February is not only a month to celebrate romance, love and candy hearts. It is also a time to draw attention to heart health. On the first Friday of February, join people all over the country in celebrating National Wear Red Day to raise awareness of women’s fight against heart disease. This will be the 11th year of the Go Red for Women movement.

Dubbed “the silent killer,” heart disease often has no noticeable signs. The most common symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness or dizziness, nausea and a quickened heartbeat can be caused by many other conditions, including anxiety.

Raising Awareness With Go Red For Women

Research in 2003 revealed that heart disease was the leading cause of death for women. To raise awareness and help save lives, American Heart Association launched Go Red For Women. The group chose the color red to represent its cause, as it is the color of our hearts. The red dress quickly caught on as an iconic symbol.

According to Go Red for Women, more than 25 million Red Dress pins have been worn to support heart disease awareness in women. More than 185 cities have hosted Go Red For Women events. For National Wear Red Day, celebrated the first Friday of each February, more than 2,000 landmarks across the nation have lit up in red. Visit Rivertown’s HamletHub to read about the changes Go Red for Women have seen in awareness and action since starting their work more than a decade ago.

Women and Heart Disease

Here are more statistics about heart disease in women from The Heart Foundation:

• Although it is often thought to be a man’s disease, a little more than half of the total deaths from heart disease each year in the U.S. are women,

• Eight million women in this country are currently living with heart disease. Of these, 35,000 are under the age of 65.

• The annual number of women in the U.S. who have heart attacks is 435,000. Of these, 83,000 are under the age of 65. Under age 44, there are 35,000.

• Heart attacks are twice as fatal in women under the age of 50 than they are in men.

• This last one may come as a surprise: The number of women who die annually from heart attacks is six times the number of women who die from breast cancer: 267,000 women. According to Go Red for Women, heart disease claims more lives than all forms of cancer combined.

Share Your Wear Red Photos With The Mind-Body Shift.

On Friday, I’ll be wearing red in honor of the many women living with and dying from heart disease. Take a look around your closet for something in vibrant red—from a sweater to a scarf—and show your support as well. Share your photos of how you are celebrating Wear Red Day with Mind-Body Shift on Facebook or Twitter.