Two Weyburn women are sharing "The Heart Truth", after experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime event in Toronto. The opportunity came through the Heart and Stroke Foundation's contest, "Nutrition Makeover".
Marcie Becker entered the contest and was chosen as the winning contestant from Saskatchewan, and she was able to bring along her mother Marlene Becker. They were in Toronto for a full day of activities on March 24, hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
"The Heart Truth" is the Heart and Stroke Foundation's national public health education campaign to raise awareness that heart disease and stroke is the leading cause of death for Canadian women. The campaign educates women about identifying their risks and warning signs of heart disease and stroke, and shows them how to take charge of their heart health by making lifestyle changes.
Marcie and Marlene were able to attend the annual Heart Truth Fashion Show, where top Canadian celebrities and fashion designers join forces with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to make healthy hearts fashionable. They started the day in groups of four with a registered nutritionist for an educational tour of the gigantic new Longos grocery store in downtown Toronto, located across the street from the CN Tower.
On the tour, they were taught how to make healthier grocery choices and were given personal advice on healthier eating. Some things that were stressed were reducing trans fats, reducing salt, reducing calories, increasing fibre and increasing exercise. In the Longos teaching kitchen, Chef Emily Richards prepared five healthy recipes and offered healthy cooking tips, stressing the key of using ingredients such as whole grains products, low-fat, low salt, and ensuring proper portion control of meals. The recipes prepared includes healthy versions of stuffed mushrooms, cold salsa soup, a greens fruit salad, white fish with a sweet and sour sauce, and a fruit coffee cake topped with yogurt.
Later that evening, the ladies enjoyed a meal at a reception at the Park Hyatt Hotel that the chefs prepared with a variety of healthy foods. Then they attended the Heart Truth Fashion Show at the historical Carlu, which is an events centre that was once owned by the Eaton family. This invite-only affair combined both Canadian celebrities and designers that traditionally leads up to the Toronto Fashion week.
The red dresses worn by Canadian celebrities were one-of-a-kind fashions created by top designers in Canada. This was the fourth year of the event, which is held to raise awareness about women's risk for cardiovascular disease. As the official symbol of "The Heart Truth" campaign, the red dress represents women's courage, passion and their power for change as they share the truth with others and raise awareness about the importance of hearth health.
Canadian fashion designers who created the red dresses included Jessica Biffi, Marika Brose, Izzy Camilleri, Joeffer Caoc, Farley Chatto, Greta Constatine, Ines De Santo, David Dixon, Kaelen, Karamea, LOVAS, Ross Mayer and Vanessa Pagwandas. The celebrity models included Bael Arneson, Tre Armstrong, Isabelle Brasseur, Deborah Cox, Wendy Crewson, Arlene Dickinson, Mylene Dinh-Robic, Megan Follows, Chan Hon Gogh, Christiane Laberge, Debra McGrath, Andrea Martin, Colin Mochrie, Enuka Okuma, Seamus O'Regan, Dina Pugliese, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Emmanuelle Vaugier.
The celebrity representing Saskatchewan during the event was Sainte-Marie.
"The Heart Truth" campaign helps Canadian women make the connection between high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and sedentary lifestyles, and increased risks for heart disease and stroke.
The campaign encourages women to reduce their risk factors and empowers them to seek the advice and care they need from their doctor.
As both Marcie and Marlene learned during the event, women can significantly reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke by as much as 80 per cent by making lifestyle changes and taking action to protect their heart health.
Signs of a heart attack include one or more of the following: chest pain or discomfort; pain in arm, neck, jaw, shoulder or back; sweating; nausea; difficulty breathing; and fear or anxiety. Signs of a stroke include one or more of the following: sudden weakness or numbness; loss of muscle strength in fact, arm or leg; trouble speaking; vision problems; severe headache; and dizziness.
Canadians can show their support for "The Heart Truth" by purchasing and wearing a red dress pin, the official symbol of the campaign. Red dress pins are available by donation at local heart and Stroke Foundation offices, and 100 per cent of proceeds will be reinvested into heart disease initiatives.
