While heart disease has been traditionally known as a “man’s disease”, it’s the number one killer of women in Illinois and the US. The LaSalle County Health Department is asking people to red Friday for National Wear Red Day. Health Educator Leslie Dougherty says it’s to increase awareness of heart health to help save lives. She says factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight increases a person’s chance of getting the disease.
She also says women are more likely to show signs of a heart attack. She says don’t be afraid to call 911 if you feel symptoms.
To decrease your chance of getting heart disease, Dougherty says people should be more physically active and try to decrease their stress level. You should also know your cholesterol and blood pressure as well.