This Friday is "National Wear Red Day" which is a statement to bring awareness to women regarding heart disease

Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of women??
1 of 3 women die from heart related illnesses! That is crazy!!! Why do we have this feeling that "men" die from heart disease? Not women! Well, that could not be further from the truth!

There are also differences in men and women when it comes to heart disease. One is that women's hearts are smaller than men's therefore clogging of the arteries is easier and faster. Another is that women tend to develop heart disease later in life than men do; usually after menopause. Also, the symptoms of a heart attack or other heart related issues can be very different in women than men. Finally, women tend to ignore the symptoms more and neglect to call 911 just in case.

Symptoms to look for:
Chest Pain (only 30% of women experience chest pain associated with a heart attack)
Nausea
Fatigue
Heart Burn
Shortness of Breath
Weakness
Sweats
Dizziness

Risk Factors:
High Cholesterol
Family History
High Blood Pressure
Obesity
Diabetes
Smoking AND 2nd Hand Smoke

4 Numbers to Know:
- Cholesterol - Cholesterol (LDL) should be less than 130
- Blood Pressure - Ideal Blood Pressure is 120 over 80
- BMI - Body Mass Index should be between 18.5 and 25
- Blood Sugar - "Fasting" blood sugar level should be below 100

I got this information right from NBC news this morning and immediately wanted to share this with you!
Pay attention to the symptoms, assess your risk factors, and know your "4 Numbers!" In addition to The Biggest Loser "exercise" program the "nutrition" side is going to play a huge roll in lowering your risk factors. Of course your trainer is working with you on all of this BUT in general, if your cholesterol (LDL) is high you need to have a diet that is has little or NO saturated fats. If your blood pressure is high you need to have a diet that limits your sodium intake. If you have high blood sugar you need to limit your carbohydrate intake and so forth...

Remember to wear your red on Friday!!!