Going Red For Women
by Laura Monteverdi, Reporter
February 01, 2013 6:01 PM
Heart disease is the number one killer of women, taking the life of one in three women each year.
It's a staggering number, but the American Heart Association makes it their mission to fight the disease and save lives.
“We have an internal goal of reducing deaths for cardiovascular disease by 20 percent by the year 2020,” said Chrissy Meyer, Director of Media Relations for the American Heart Association of South Dakota.
February is American Heart Month and they kicked it off by encouraging people to ‘Go Red’ by wearing red.
“It's a great way for people to rally around the cause and it's something people can easily remember,” said Meyer.
This February 1st was even more special. This year marked the 10th year anniversary of ‘Going Red’ and to honor it, the association hosted the annual ‘Red Dress Dash’ in downtown Sioux Falls Friday evening.
“We're encouraging people to throw a red dress on over their parka and joins us downtown. We're going to do a quick run through downtown to raise awareness and kick off American heart month in style,” said Meyer.
While events like the dash help raise awareness, there are some ways you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim. A heart healthy diet is one of them.
“Some of the most basic things individuals can do whether they've been diagnosed with heart disease or not is literally eating your fruits and vegetables," said Trisha Dohn, Director of Health and Wellness for Dakota Care.
The American Heart Association recommends avoiding foods with high saturated fats as well as keeping yourself physically active.
“Just those combinations are really good things that individuals can do for prevention or to better manage their health,” said Dohn.
The association also recommends eating fish at least twice a week. Research shows that eating fish containing omega-3 fatty acids may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.
