Why I Wear Red

Losing even one woman to heart disease is too many...especially when she's your mom.

On October 30 2022, my mom boarded a plane to return home from a trip. She didn’t make it off alive. At some point during the flight she suffered a heart attack and died. Today is Wear Red Day, I want to spread awareness for cardiovascular disease in women so no one else has to lose someone they love to this disease.

I have spent so much time trying to piece together what happened in the days and moments leading up to her death. While I know I will never understand why it happened, there is one crucial moment that may have made a difference in her chances for survival.

I’m told she mentioned shortness of breath and went into the bathroom. 10 minutes later, she was gone. By all accounts, she was experiencing many of the signs of a heart attack that present in women. If she had not isolated herself in that moment, someone may have been able to see her distress and intervene.

All these what ifs won’t bring her back, but it has taught me how important it is that people understand what a heart attack looks like in women. It presents differently than in men, and often women don’t voice their distress.

In honor of Wear Red Day, I shared a heart health guide to bring awareness to women's cardiovascular health which you can download here. Inside, you'll find information and data from American Heart Association, as well as tips and recipes I provide my own nutrition coaching clients. Understand your risk factors. Know the signs. Be an active participant in your own health. It just might save a life.