National Wear Red Day | Go Red for Women on February 3rd

February is American Heart Month, and February 3rd specifically is National Wear Red Day to being awareness to women’s heart health. As a cardiology physician assistant with over a decade of experience, I see firsthand the effects heart disease has on women every single day. Women – especially mothers – tend to put our families and responsibilities before ourselves, often at the detriment to our own health and well-being. While genetics certainly play a role, we do have the power to reduce our other risk factors and minimize our risk for heart disease.

Are you ready to Go Red?

G: Get Your Numbers

Talk to your doctor about your blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting glucose
These seemingly small numbers can play a big part in your heart health in the future. Controlling and properly managing these issues will help keep them from becoming bigger issues as you age.

O: Own Your Lifestyle

Activity, tobacco, and diet play major roles in your heart health.
Now is the time to get active. You do not have to perform vigorous activity to be heart healthy. Shoot for 30 minutes of light walking, even if not done consecutively, most days of the week.

If you smoke, it’s not too late to quit: Within 5 years of stopping smoking, your stroke risk is back to that of a nonsmoker’s. By 10 years, your risk of lung cancer falls to half of that of a smoker’s. After 15 years your risk of coronary artery disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.

Make healthy food choices. Set a good example for your family and implement healthy eating habits from an early age for your children. Make cooking at home a priority and involve the family- eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring!

R: Realize Your Risk

80% of heart diseases are considered preventable by physical activity, diet, and avoiding tobacco
One third of adults suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Genetics play a large role in heart health but minimizing risk factors you can control will also help.
Our risk of heart disease increases with age. And while we can’t control our age or genetics, we can certainly manage our risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

E: Educate Your Family

Stay active, make smart food choices, and prioritize a healthy lifestyle for yourself, and your family.
If you know of any family members with heart disease, share this with other family members. Its important to know your family history and how it may affect you, so make sure to educate your family for any known cardiac problems.

D: Don’t be Silent

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Encourage the women in your life to focus on their heart health and start working on reducing the risk factors that are within their control.

Also, don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Women can often have more insidious and vague symptoms of heart disease, such as fatigue and shortness of breath. These symptoms are often overlooked or played off as “just being out of shape.” However, if you notice a change from your norm, pay attention. And while age is certainly a risk factor, never assume you are too young for a heart issue. If you have any concerns regarding your heart health, please be evaluated.

Remember to wear your red on February 4th to support women’s heart health. But you can do your part everyday to minimize your own risk by eating right, staying active, avoiding tobacco, and reducing stress. You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself first!

Marcella Stanley
Marcella is a Kansas City native who has called Wichita home for the past decade, after moving here to attend the Physician Assistant Program at WSU. Despite being a Shocker, Marcella is really a Wildcat at heart, along with her husband of almost 9 years, Mike. They met while both attending Kansas State University and still like to get back for KSU football games, when they aren’t wrangling their two nuggets Brody (4.5) and Holly (7 months). Marcella remains very busy working as a Cardiology PA, mothering two senior beagles plus two human children, while living off coffee and a heaping dose of sarcasm.