This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Mayor Brian Bagley officially proclaimed Friday, February 1, 2019 to be “Wear Red Day” in Longmont at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. The proclamation is meant to get Longmont involved in the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement, and to raise awareness for women’s heart health as we kick off American Heart Health Month in February.
Those accepting the proclamation and speaking on the topic at the meeting were Christina Edstrom of the Healthy Longmont Coalition, Naomi Gollnick of the American Heart Association, Jodie Pompa of the Healthy Longmont Coalition and Smart Food Made Simple, and Tessa Hale of the Boulder County Health Department.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in women in the U.S., killing one woman around every 80 seconds. On February 1, wearing red shows that you stand in solidarity with those afflicted by these diseases, and it helps inform the public of the true dangers that they pose. Wear Red Day is meant to encourage women to commit to physical exercise, healthy dieting habits, and to meet with their health care provider to determine their cardiovascular disease risk.
“This proclamation represents an opportunity to encourage community members to wear red, to know their risk factors, and to live longer and healthier lives,” said Christina Edstrom. “We’re excited that the City of Longmont is a live-well Colorado, healthy eating and active-living city, and is issuing a proclamation recognizing the importance of healthy eating, active living, and supporting healthy lifestyles for everybody.”
Wearing red on Friday is a great way to kick off American Heart Health Month, and all are encouraged to participate. There are many risk factors associated with heart disease. Because of this, it is important that communities come together to support those in need, and to encourage all of us to live healthy lives.
