Did you know heart disease is responsible for one out of three deaths among women? Surprisingly, heart disease impacts 44 million women making it the biggest health problem for women.
Whereas each gender shares common risk factors, including age, race, genetics, and lifestyle habits, there are influences specific to females that raise their risk of stroke, including the use of oral contraceptives, undergoing hormone replacement therapy, pregnancy, and a history of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. Furthermore, 90 percent of women are suggested to have one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke.
To counter the impact heart disease has on women’s health, discover what National Wear Red Day and National Heart Month are and how to get involved.
What Is National Heart Month and National Wear Red Day?
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) designed and introduced The Red Dress® as a national symbol to remind women of the need to protect their heart health and in hopes to inspire them to take preventative action.
The symbol became the centerpiece of The Heart Truth® program, which is a national program as part of National Heart Month in February. This program encompasses national and community organizations to raise awareness about heart disease, its risk factors, and how to take control.
And on National Wear Red Day, which takes place on the first Friday of February each year, women and men across the country can unite in the national movement to give women a personal and urgent wake-up call about their risk of heart disease by wearing red and partaking in various events.
The AHA also adopted The Red Dress symbol and emerged Go Red for Women. The Go Red for Women movement is designed to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women globally.
5 Ways to Honor National Wear Red Day 2022
Good news! If you want to join the mission of raising awareness of heart disease for women and promoting women’s health in general, there are many ways to get involved and honor National Wear Red Day.
- Pass heart health information on to female friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, and any others. There are even stickers, social media posts or posters available from the NHLBI to help raise awareness for this important topic. Or, take it a step further and host a heart-healthy happy hour, activity or party for heart-themed events.
- Participate in National Wear Red Day events with a local chapter or virtually, along with encouraging others to do so.
- Take practical steps to take charge of your own heart health. Start implementing heart-healthy practices, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise/physical activity, stress management, and smoking cessation. Share with other friends and family to see if they want to share the heart health journey.
- Take this day to schedule a check-up with your doctor.
- While the day is more than just wearing red, it is still a way to honor the purpose by wearing this color in support of heart health. If someone compliments your red attire, accessories or makeup, tell them the meaning of sporting red on this day.
Celebrating National Heart Month and Wear Red Day Recap
February is more than just a month to celebrate love and hearts with Valentine’s Day. It is an opportunity to partner with the AHA and NHLBI to celebrate and raise awareness for heart health, especially for women. There are many ways to partake in these initiatives that all benefit raising awareness for women’s health.
Activities can include wearing red, joining a virtual or local event, hosting your own event, sharing information, and taking steps to benefit your own health.