Wear RED, post RED, eat RED, drink RED. February 1st is National Wear Red Day to show support for women’s heart disease awareness. My hope is that with this day being targeted yearly to increase women’s awareness of heart disease, women will become more aware of how important it is to be aware of staying heart healthy. My mom died of a sudden heart attack in February, 2000. I wish she was more aware of her risks.

Tips for Heart Health
* 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.

These are 2 of my favorite RED photos.

The first photo is of a red hibiscus flower. I took this photo for a photography class a few years ago.

The second photo is a photo which was posted on the Boston Globe website this past year. I believe it was taken during Spring Training. We don’t have Willy on our team anymore but we still have Manny & Big Papi. GO SOX!!