Above all else, guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life (it IS the wellspring of life). (Prov 4:23)

As a woman thinks in her heart so is she (Prov 23:7)

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Prov 17:23)

Faith, health, and healing have been intertwined since ancient times. Today the message of health and hope is as powerful and important as ever.

This month, I am sharing an urgent message about heart health with all the women of inneractive FITCLUB and those who love them. Most women don’t know their biggest health threat. It’s not breast cancer. It’s not AIDS. It’s heart disease. Yet most women still think heart disease is a man’s disease. A new slogan says it well: “Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear—It’s the #1 Killer of Women.^®“

Friday February 3, 2012 is National Wear Red Day—a day when Americans nationwide will take women’s health to heart by wearing red to show their support for women’s heart disease awareness.

inneractive FITCLUB has joined The Heart Truth^®, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Help us spread The Heart Truth that heart disease is the #1 killer of women on National Wear Red Day^®, on Friday, February, 3, 2012. Most women don’t take their risk of heart disease seriously or personally. Help us to motivate women to find out their risks and take action to lower them.

So wear your red as a powerful visual reminder to take care of their hearts. Our mothers, daughters, nieces, and granddaughters need to learn the truth about heart disease:

One of every four American women dies of heart disease.
About 6 million American women have coronary heart disease.
Two-thirds of American women who have had a heart attack don’t make a full recovery.
Heart disease can permanently damage your heart and your life.

To have a healthy heart, it is critical to know the risk factors for heart disease-that is, the behaviors or conditions that increase your chance of getting heart disease.

They are:

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Smoking
Being overweight
Being physically inactive
Having a family history of early heart disease
Age (55 or older for women)
Having just one risk factor increases your chance of developing heart disease. And your risk skyrockets with each added risk factor.
Now that you know The Heart Truth about the dangers of heart disease, it’s time to take action to protect your heart. Martin Luther King said: “The belief that God will do everything for man is as untenable as the belief that man can do everything for himself. It, too, is based on a lack of faith. We must learn that to expect God to do everything while we do nothing is not faith but superstition.”
God has given us the job of keeping ourselves healthy. For women-the caretakers in our lives-this means taking time to care for themselves. We all have the power to prevent or control heart disease, and we can do this by taking simple steps. Here’s how:
- Don’t smoke, and if you do, quit. Women who smoke are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smoking women. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke and cancer.
- Aim for a healthy weight. It’s important for a long, vigorous life. Overweight and obesity cause many preventable deaths.
- Get moving. Make a commitment to be more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
- Eat for heart health. Choose a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.
- Know your numbers. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), and blood glucose. Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal.
Making the changes that lead to heart health is not always easy, but with God’s help, we can find the courage and strength to take action.

I hope you’ll consider being a part of our challenge this month as we take an active approach toward lovin’ the best of me and losin’ the rest of me.

Join The Heart Truth on National Wear Red Day to help spread the critical message that, “Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear—It’s the #1 Killer of Women.”

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH FOR AMERICAN WOMEN (2006)

One in four women dies from heart disease. It’s the #1 killer of women, regardless of race or ethnicity. It also strikes at younger ages than most people think, and the risk rises in middle age. And, two-thirds of women who have heart attacks never fully recover.

Chart showing leading causes of death for American women-2006. Data points for the chart follow.

Number of Deaths^*—Heart Disease, 315,000
Number of Deaths^*—Stroke, 82,000
Number of Deaths^**—Lung Cancer, 71,000
Number of Deaths^*—Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 65,000
Number of Deaths^**—Breast Cancer, 41,000

To learn more, visit www.hearttruth.gov

Numbers of deaths rounded to the nearest thousand.
*As reported by CDC (2006)
**As reported by the American Cancer Society (2006)

^®, ™ The Heart Truth, its logo, The Red Dress and Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear—It’s the #1 Killer of Women, are trademarks of HHS.
^®National Wear Red Day is a registered trademark of HHS and AHA.