Speaking From the Heart
Speaking From the Heart
I am looking at a beautiful cover photo on a magazine called "Verve," published by our local health care organization. The photo is of our First Lady, Laura Bush, and the cover story is entitled, "Speaking From the Heart."
Let me quote a little of the article:
"We want all women to know 'the heart truth,' proclaimed First Lady Laura Bush at the Heart Truth campaign's Red Dress Preview during American Heart Month, February 2005, "which is that heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States."
Each year, nearly half a million women die from cardiovascular disease in America -- about 60,000 more women than men. According to Mrs. Bush, this sobering fact came as a surprise to her when she became an ambassador for The Heart Truth.
"Like many women, I assumed that heart disease was a man's disease," the First Lady remarked. It's this very misconception that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute seeks to dispel through The Heart Truth, a campaign that educates women about heart disease and encourages them to make their health a priority.
Studies show that a woman's No. 1 health-related fear is breast cancer. And yet the reality is that 1 in 2.5 women actually die of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases, compared with 1 in 30 who die of breast cancer. Indeed, cardiovascular disease is responsible for almost twice as many deaths among women as all forms of cancer combined. In addition, heart disease can lead to disability and a significantly decreased quality of life.
"Doctors and researchers provide hope that we can control this disease," Mrs. Bush told the New York audience, "but when it comes to heart disease, education and prevention can save lives."
The First Lady appropriately wears a red dress or suit whenever she speaks out for the cause of heart disease awareness, and she encourages others women to do so as well. "The color red symbolizes our commitment to fight heart disease and to educate every American about the power of prevention," declared Mrs. Bush, "and we know that nothing attracts attention like a red dress." (2006 National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 3.)
This very interesting article goes on to discuss preventive measures to head off heart disease, such as avoiding junk food, eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising, and not smoking. Such advice applies to both sexes, of course. But the article also points out that many doctors "fail to treat women as aggressively as they do men. Doctors order fewer tests for women and take fewer preventive measures such as prescribing drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
So much for the article. What follows is my own comment:
It is absolutely astounding that anyone would consider wearing red as a symbol of this campaign to be some kind of frivolous gesture. Symbolism often precedes other forms of action. And surely men shouldn't feel insecure or threatened because of this increased health awareness on the part of women. I know that before and after my OHS just after Saint Valentine's Day last year the women in my family and women among my associates and friends were those providing me the primary support necessary for healing. And of course that includes the wonderful nurses.
I want women to take better care of themselves so they'll be around to be themselves --- and to take care of us!
And besides red is a damn pretty color.
GO RED!
Speaking From the Heart
I am looking at a beautiful cover photo on a magazine called "Verve," published by our local health care organization. The photo is of our First Lady, Laura Bush, and the cover story is entitled, "Speaking From the Heart."
Let me quote a little of the article:
"We want all women to know 'the heart truth,' proclaimed First Lady Laura Bush at the Heart Truth campaign's Red Dress Preview during American Heart Month, February 2005, "which is that heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the United States."
Each year, nearly half a million women die from cardiovascular disease in America -- about 60,000 more women than men. According to Mrs. Bush, this sobering fact came as a surprise to her when she became an ambassador for The Heart Truth.
"Like many women, I assumed that heart disease was a man's disease," the First Lady remarked. It's this very misconception that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute seeks to dispel through The Heart Truth, a campaign that educates women about heart disease and encourages them to make their health a priority.
Studies show that a woman's No. 1 health-related fear is breast cancer. And yet the reality is that 1 in 2.5 women actually die of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases, compared with 1 in 30 who die of breast cancer. Indeed, cardiovascular disease is responsible for almost twice as many deaths among women as all forms of cancer combined. In addition, heart disease can lead to disability and a significantly decreased quality of life.
"Doctors and researchers provide hope that we can control this disease," Mrs. Bush told the New York audience, "but when it comes to heart disease, education and prevention can save lives."
The First Lady appropriately wears a red dress or suit whenever she speaks out for the cause of heart disease awareness, and she encourages others women to do so as well. "The color red symbolizes our commitment to fight heart disease and to educate every American about the power of prevention," declared Mrs. Bush, "and we know that nothing attracts attention like a red dress." (2006 National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 3.)
This very interesting article goes on to discuss preventive measures to head off heart disease, such as avoiding junk food, eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising, and not smoking. Such advice applies to both sexes, of course. But the article also points out that many doctors "fail to treat women as aggressively as they do men. Doctors order fewer tests for women and take fewer preventive measures such as prescribing drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
So much for the article. What follows is my own comment:
It is absolutely astounding that anyone would consider wearing red as a symbol of this campaign to be some kind of frivolous gesture. Symbolism often precedes other forms of action. And surely men shouldn't feel insecure or threatened because of this increased health awareness on the part of women. I know that before and after my OHS just after Saint Valentine's Day last year the women in my family and women among my associates and friends were those providing me the primary support necessary for healing. And of course that includes the wonderful nurses.
I want women to take better care of themselves so they'll be around to be themselves --- and to take care of us!
And besides red is a damn pretty color.
GO RED!
