• About
    • Penny
    • Hank
    • Juju
  • Contact
  • How To Start A Blog
  • Make Money Blogging
    • How To Make $40K Your First Year Blogging
    • Making Sense Of Affiliate Marketing
    • How To Monetize A Food Blog
    • Food Blogger Pro
  • Blogging Tips
    • Blogging Resources
    • Recommended Blogging Tools
    • Blogging Tips
      • More Quick Blogging Tips
    • How To Increase Blog Traffic
      • SEO For Health Blogging
      • External SEO Tips
      • On Site SEO Tips
    • Blogging Action Plan
      • Deciding Why You Blog
      • Types of Health Blogs
      • Important WordPress Settings
      • Blog Security
      • WordPress Plugins
      • WordPress Themes
  • Shop
    • Planner Favorites
    • Fitness Favorites
    • Kitchen Tools
    • Blogging Books

A Merry Life

Healthy Living & Budgeting Blog | Health, Wealth & Everything Else

  • Fitness
  • Food
  • Family Life

Protect Your Heart, Wear Red

February 5, 2010 by Mary

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for details.

My forearms are hurting like crazy!  I had so much fun at the driving range hitting golf balls the other day, that we decided to go back again the next day.  It was fun again but the swing is not something I usually do, so my arms are not used to it.  I tried to stretch to keep the muscles from getting tight but it didn’t work.  Ouchies!

Today we are eating Mexican food and I’m super excited about it.  I love Mexican food!  It’s my favorite kind of food ever.  So I’m super excited to try eating it in New Zealand.   It’s going to be a happy day today!

But while I am going on about all this… did you know that today is National Wear Red Day in honor speaking up about heart disease – the number one killer in our nation.  Check out the Go Red For Women website that explains more.   (This post is a little late in the day but does that really matter?  We should care about these things every day, not just on one day.)

A few eye-opening facts you might not know about heart disease…

  • Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women. Three million women die from stroke each year. Stroke accounts for more deaths among women than men (11% vs 8.4%) with additional risk for CHD unique to women related to oral contraceptive use in combination with smoking.
  • Under age 50, women’s heart attacks are twice as likely as men’s to be fatal.
  • 267,000 women die each year from heart attacks, which kill six times as many women as breast cancer. Another 31, 837 women die each year of congestive heart failure, representing 62.6% of all heart failure deaths.

At-risk facts…

  • 71% of women experience early warning signs of heart attack with sudden onset of extreme weakness that feels like the flu – often with no chest pain at all. Medical professionals are challenged to respond to women’s milder symptoms, acting with insufficient guidelines.
  • Nearly two-thirds of the deaths from heart attacks in women occur among those who have no history of chest pain.
  • Smoking, diabetes and abnormal blood lipids erase a woman’s estrogen protection.
  • Women who smoke risk having a heart attack 19 years earlier than non-smoking women.

For all the facts, click here.

So why am I blogging about this?

Because most of us are headed straight for a heart attack if we keep up our old lifestyles.

It really is that simple.  Most of us are/were heart attacks and heart disease cases waiting to happen.  But we’ve decided we don’t want that.  We’ve decided to get healthy and change our lives and prevent this tragedy from happening to us too soon.  In fact, our plans are the first three steps the American Heart Association recommends in their simple 7 action plan to prevent heart disease:

Get active, eat better, lose weight, stop smoking, control cholesterol, manage blood pressure, and reduce blood sugar.

Our plans to get healthy are plans to prevent heart disease.  We are making a difference in our own lives.  So now you need to turn outward and help others.  Talk to your friends and loved ones and tell them the facts about heart disease and help them live a healthy life too.

It’s worth it.

Filed Under: Healthy Living Tagged With: disease, Health News, heart


« Don’t Hold Back, Just JUMP In
Saying Goodbye: How To Stop Eating Sugar »

Comments

  1. Lois J. Thompson says

    February 5, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    What a great post, you are just a wonderful daughter, I have my red on today as many of my co-workers do also. This is a tragedy amongst women (men also) but it hits women in ways they do not expect. Like my friend Karen, thought she had the flu and before the sun set she was gone. Her heart just completely failed, due to overweight, smoking and diet pills.
    This should hit home to everyone, especially mothers and wives that want to be there for their families, make changes and stick with them. My daughter is so right in posting such a informative post, we all need to heed the warning signs and do our best to respect the fact our hearts are for more than love, without them beating strongly we can not love or be loved for long.
    Love you Mary, and thanks for being such a caring person.
    MOM

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:02 pm

      Thanks for the comment Mom.

  2. Alissa says

    February 5, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    Thanks for sharing that information. It’s scary to think about. But on a more positive note, I’m glad that so many of us bloggers are taking the steps to help lower those statistics. Have a great weekend!
    .-= Alissa´s last blog ..Weigh In Day =-.

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:02 pm

      We are! We are in control and changing our lives for the better! GO US!

  3. Erin says

    February 5, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    Definitely worth blogging about! I forgot my red shirt today, so my blog text is red!!! Enjoy the Mexican food in NZ!
    .-= Erin´s last blog ..Free the Wookiees! =-.

