A Woman's Other Broken Heart

The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that nearly 500,000 women will have a heart attack in the next year and they are trying to raise awareness among the “deadlier” gender through sexy campaigns like Red Dress Day and Go Red For Women. The AHA has an excellent Web site (www.americanheart.org), heaving with tips on diet, exercise, and heart health. The site also features a risk assessment test that women can take to determine their risk level. I have a pretty low risk level at the moment, but I will check myself regularly in the future.

Now that I know how much more likely I am to develop heart disease than breast cancer, I check my heart as often as I check my breasts. A healthy lifestyle is the best preventative measure to fight heart disease. That means no smoking, a balanced diet with limited salt and alcohol, and thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day.

The AHA recommends that everyone start monitoring his or her risk level at twenty years of age, including cholesterol and blood pressure numbers. I’m a little late, but luckily not too late. Informing myself about heart disease has made me feel much less panicked about my father’s health. Being aware of my own risk level and the symptoms of heart disease have given me an unexpected sense of empowerment and well-being.