Give your Mother a gift of health—encourage her to learn more about heart disease

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women. In fact, this disease kills one out of every three American women. By finding out about her risk for heart disease, your Mother can take action to ensure a longer, healthier life.

Only 57 percent of women know that heart disease is their leading cause of death and most fail to make the connection between its risk factors—such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol—and their personal risk of developing heart disease.

A nationwide campaign—The Heart Truth—is underway to raise awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

The good news is that heart disease is preventable. Your mother can learn about her personal risk by asking her doctor these important questions:

1. What is my risk for heart disease?

2. What are my blood pressure, cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides), body mass index, and blood glucose numbers? What do they mean for me and what do I need to do about it?

3. What other screening tests for heart disease do I need? How often should I return for checkups for my heart health?

4. What can you do to help me quit smoking?

5. How can I tell if I may be having a heart attack? If I’m having one, what should I do?

Heart Healthy Eating

Cutting the risk of heart disease also involves eating healthful dishes. The Heart Truth provides healthy versions of recipes for favorites such as sweet, Southernstyle barbecued chicken, classic but lower-fat macaroni and cheese, moist apple coffee cake, and many more.

Mothers can also make their favorite recipes heart healthy by making easy, tasty ingredient substitutions for eggs, butter, salt, and shortening.

The Heart Truth campaign is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For recipes and more tips on ingredient substitutions, look for “When Delicious Meets Nutritious: Recipes for Heart Health” and other heart health information on  ww.hearttruth.gov or call the NHLBI Health Information Center at 301-592-8573

(TTY: 240-629-3255).