Rock the Red and Support Heart Health

In honor of National Wear Red Day today, I wore one of my favorite dresses to work.

In addition to being red and perfect for the occasion, I love it for a bunch of other reasons:

• It's totally comfortable.
  

• It's a stretchy jersey fabric, so it travels well.


• I always feel skinny (relatively speaking) in it.


• It always gets me a ton of compliments.


• I think I paid $22 for it at either Ross or T.J. Maxx, so I've once again confirmed my mastery as a bargain shopper!

But the dress isn't the important part - National Wear Red Day is! It's a special day to celebrate the choices we have to beat heart disease - the nation's No. 1 killer of women. This cause is a big deal for me because heart disease runs rampant in my family, especially on my Dad's side. And although most of my family members impacted have been men, I'm at a significantly higher risk than many women because of my family history.

Now I will admit, I am far from the best person on the planet at taking care of my heart. I have way to much stress in my life, much of it self imposed. I hardly exercise, other than climbing the stairs of the parking garage at work and jumping up and down when the Kings score a goal - not exactly aerobic exercise. I don't eat as well as I should. And let's face it, I'm carrying too much extra weight. There, I said it.

But here's the good news. The minute you start making an effort to change your behavior, it helps. So I walked with my friend Tammy to lunch today instead of driving, even in spite of the rain. And I ordered a half turkey sandwich and organic tomato bisque soup instead of the pasta I wanted. And tomorrow, I'll try to do a little more, because every little bit counts.

You can find out more about women and heart disease by visiting GoRedForWomen.org. Show your support for the cause, share a personal story about heart disease, or talk about choices you're making every day to beat it. You can even sign up and receive a free red dress pin! Who doesn't love free stuff!

Most importantly, do it because, if you're reading, you matter to me, and I want you around in my life for as long as you want to be there. And if you don't want to do it for me, do it for someone else you love. Because a good heart is hard to find.