and painless.

Don't let a slip keep you down. If you get off your exercise schedule, have a cigarette or mess up on a meal, immediately get back on track toward reestablishing a healthy lifestyle.

Say, "Yeah for me." To maintain momentum with exercising, losing weight or quitting smoking, keep track of your achievements and reward yourself by doing something you enjoy.

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