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February 7 is National Wear Red for Women Day. This campaign, which is part of American Heart Month, places focus on women’s heart health. Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in American women? According to the CDC, more than 66 MILLION women (44%) are living with some sort of cardiovascular issue. In 2021, 1 in 5 female deaths were due to cardiovascular disease.

While we could talk about this all day, let’s hit some important risk factors to know about and raise awareness for each other:

1. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. Checking your blood pressure is easy. Many pharmacies now have machines for no cost use. Ask your physician if you can drop in to have a nurse to check your blood pressure. Or buy a portable machine to use at home.

2. High LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This can be checked via a simple blood test. Most often will require a doctor’s written order, unless you can find a local health fair in your area.

3. Smoking. Your state likely has a Quit Line to assist with quitting smoking. They have multiple resources to support you on the journey to saving your life.

4. Excess Weight. Did you gain a few pounds over the holidays? Or over the past few years? Time to think about why and, more importantly, how it affects your health.

5. Lack of exercise. Physical activity is critical in supporting your entire body, including your heart. Daily walking for even 20 minutes matters.

6. Alcohol consumption also plays a role in heart health. How many drinks are you having per day? Week? Month? Keep track to see what the actual number really is. You might be surprised.

7. Mental health! If stress and depression are regular occurrences for you, please discuss this with your physician. Garner support to improve your mental health as a way to support your heart health.

For more information and resources visit the following websites:

Don’t forget that taking a CPR/FA class will prepare you to save a life, maybe even yours by recognizing signs and symptoms of a heart issue. TSS offers a wide variety of ways to get into a class, making it easy for you to do. We also specialize in workplace training, so that the whole crew is prepared if an incident occurs. Honestly, it isn’t IF, it’s WHEN. Be ready.

AND WEAR RED ON FEBRUARY 7, 2025.