Letters to the Editor - Feb. 3, 2010

Heart health
Did you know that one in four women in the United States dies of heart disease? On Friday, please join the members of the GEWC Amherst Junior Women’s Club and women across America for “National Wear Red Day” to raise awareness of heart disease.

According to the America Heart Association, 80 percent of women between the ages of 40 to 60 have one or more risk factors for heart disease, which dramatically increases a woman’s chance of developing heart disease. Risk factors for heart disease include:

-high blood pressure,

-high blood cholesterol,

-diabetes,

-smoking,

-being overweight,

-being physically inactive,

-having a family history of early heart disease and

-age (55 or older for women).

Simple lifestyle changes in diet, exercise or smoke cessation can lower one’s risk of developing this killer disease. If you think you are at risk, see your health care professional.

Wear red with us Friday to show your heart health awareness, to help draw attention to this preventable disease and, potentially, to save a life.

DIANA PETTYJOHN
GEWC Amherst Junior Women’s Club
Homelife Women’s Health Chairwoman
Monroe