Fall is in the air. The leaves are changing and the weather is turning cooler.
Kids are back to school, routines are returning to normal and schedules are becoming hectic between community meetings, late nights at work and activities. More than ever, we are faced with making choices on where to spend our money, time and energy.
A
nd while some choices
aren’t important, others can determine the direction of our lives. But what if the seemingly unimportant choices were the ones that mattered the most? Like choosing to take the stairs, not the elevator? Opting for baked instead of fried?
What if these choices influenced whether you were the one in every three women to die of heart disease this year?
Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of women, annually claiming nearly 455,000 female lives, including an estimated 14,000 New Jersey women. Cardiovascular disease is not just a “man’s disease” and affects women of all backgrounds. In fact, African Americans are at greater risk for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases than Caucasians. The prevalence of these diseases in non-Hispanic black females is 49 percent, compared to 35 percent in non-Hispanic white females. Additionally, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among Mexican-American females in 2006 was 32.5 percent. Heart disease touches everyone.
The American Heart Association is offering a free Go Red for Women Heart Style Guide, which includes information on health care, diet and nutrition, physical exercise, family activities and community action ideas.
The guide also includes hearthealthy recipes such as “Red and Green Bell Pepper Boats,” “Jamaican Jerk Shrimp and Vegetable Kebabs” and “Strawberry Puddle” cake.
Choose to join the American Heart Association Go Red for Women movement and take action to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. To learn more, visit GoRedForWomen.org. To request your free copy of the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Heart Style Guide, call 609-223-3733 while supplies last.
What choice will you make today?
Courtney Eitel
Regional Director of Central NJ Communications
American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association
Robbinsville