Campus goes red to get healthy

A woman's life is filled with balancing acts. Between balancing work with family and balancing wants with needs, finding time to develop healthy habits can seem an impossible task. Over time, the stress of life and duty can tip the scales toward poor health and heart disease can be a result.

Beginning in 2004, the American Heart Association created the Go Red for Women campaign to raise women's awareness about heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. However, women tend to perceive themselves as having a lower risk for heart disease than men, making it crucial to raise their awareness.

For the past four years the Office of Student Life has observed National Wear Red Day, but this year the campus will support the Go Red campaign by hosting several events over the week of Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, in addition to observing Wear Red Day Feb. 2.

"Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women," said Sheila Carter, program coordinator for the Office of Student Life. "So we need to focus on diet, fitness and awareness so we can prevent heart disease."

Many events will focus on those factors. Not only will there be information provided to students about risk factors and prevention, but events like the Poker Walk and the A'viands Heart-healthy Cooking Demo will teach students healthy lifestyle habits they can carry into the future, Carter said.

"I think a lot of students don't know or just assume, because of youth, that they are not susceptible to heart disease," Carter said. "So they're not aware of what the symptoms are and they're not looking for signs. I also think this is a wonderful time for students to become familiar with the signs because we have people all around us—mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers—who are susceptible."

The first day of Go Red week, Jan. 30, will feature an informational display booth in the University Union.  According to Carter, the booth will be stocked with Red Dress lapel pins, leaflets, bracelets and other Go Red items. Also, heart disease survivor Paula Fleurant, who was a guest speaker last year, will be at the booth to talk to people about prevention and warning signs. A drawing will take place consisting of entries accepted at the booth, and students will have the opportunity to win Go Red prizes.

The next two days, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, will feature events designed to get students moving and focusing on the importance of physical activity. The Zumba Dance Party, led by a Kress Events Center instructor, will take place in the Alumni Rooms of the University Union Jan. 31. It's free and open to anyone who wishes to participate.

The event Feb. 1 is a walk—but rather than taking place outside, the Poker Walk for Wear Red will take place along the concourse, or tunnels, of the university. Students can register for the walk the day of the event in the Office of Student Life and receive a map outlining the walking route. The first 50 students to sign up will receive a pedometer and there are chances for participants to win prizes at the end.

Along the route of the Poker Walk will be five stations. At each station, students will pick up a poker chip. After getting all five chips, the route will bring them back to the Office of Student Life where they will turn in their poker chips and be dealt a hand of cards and their spread will be recorded. Then, at the end of the walk, there will be a drawing held. The first three participants whose names are drawn with the top poker hands will be given prizes, Carter said.

They will continue to do the drawing process until all the prizes are given away, Carter said. Prizes for the Poker Walk will include water bottles, mugs and a select few vouchers for a consultation with a personal trainer. The walk takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and students can begin their walk at any time during the event's hours. The route takes approximately one half-hour to complete.

"It's a nice way for people to familiarize themselves with the concourse," Carter said. "It's an easy walk and it's wonderful because it's indoors, it's all a flat surface and you don't have to worry about going out in the weather or being cold. So people can do it any time and once they become familiar with that one-mile walk they can walk it any time they like."

National Wear Red Day will be observed Feb. 2. Students, faculty and staff can show their support for the Go Red Campaign by wearing red for the day, whether it is a single red item or an entirely red ensemble. Carter said anyone who forgets to wear red that day can go to the Go Red booth in the Union, which will supply red stickers, bracelets and ribbons.

Also Feb. 2, Student Life will team up with A'viands to present a Heart-healthy Cooking Demo in the Leona Cloud Commons. The demo will feature recipes that can be done easily on a college-student budget and in a college residence hall.

The weeks' events will end Feb. 3, with free blood pressure checks in the Union, provided by Health Services at the Go Red booth.

Aside from events and wearing red in support of the campaign, there are other ways students can spread the word about heart health to women they love. Currently, the Student Life website features the video "Just a Little Heart Attack," created by and starring actress Elizabeth Banks for Go Red for Women. The short film uses humor to show that when women get caught up in taking care of everyone else, they often ignore themselves and their own health—in the case of the video, Banks' character even manages to ignore the telltale signs of a heart attack.