  4. Cynthia (It All Changes) says

    February 5, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    This is a great post. I’m passionate about this because my grandmother died of a heart attack.
    .-= Cynthia (It All Changes)´s last blog ..Blazing New Trails =-.

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:03 pm

      We should all be passionate about it. I don’t think I’d be wrong in saying we all know someone who has been affected by heart disease – many way too early in life.

  5. Gina Fit by 41 Maybe 42 says

    February 5, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    I’m so glad I came to your post. I’ve been having a weak moment and am ready to go to the store and buy my favorite junk and binge. I just go numb and on automatic and gorge. I paused and thought about distracting myself and reading a blog or two. Your post and your mom’s sweet comment snapped me back to reality. Thank you, from the bottom of my…heart.
    .-= Gina Fit by 41 Maybe 42´s last blog ..This Sugar Is Healthy For You and Makes You Wanna Dance =-.

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:04 pm

      Aw, Gina, I’m so glad that I could someway help. It’s hard to think about things like disease and quality of life in the moment when all you can think about is food. I know. I’m glad that reading this helped. Thank you for sharing that.

  6. Jody - Fit at 52 says

    February 5, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    Thx Mary!!! I have seen this on other blogs & I know about it but so glad you posted it here too. Important to get this message out as so many women do not realize the deaths from heart disease in women!
    .-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Cookie Monster; Winter Blues; Pains that May Point to Cancer =-.

  7. merri says

    February 5, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    No I did not know that, and I wore yellow today. :( actually this yellow shirt looks similar to the cute one you have. Its pretty scary how not heart related the symptoms seem in women…most people ignore those types of symptoms because isnt everyone always getting random colds and things..
    .-= merri´s last blog ..view from the 26th floor [Flickr] =-.

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:05 pm

      Awesome! I love that yellow shirt – it’s my favorite right now.

      Yeah, the scariest part is that you could ignore this until it’s too late.

  8. AndrewENZ says

    February 6, 2010 at 1:35 am

    I was on my way to a heart attack before getting fit and healthy. I had extremely high cholesterol readings and now they are low!
    .-= AndrewENZ´s last blog ..A great Saturday =-.

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:06 pm

      You are a great example of how changing your life can save it. I look up to you sir!

  9. South Beach Steve says

    February 6, 2010 at 7:48 am

    How sobering to read those stats.
    .-= South Beach Steve´s last blog ..Halfway There! The Perfect 10 – Update Five =-.

  10. wildfluffysheep says

    February 6, 2010 at 10:32 am

    thank you for bringing this to my attention. never really thought about it!

    good luck with the swinging arms, girly!
    however the nurse told me last week I have great blood pressure! don’t no about the cholesterol though…

    • Mary says

      February 6, 2010 at 4:06 pm

      My blood pressure is fine but for a while I was getting high cholesterol. might want to have yours checked.

  11. Anonymous Fat Girl says

    February 6, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    I LOVE Mexican food too! Especially those little “flauta” things. I could eat them all day long! :)

    I think it’s important that everyone realizes that women in particular are at risk for heart disease. It’s pretty scary. Thanks for the stats.

  12. All Women Stalker says

    February 9, 2010 at 9:24 am

    Mmmm, Mexican food. Heart disease runs in our family so yeah, we’ve gotta be extra careful and watch what we eat.

mary Welcome to my journey to improve my health, wealth, and everything in-between!
Join me as I learn and share helpful tips and tricks I find along the way.
  • Bloglovin
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • YouTube
Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

Popular Posts

weight loss gift ideas healthy chocolate protein pancake recipe how to start a blog how to make money blogging

Search

Recent Posts

  • Postpartum Mental Health Risk Factors
  • Whole30 Reflections 1 Year Later + Recipes I’m Loving
  • Fisher Price Activity Jumperoo Baby Bouncer Review
  • How To Get $100 of Baby Stuff FREE
  • Blogging, Birthdays & The Arts Weekend Vlog

Top Posts & Pages

  • Postpartum Mental Health Risk Factors
  • Whole30 Reflections 1 Year Later + Recipes I’m Loving
  • Fisher Price Activity Jumperoo Baby Bouncer Review
  • How To Get $100 of Baby Stuff FREE
  • Blogging, Birthdays & The Arts Weekend Vlog
  • Making Sense Of Affiliate Marketing
  • Summer Budgeting Tips & Expenses You Can't Forget
  • How Much We’ve Saved For College For Our 1 Year Old
  • Trader Joe's Weekly Grocery Haul
  • 2019 Goals

Categories

Disclosure!

Note: Affiliate links may pop up on the site when I'm recommending something. They are free for you to use, but they help support me by giving me a small commission of any sales. It's like leaving a tip for good service while buying something you'd purchase anyway. Thank you for supporting A Merry Life!

Copyright © 2025 · A Merry Life - Healthy Living & Weight Loss Blog. Tasteful Theme by Restored 316 Designs

A Merry Life (amerrylife.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in