Red, it’s powerful and scintillating, and the color of that most vital fluid that pumps through our hearts. The right red dress can really fire up your appearance, making you stand out in a crowd and drawing the eye.

It can also help support an important cause, bringing awareness to a disease that kills thousands of women every year, Heart Disease. Wear Red Day is your chance to help spread the word about Heart disease, and make sure that your friends and family can start taking the first steps to heart health.

History of Wear Red Day

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute established this campaign to help bring awareness to the fact that 610,000 people die every year from heart disease, making it the most lethal disease in the United States, and around the world.

The sources of heart disease are many and affect every stratum of culture and civilization. Heart disease isn’t one condition, but many, and can be caused by diabetes, a lack of exercise, high cholesterol, blood pressure, and alcohol consumption have all been linked to diseases of the heart. Even more concerning is that nearly all of these causes are preventable, and yet people continue to die by the thousands each year.

Age is a heavy factor in vulnerability to heart disease, our susceptibility triples with every new decade, with fatty streaks forming in the heart even in our adolescence. So it’s never too early to start being aware of this life-destroying disease and ensure that your life won’t be destroyed by this terrible condition.

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY BY NUMBERS

1 in 3 – The number of adults who suffer from high blood pressure.

17.9 million – The number of people who died from heart diseases around the world in 2016.

80% – The percentage of heart diseases that are preventable with regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco, and maintaining a healthy diet.

12% – The percentage of stroke victims that die from it.

50% – The percentage of women who die within five years of having a heart attack.

33% – The percentage of women who do not engage in sports or physical activity.

43 million – The number of women who currently have some type of heart disease.

655,000 – The number of Americans who die annually from heart disease.

5 FACTS ABOUT HEART HEALTH THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

1. Diet and exercise: Your greatest weapon

   Regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce your chances of heart disease by as much as 80 percent.

2. Social/Cultural Factors

   African American women are disproportionately affected by heart disease irregardless of age, class, and income.

3. Sex appeals to a healthy heart

   Not only does sex count as exercise by raising your heart rate, it also balances your testosterone and estrogen levels, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress, all vital components in long term heart health.

4. Global takeover

   Go Red is licensed by 48 different organizations in 42 countries.

5. More than one way to give

   There are several ways you can donate to the Go Red cause including in memoriam donations and monthly subscription gifts.

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY DATES