Awareness Angel Pin 

  

February is American Heart Month - which is why we here at Charming Chick - want to do our part to bring awareness and to help in the fight against heart disease.      

  

       

  

According the American Heart Association, 90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease, yet there is a lack of awareness and understanding about the severity and prevalence of heart disease in women. More women die each year from heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. The good news is that while heart disease is the leading cause of death in women 20 years or older, it is also the most preventable.      

  

        

  

What are the Risk Factors?      

  

      

  

 The American Heart Association and Health.com lists several risk factor which can lead to heart disease and stroke.     

  

• Age - 65 or older   
• Race - African-Americans and Hispanic Americans are at an increased risk
•  Genetics  - If you have close family members who have had heart disease, you are at risk.   
• Gender - Men have a greater risk than women of having a heart attack. Women's risk of heart disease increases after menopause.   
• Smoking - increases your risk 2 to 4 times as much as someone who doesn't.   
• High Blood Pressure - Makes your heart work harder and puts you are risk for many health issues.   
• Obesity - Even if you have no other risk factors this is a big one that can lead to heart attack or stroke.   
• Diabetes -  About three-quarters of people with diabetes die from some form of heart or blood vessel disease.
     

    

      

Awareness Scarf        

How Do You Prevent it?       

 To help prevent a heart attack and stroke you need to get healthy and that includes:       

• Maintaining a heart healthy diet
• Getting regular exercise
• Managing stress
• Managing your weight
• Quitting smoking
• Limiting unhealthy fats 

        

    

 Awareness Tote  

At Charming Chick we have several items that can be purchased to bring awareness to this deadly but highly preventable disease. A portion of the proceeds from these items, are donated to the American Heart Association.   

       

        

   

     

   

  

 

At one time or another, most people have either worn - or at least seen - an awareness ribbon; they have been around for many years. In the 1970’s the yellow ribbon surfaced, to show support for the safe return of soldiers, in the 1990’s the red ribbon began being used, to bring awareness for those affected by the AIDS epidemic, shortly after that we saw the pink ribbon worn in support of breast cancer – and today, we see awareness ribbons in all the colors of the rainbow and each one can represent several causes.   

So what is an awareness ribbon and why do people choose to wear them? Well, the first reason is in the name itself – to raise awareness about a cause; which in turn can help raise funds to aid in supporting the cause. Merchandise like pins, magnets, key chains, bracelets, shirts, hats, etc. which have the ribbon of choice on it, are sold and most often a large percent if not all the funds raised, go to help the cause.

Many people all have countless reasons for wearing an awareness ribbon, but they all boil down to the same reasons – they are a symbol which unite the supporters of the cause, they open the door to conversations about the cause, and last – and most importantly – they are a reminder that life, is so very precious and that every person matters.

At Charming Chick we are proud to offer many awareness ribbon items that can be worn to show support and bring awareness to whichever cause (or causes) are near and dear to your heart. We have charms, hats, shirts, pins and much, much more.

 If you would like a full list of ribbons colors and the causes they represent Click Here. If you know of a cause that we do not have listed, please let us know, and we will be happy to include it.

 

February is Heart Disease Awareness Month.  Did you know that heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death among women?  This year more than 450,000 American women will die from heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Lack of knowledge and awareness is often the primary reason that women do not receive the treatment that they need.  The symptoms are often more subtle in women, and women are much less likely to report chest pain during a heart attack.

Spreading awareness is critical - Talk to your doctor about your risks and make sure you spread the word to all the women in your life.

If you would like to learn more about heart disease, please visit the American Heart Association website.