Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. According to the CDC, only 54 percent of women are aware of this fact.

February is American Heart Month, a time to advertise the dangers of heart disease and the ways in which to prevent it. Tomorrow, February 5, is National Wear Red Day, a day organized by Go Red for Women, a nonprofit organization within the American Heart Association. To begin supporting the cause, all you need to do is wear red on Friday!

There are additional activities and events you can participate in this month. Some are quick and can be completed at your leisure online. The first step toward positive change is to be informed. Go Red for Women provides an abundance of heart health information on their website, including causes and prevention of heart disease, factors that increase the risk of heart disease, the symptoms of a silent heart attack, and much more.

To show support online, you can add a red filter to your Twitter or Facebook profile. You can also take photos of you, your family, your colleagues or even your pets wearing red and share them with the Mid-Michigan division of the American Heart Association Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #WearRedDay or #GoRedMi.

Finally, Sparrow Health Hospital is hosting a free, interactive and educational heart health luncheon on February 16, 2016, in Charlotte, Michigan.

Most importantly, this month serves as a reminder to strive for health in everyday life. Although some risk factors for heart disease cannot be controlled, such as genetics, you do have control over the many bad habits that increase the risk of to heart disease, such as smoking, unhealthy eating, and stress. Get informed and spread the word this month!