Eat Your Heart Out Dorothy

(Originally Published Saturday, February 4, 2012 – Blogger: One Daughter’s Point of View)

Those who know me know about my, well we’ll just call it a ‘fondness’ for shoes. And since they know about my fondness for shoes, they are familiar with a pair I affectionately refer to as my “Eat Your Heart out Dorothy Ruby Red Shoes.” They’re perfectly designed with a pointy toe, the perfect narrow heel height and a wonderful deep shade of metallic red. And they go with everything.

But this month, they’ll be temporarily renamed my “Be Sure You Protect your Heart Ruby Red Shoes” in honor of Heart Awareness Month.

Yes, I made sure I wore my awesome red shoes yesterday. It was the all important Wear Red Day – the first Friday in February – which has become the traditional day to ensure you wear red to increase awareness of heart disease in women.

Most women I know are terrified of cancer. It can mutilate your body – either by the disease itself or via the cure to the disease. But heart disease kills more women every year than all cancers combined.

Let me repeat that….Ladies…heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined.

Women experience different symptoms than men. Women’s symptoms can mask as fatigue and back pain – – and be excused as something it’s not – like gas or stress. Knowing how women’s symptoms can be different is very important.

I’m asking all women to take the time this month, visit the website Go Red for Women (http://www.goredforwomen.org/index.aspx) and watch “Just a Little Heart Attack” a short 3- or 4-minute film that may surprise you – but will certainly educate you.