National Wear Red Day brings awareness to heart disease in women

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - This February is American Heart Month, and the American Heart Association is encouraging you to wear red on Feb. 4 for National Wear Red Day.

The American Heart Association said heart disease is the number one killer of women, nationally and in Louisiana, it claims the lives of one in three women.

Officials said people are experiencing lower physical and emotional wellness. Heart disease deaths rose significantly last year.

Many like LaTina Schaffer, Vice President of Talent Strategy and Chief Diversity Officer FMOLHS encourages everyone to create healthy habits to give them a longer, healthier life.

She said physical activity is linked to a lower risk of diseases, stronger bones and muscles, improved mental health and cognitive function and lower risk of depression.

Schaffer said staying active is one of the best ways to keep your body and mind healthy. It can help you feel, think, sleep and live better, and it also improves the overall quality of life.

She said to step away from distractions and to-do lists to go for a walk or meditate. If you don’t take back your time, something else will.’

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Officials with the AHA said adult women should get at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity or an hour and 15 minutes of high-intensity cardio exercise per week. It’s also important to do muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days per week. Any movement is better than nothing.

Regular meals at home reduce stress, boost self-esteem and make the whole family feel connected, according to Kristen Gradney, President of the AHA’s Capital Area Board of Directors and Senior Director of Children’s Health at OLOLCH.

She said family meals make it more likely that kids and adults will eat more fruits and vegetables; adding healthy eating is critical for managing weight and preventing cardiovascular disease in women.

Gradney said a major problem in our diets is sugar. Sugary drink consumption is directly linked to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

You can wear red on Feb. 4 and post to social media tagging the local AHA at @AHALouisiana and use #BRGoRed. Share one stat, one sign or symptom, one link to someone you love – it could save a life.

You can learn more at BatonRougeGoRed.heart.org

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