Alpha Kappa Alpha women will take off their pink and wear red for the day to raise awareness of Heart Disease and promote life changes that will increase the longevity and quality of the lives of women around the globe. The
Mansfield Cedar Hill Nupesare proud to partner in the fight against Heart Disease.
The truth about heart disease:
Cardiovascular diseases kill nearly 50,000 African-American women annually.
Forty-nine percent of African-American women 20 years of age and older have heart disease.
Only one in five African-American women believes she is personally at risk.
Only 52 percent of African-American women are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
Only 36 percent of African-American women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk
The truth about high blood pressure:
More than 40 percent of African Americans suffer from high blood pressure which is more severe in African Americans than whites and develops earlier in life.
Early diagnosis and treatment can result in a better quality of life and lower mortality from the condition.
Medical researchers have found that there may be a gene that makes African Americans more sensitive to the effects of salt which, in turn, increases the risk for developing high blood pressure. As little as one extra gram (half teaspoon) of salt in people who have this gene could raise blood pressure.
African Americans generally tend to have higher rates of obesity and diabetes which puts the population at greater risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.
The truth about prevention
Be honest with and about yourself. African-American women, particularly those who consider themselves perfectly healthy, too often fail to acknowledge that their perception may not always equal reality.
Lower your salt and sodium intake. Before you consume it, read the label and be knowledgeable about what is contained in the food you eat.
Commit to improving your eating habits by developing a healthy diet and healthy cooking skills. Eat more fruits and vegetable and stay hydrated.
Get moving! Practice an active lifestyle and eliminate sedentary practices from your daily routine.
Schedule regular check-ups with your physician to monitor your health.
