Womens Heart Week

February 1-7 is Women's Heart Week and it's such an important week to educate you on. So I come armed with some information from Womensheart.org.

Heart Disease is the number one killer of American women. Recognizing symptoms and risks, making lifestyle changes and getting timely care can save a woman's life. Women's Heart Week is a national outreach campaign aimed at improving women's outcomes from this deadly disease. Heart disease is America’s leading killer of women over the age of 34. Most women are not aware of this fact and fail to recognize their own risk factors for heart disease. Women’s symptoms, especially those that are milder, often go ignored. Women often miss out on critical opportunites to save their own lives. Women's Heart Foundation (WHF) recognizes that women are busier than ever as they juggle career, family and care-giving responsibilities. For many, each day resembles a jig–saw puzzle in which a woman is required to piece together her time and obligations. Now, more than ever, women need to take time out for themselves and be given a reminder: Take Care of Your Heart.

Some scary statistics for you to think about as well:
Less than one-third (31.8 percent) of U.S. adults get regular leisure-time physical activity (defined as light or moderate activity five times or more per week for 30 minutes or more each time and/or vigorous activity three times or more per week for 20 minutes or more each time). About 10 percent of adults do no physical activity at all in their leisure time.

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight (BMI > 25, which includes those who are obese).[7] All adults (20+ years old): 129.6 million (64.5 percent) Women (20+ years old): 64.5 million (61.9 percent) Men (20+ years old): 65.1 million (67.2 percent) Nearly one-third of U.S. adults are obese (BMI > 30). All adults (20+ years old): 61.3 million (30.5 percent) Women (20+ years old): 34.7 million (33.4 percent) Men (20+ years old): 26.6 million (27.5 percent)

About 25 percent of young people (ages 12–21 years) participate in light to moderate activity (e.g., walking, bicycling) nearly every day. About 50 percent regularly engage in vigorous physical activity. Approximately 25 percent report no vigorous physical activity, and 14 percent report no recent vigorous or light to moderate physical activity.

So I ask this of all my readers. Get check ups, make sure you are healthy and know your family history. I can tell you that in my moms family we have a ton of heart disease. My mom passed away at 49 from a heart attack, her sister passed away at 48 from a heart attack. This hits close to home for me.