Did you know that childhood obesity is the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking?  Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood. If current trends continue, today’s kids could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.   Help your child develop healthy habits early in life that will bring lifelong benefits. As you gain practical tips on helping your kids eat nutritious meals and enjoy a physically active lifestyle, be sure to apply these same behaviors to your own life. The best way to lead your child to a healthy lifestyle is to set a positive example yourself.  Find out how.

Heart attack warning signs in women can be different than men.  Even though heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, women often chalk up the symptoms to less life-threatening conditions like acid reflux, the flu or normal aging.  Even when the signs are subtle, the consequences can be deadly, especially if the victim doesn’t get help right away.  Heart disease is preventable.  Learn More

•       9 in 10 Americans aged 2 years and older eat too much sodium.
•       44% of the sodium we eat comes from just 10 types of foods.
•       65% of sodium we eat comes from foods sold in grocery stores.
•       25% of sodium we eat comes from foods served in restaurants.
•       Too much sodium can raise high blood pressure and increase your risk for heart disease      and stroke.
•       800,000 people die each year from heart disease, stroke and other vascular diseases.

This Valentine's Day, indulge with a heart-healthy gift.

• Quality time is one of the most meaningful gifts.  Bundle up and plan an active outing such as sledding, ice skating,  or if you're feeling adventurous, visit an indoor rock wall.
• If your children are having a Valentine's Day party at their school or day care, instead of sending candies, consider mini-boxes of raisins, mini-bags of pretzels, pencils or stickers.
• Cooking at home is an excellent way to control the quality and amounts of what you eat.  

On January 31st, President Obama signed a proclamation declaring February 2012 as American Heart Month. 

Every year, heart disease takes the lives of over half a million Americans, and it remains the leading cause of death in the United States.  The President encouraged men and women across the country to take the steps necessary to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.  Read the full proclamation here.

Eating too much sodium increases blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.  The American Heart Association wants to help all Americans lower the amount of sodium they consume. 

• encouraging manufacturers to reduce the amount of sodium in the food supply;
• advocating for more healthy foods to be available and accessible (for example, more fruits and vegetables); and
• providing consumers with education and decision-making tools to make better food choices.

To learn what  you can do, please get the facts on shaking the habit.

Secondhand smoke is a known cause of lung cancer, heart disease, chronic lung ailments such as bronchitis and asthma (particularly in children), and low birth-weight births.


Over 38,000 people die every years in the United States and over one million illnesses in children are caused by secondhand smoke - every year! Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids


Provide a level playing field for all businesses across the Commonwealth (No Exemptions!)  Clean Indoor Air legislation does not have a negative impact on businesses – in some cases, businesses grow.


There is a dedicated Comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Facebook page for Pennsylvania!  Everyone in Pennsylvania deserves clean indoor air.  No more clean indoor air exemptions!  


Please “like” the Clean Indoor Air for All Pennsylvanians Facebook page and share your thoughts and ideas.  

CELEBRATE WEAR RED DAY!
About 8 million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease, yet only one in six believes heart disease is her greatest health threat. This represents a significant disconnect between women’s beliefs about their heart health status – and reality.

We must learn the truth about our No. 1 killer so we can save our own lives, and the hearts of the women we love. Learn the facts:

• Common symptoms for women included pain of the jaw, arm or back, but most reported a delay in seeking treatments after the symptoms began of anywhere from 15 minutes to two weeks.
• Learn your personal risk of heart disease – including family history, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar – and make simple lifestyle changes that can save your life.

Take action against women’s No. 1 killer – wear RED and visit GoRedForWomen.org.   

February 3rd is National Wear Red Day!  Make every part of your celebration “Red” by enjoying these red foods and drinks!
Red Berry Squares: Make strawberry-flavored gelatin mixed with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Cut into squares before serving.

Frozen Watermelon Bites: Alternate frozen cubes of watermelon and mint leaves on a skewer and serve cold.

Ravin’ Red Smoothie: Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, ½ cup frozen strawberries, ½ cup frozen raspberries and 1 frozen banana.

Red Pasta: Cook whole-wheat spaghetti and top with low-sodium marinara sauce, diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.

Baked Red Apple Dessert: Fill 1 whole red apple (cored) with ¼ cup chopped almonds, ¼ cup dried cranberries, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 350° or until sugar bubbles.

Perfect Polenta: Cook polenta and mix with roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper and sun-dried tomato.

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers: Stuff 1 red bell pepper (cored) with ½ cup cooked brown rice, ¼ diced red onion, ¼ cup ground turkey (browned), 1 tbsp. parsley, salt and pepper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until pepper is heated through.

Roasted Red Cabbage Salad: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups chopped red cabbage (roasted), ½ cup red onion (thinly sliced and sautéed), ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. olive oil and sea salt.

Red Bean Salsa: Combine 2 cups red beans, ½ cup diced red onions, 1 cup diced red tomato, ¼ cup diced jalapeño (remove seeds), ¼ cup chopped parsley, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, salt and pepper.

For heart-healthy recipes visit GoRedForWomen.org/betterU

Join the Wear Red Day Challenge!

Join the excitement of our first-ever Wear Red Day Challenge as we spotlight our most spirited supporters in a friendly competition. Go to Facebook.com/GoRed to review the 13 Wear Red Day Award categories. Submit your videos or photos on the Wear Red Day Challenge tab on our Facebook Page from Jan. 23 to Feb. 23. Encourage others to vote for you by “liking” your submissions; winners will be announced Feb. 25.

Go Red on Wear Red Day, February 3rd 2012, and help fight the #1 killer of Women.

• Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, taking the life of one woman every minute.
• More women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
• The facts are clear. More women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Unfortunately, the killer isn’t as easy to see. Heart disease is often silent, hidden and misunderstood.

The truth is, our lives are in our hands. We can stop our No. 1 killer together by sharing the truth. We can be the difference between life and death.

Help us stop our No. 1 killer, GoRedForWomen.org

I can’t possibly eat that many servings of vegetables, etc.!

Before you decide that you can’t eat as many servings of ANYTHING as suggested, think small fist, baseball, hockey puck and a computer mouse. These are all things that describe a “serving size.” The comparisons will help you eat more of the things you need and less of the things you don’t.

• One serving of raw leafy vegetables or a baked potato should be about the size of a small fist. A serving is a lot smaller than most people think.
• A cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt, or a medium fruit should equal about the size of a baseball.
• A half a bagel is about the size of a hockey puck and represents a serving from the grains group.
• Three ounces of cooked lean meat or poultry is about the size of a computer mouse. Three ounces of grilled fish is about the size of a checkbook.
• A teaspoon of soft margarine is about the size of one die.
• An ounce of fat-free or low-fat cheese is about the size of six stacked dice.