• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

'Go Red' Women Target Heart Disease

Posted on: Monday, 8 May 2006, 09:09 CDT

By Kevin Garcia, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

May 8--Red is the color of the evening as the women of the American Heart Association gather at the Go Red for Women Dinner and Healthy Living Showcase this Tuesday.

Hoping to raise awareness about health issues, Go Red for Women is a nationwide campaign to fight heart disease. Locally, that means a dinner at the Brownsville Events Center.

"Just as the yellow Lance Armstrong bracelets or the pink ribbons that the breast cancer survivors wear, the American Heart Association has chosen red to remind women of the dangers of heart disease," said guest speaker Julie Alexander, Dallas-based author of "Great Days: 50 Ways to Add Energy, Enthusiasm and Enjoyment to Your Life."

While popular belief held that heart disease was a men's issue, the American Heart Association is raising awareness of the fact that women are at just as much risk.

"It's the number one killer in women above all the other diseases that we have," said Rose Gomez, Go Red for Women chairwoman. "Not that many people know that women are as susceptible to heart disease as men."

After a heart attack claimed her father's life six years ago, Gomez learned he'd had 15 previous strokes.

"It was a surprise to everybody," she said. "I should have been more aware of the symptoms."

To prevent future problems, Gomez suggests focusing on health now and helping children do the same.

"It's not just women, but mothers and grandmothers that need to be aware of what we're doing to our next generation," Gomez said. "Obesity is so rampant with our children and especially here in the Valley."

The best ways to prevent obesity and heart disease involve regular exercise, a stable diet and medical check-ups.

"A lot of people don't have their annual check-ups like they should," Gomez said. "They think going to the doctor will cost them too much financially, but they don't realize that in the long run, if you catch heart disease or cancer in early stages, you can prevent further damage or cure it."

Information will be available at Tuesday's event for anyone interested in improving heart health. Tickets to the event are $35 per person or $300 for a table of eight.

"We want to encourage the women who attend that event to take responsibility for their health," Alexander said. "If you're going to have a great day, you've got to be healthy."

The event begins at 7 p.m. Call (888) 433-7714 or (956) 466-0153 for more information.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Brownsville Herald

More News in this Category