Many of you know that February is heart health month; what most people don’t know is that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the US. Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend the NC Council for Women and American Heart Association Go RED for Women Day. I met some wonderful people, heard stories from survivors, listened to great tips on eating out, had some cooking lessons, and most importantly learned about prevention and signs of heart disease.
I will start by telling you upon parking my car at the NC Department of Education Building, I immediately realized that I had locked my keys, purse, phone, and everything else in my car! Not a great way to start the day but I was determined not to let that stop me. After being welcomed by the police at the front door, a one hour wait on AAA, and peaking my head in and out of the event, I finally made it to my seat!
The stats on heart disease are definitely staggering. Did you know that 2,200 people in the US will die per day this year because of this disease? 800,000 people in the US will die this year because of heart disease. 17 million will die this year.
The good news is that we can prevent it. If you follow my blog or FaceBook post, you will know I am all about making better choices and that is how we can kick this disease! Watching our diets by choosing heart healthy foods and getting moderate exercise for 20 minutes a day will drastically reduce our chances of contracting this deadly life stealer.
The problem is that most women don’t recognize the signs or warnings of a heart attack. This link will provide you with a list of warning signs you may not be aware of http://womenheart.site-ym.com/?page=Support_Symptoms. Take time to review the signs so that you are in a position to recognize symptoms and get immediate help.
I met Marietta Wagner. She has had 3 heart attacks, a stint, and triple bypass surgery; unbelievable to hear that her first heart attack was at the age of 30! This stuff is real. We need to educate ourselves and learn to make better choices for our health before it is too late!
I learned how to make heart healthy oatmeal cookies, and my new friend Wade Harris, owner of Raleigh Personal Fitness had us exercising while we ate! We enjoyed a fashion show by ladies who have all survived the disease or had family members touched by it.
My biggest take away from the event was simple, how can we bring awareness and educate others on prevention and save lives! Thank you Gale Wilkins, Executive Director NC Council for Women, for hosting this amazing event with American Heart Association; I am a better person because I came…….
Michele Duncan 