Heart health has Athens businesses wearing red

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Ohio and the United States, but Ohio University and Athens local businesses are working to raise heart health awareness by celebrating National Wear Red Day today.

Heidi Anderson, the special events coordinator of WellWorks in the College of Health and Human Services, said the holiday is important to the area because most women don't know how to apply information on heart disease to them.

If a woman is having symptoms of a heart attack

she'll put off calling 9-1-1 whereas men won't Anderson said. Women need to be informed and empowered.

Today, through Sunday women are invited to attend a free fitness trial day at WellWorks, located in Grover Center, Curves of Athens, 2101 E. State St., and the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St.

Local restaurants are also promoting heart health with National Wear Red Day specials. Della Zona, 270 E. State St., is offering red mocktail specials and heart healthy appetizers. Avalanche Pizza, 329 E. State St., is offering $10 off a WellWorks membership with the purchase of a heart healthy pizza.

Lui Lui's is offering Red Dress Specials for lunch and dinner and a portion of all the proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association.

We've been supporting National Wear Red Day for three years

said Jade Mu, manager of Lui Lui. Heart disease runs in my family

so raising awareness is important to me.

Both women and men should have blood-cholesterol levels checked every five years, beginning at the age of 20, Anderson said. If the individual has been diagnosed with high cholesterol, check-up time should be once a year.

Heart disease accounts for 33.2 percent of all female deaths in Ohio and on average, 51 women die from heart disease in Ohio each day, according to the American Heart Association.

For more information and a full list of events for National Wear Red Day, see http://www.goredathens.blogspot.com.