This week I attended the Go Red for Women Girls Night Out. It’s a big fundraiser for the American Heart Association. I got to emcee the fashion show, filled with red clothing items of course. But along with the fun, there was a serious issue to be discussed, women and heart disease. While we can’t change our family history, I was certainly reminded that we can make choices every day for good heart health. A few months ago, I was featured in a AHA piece in Memphis Magazine….here is part of that:
Go Red For Women was created to remind us that heart disease is the number one killer of women nationwide, but over 80 percent of deaths due to heart disease are preventable. Like many women, I know most of the things I SHOULD do to be heart healthy, but if I answer honestly… there’s more I could do. My grandmother lived to be 94. Up until the day she died, my Grandma told me nothing had ever been wrong with her heart. I can only hope I got some of those good heart genes. But the rest is up to me. I have two very good reasons to pay attention to my heart: 8 and 10-year-old sons. They love sports and are always on the go. Family in mind, I have been doing my part to get more active, by making time to walk and at least joining a gym. (Joining is a start, right!?) Also, in the Perrin house we are doing our best to make healthier food choices as well. I have even gone soda free since September… a HUGE step for me! I am making healthy changes that will not only benefit me, but my family as well. And hopefully by setting good examples for my boys, heart healthiness will be a way of life for them. Like many of us, I am a work in progress. We all need to remember it’s never too late to take steps toward a heart healthy future.
After this week’s event (and hearing so many women share their personal stories) I am even more determined to get heart healthy. I have done those things I mentioned above, but now it is time to get serious. Summer heat is no excuse. Time to GO to the gym with the membership I have! Drink that water! Eat more fruits and veggies! Get up off the couch! Hey, I just thought of this…..maybe I should only allow myself to get on Facebook when I am on the treadmill. Wow! If I did that, I’d be 40 lbs lighter in no time! :)
