As Heart Month gets underway across the nation, the city of Gainesville hopes to bring awareness to the issue of heart health in a couple of ways, first with the display of red ribbons on historic Green Street.
Several businesses have tied red ribbons on their properties to remind citizens to pay attention to their heart health this month. The ribbons also serve as a reminder that Friday, Feb. 2, is National Wear Red Day.
"Wear Red Day is a way to raise awareness and remind us all that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death for all Americans," said Julie Ann Hamilton, the regional director of the Northeast Georgia Chapter of the American Heart Association.
The group is hosting the "Go Red for Women Wellness Expo & Luncheon" on Feb. 2, as well. Hamilton said participants will enjoy a silent auction, luncheon and a keynote speech from Emmy Award-Winning producer and Gainesville native Holly M. Wofford.
According to the American Heart Association, women are killed by cardiovascular disease every 80 seconds and CVD claims the lives of one in three women every year. In fact, the AHA says heart disease claims more lives of women than all forms of cancer combined. CVD affects women of all ethnicities, with one-third of white women, one-half of black women and one-third of Hispanic women over the age of 20 affected. Despite these alarming numbers, only 17 percent of women believe heart disease is a serious issue.
Risk factors for heart disease include age, gender and family history. Important numbers to be wary of include Body Mass Index (BMI), total cholesterol , blood sugar and blood pressure.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/2/631702/gainesvilles-green-street-goes-red-to-kick-off-heart-month