To Your Health: Heart association to host expo for women

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Nutrition sessions and handouts will be part of the community expo for women set for Feb. 24. | Supplied photo

Updated: February 26, 2012 8:09AM

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, claiming the life of one in three women each year.

While the statistics are sobering, there is good news. Nearly 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

Chicago area women are invited to take control of their heart health at the first-ever Go Red for Women Community Expo from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the University of Illinois at Chicago Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Ave., Chicago.

The free event will include heart health screenings, interactive workshops on healthy living and take-home resources. To register for the program, go to www.ChicagoGoRedforWomen.org or call (312) 476-6679.

“Heart disease kills more women than the next three causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer,” said Kim Feil, chairman of Chicago’s 2012 Go Red for Women campaign. “But heart disease is largely preventable with knowledge and healthy lifestyle habits. With the Community Health Expo, we want to empower women to take control of their heart health and show them how easy it can be to make healthy changes in their lives.”

At the expo, women will have the opportunity to take part in screenings, including tests for blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol and blood sugar. The event also will include town hall-style question and answer sessions in English and in Spanish, featuring physicians and other health care professionals. There also will be interactive workshops on heart-healthy living, with sessions on topics including nutrition and exercise.

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s national movement, created by women, for women. More information is at GoRedForWomen.org.