Go Red for Women
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Do you know your blood pressure level? Do you know your cholesterol level?
Do you know your blood sugar level?
If you said no to the above questions, there is no need to raise your hand and feel embarrassed, instead go ask your doctor. My sorority co-hosted a Go Red for Women event back in February. The main speaker asked the questions above and a majority of the women in the room couldn't answer them. She then asked us what if we were hospitalized and the doctor told us our stats and then asked if those were our normal numbers, we would be screwed because we don't know our numbers to begin with.
The young lady then went into details about the different signs of a heart attack and explained how you can never be too young to be informed. Of course I can't imagine myself having heart problems at 23 years old but I rather be aware than in a hospital bed thinking, "How could this happen to me?"
Here are some unsettling statistics:
- Cardiovascular diseases kill nearly 50,000 African-American women annually.
- Of African-American women ages 20 and older, 49 percent have heart diseases.
- Only 1 in 5 African-American women believes she is personally at risk.
- Only 52 percent of African-American women are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
- Only 36 percent of African-American women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk.
Source: Go Red Campaign
The whole program got me really fired up to start caring more about my heart. "Know Your Numbers" just like you should "Know Your Status". The rest of the program was spent exercising to get that heart pumping! We had a great instructor,Nik from Get Fit w/Nik who gave us some great workouts to do. She had us laughing and sweating at the same time.
For more information check out the Go Red Campaign website.
How will you make an effort to maintain a healthy heart?
