Go RED

Tomorrow is Wear Red for Women day.

I had a plan. A beautiful plan. A Cardiac nurse wants to save the women plan… although there is no way my little self with my never read blog can really save women, but see, there are these numbers that bug me, so I guess I don’t want to save women, I want to save some particular women.

1 in 3 women world-wide die of heart disease. 

The reasons this number concerns me?

1 in 3.

3 sisters

6 roommates

9 female cousins.

1 in 3.

So I had this plan. Take pictures of my women wearing red and do a photo study of them… combine it with the facts and make something beautiful. and I will do it… maybe next year or the next, but I am going to do something like that.

But, in case you missed it, there was a massive snow storm this week. And I worked extra to cover for others who were sick/snowed in.  So… I have one set of pictures.  1 roommate.  Wearing red.  and for today? It works. Because the more I read the more I know that I will make sure that the people around me know the risks, know the facts, know the signs.  and I can do that without taking a bunch of pictures.

In 2005 heart disease claimed 454,613 lives, compared to all cancers combined claiming 268,890.

When compared with men the numbers are (in my opinion) even more depressing.  After the age of 40, 38% of women will die in the year following a heart attack vs. only 23% of men.  Women are more likely to be severely disabled following heart attacks, are more likely to die following heart surgery, are less likely to even get diagnosed properly.

But there is also hope.   Because where as women have higher likelihood of dying, they also have a greater ability than men to prevent.  Women's hearts respond much better to healthy lifestyle changes than men, which is amazing.  Of course, getting women to set aside time to take care of themselves is a challenge.

Main symptom? extreme fatigue.  Feels like the flu, lasting for up to a month.  Dizziness, sweating, feeling like you are having a panic attack.  Jaw pain… and of course chest pain in some instances. 

Ways to prevent? Know your numbers… cholesterol, blood pressure, average blood glucose, weight.  Know how to decrease these numbers.  Eating healthy and exercise, while always talked about, really are the best way.

I want to keep writing. I love this subject, I hate this subject. It needs talked about, and yet it isn’t. so I will write more, but not today.  Today I leave you with the last (weirdly edited) picture taken, and some links that I have been obsessively reading.

Women’s Heart *** Different symptoms***mayo clinic*** women’s health.gov

 

(You Capture is going red today, so I thought I would join up.)