University News

WIU Marking Heart Health Month

January 14, 2015

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MACOMB, IL – February is Heart Health Month, and Friday, Feb. 6 is National Wear Red Day for Women's Heart Health, sponsored by the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women organization.

On Feb. 6, in the Western Illinois University Multicultural Center, the WIU Women's Center, in collaboration with Beu Health Education, Campus Recreation, the Employee Wellness Committee and the Dietetics, Fashion Merchandising and Hospitality (DFMH) Department, will sponsor a Go Red Luncheon, with speakers, door prizes and a resource fair with information on heart-healthy living.

The resource fair will be from 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. In addition to the sponsoring organizations, resource tables will be provided by WIU's Alcohol and Other Drugs Resource Center, Beu Students T.A.L.K. Peer Educators, Eta Sigma Gamma, the McDonough County Health Department, McDonough District Hospital Outreach Services, the University Counseling Center and the Macomb Hy-Vee Food Store.

According to Women's Center Graduate Assistant Ashley Schantz, who is serving as chair of this year's Go Red Planning Committee, attendees will be able to take home resources for heart healthy living at WIU and in the Macomb area.

"Free BIA and blood pressure testing will be provided by Campus Recreation and Beu Health Center, and door prizes include a massage donated by Penny's Paradise, Yoga sessions donated by Summer Moon Yoga and books on women's heart health donated by the Women's Center," Schantz said.

The luncheon, which will be held from noon-12:50 p.m., will feature heart-healthy food catered by students from Associate Professor Carol Longley's Family and Consumer Sciences 356 class. This year's menu includes pasta primavera, salad, low-fat strawberry shortcake and a beverage. The meal is $10 for non-students and $6 for students. Reservations and payment are due by Wednesday, Jan. 28 to the Women's Center. Students may charge to their account with Rocky Dollars; checks may be made payable to the Women's Center.

Longley, a faculty member in Western's Department of Dietetics, Fashion Merchandising and Hospitality, will be the featured speaker at this year's luncheon.

"I am interested in heart-healthy education on both a personal and professional level," Longley said. "My mother and aunt battled high cholesterol, and each has had many strokes. They lived before the ‘statin' drugs were developed, so they had to greatly rely on diet modifications to change their cholesterol levels. Professionally, I have been teaching heart healthy workshops, counseling patients with high cholesterol and working with stroke victims for 40 years."

JoAnn Hairston-Jones, health education coordinator at WIU's Beu Health Center, believes National Wear Red Day is a good opportunity to educate students and other campus and local community members about the importance of heart health.

"Heart disease is the number one killer of American women," Hairston-Jones said. "Heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases kill more U.S. women than the next five causes of death combined, so events such as this can help educate women and others about the risk factors - diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, being overweight and smoking - and help each of us take an active role in preventing heart disease."

The committee is encouraging WIU students to attend the event.

"Hypertension is becoming more common among younger adults," Hairston-Jones said. "Its prevalence increases with lifestyle factors, genetics, and can adversely affect heart health."

For more information, contact Hairston-Jones at (309) 298-3225, or J-Hairston-Jones@wiu.edu or Women's Center Director Janine Cavicchia at (309) 298-2242 or J-Cavicchia@wiu.edu. Learn more about the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day event GoRedforWomen.org.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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