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Fashion and the Cause: SVL Goes Red for Heart Health Awareness Month

By Jessica Escalante | bio | contact

Model, Adriana Dress, $340

On February 5th, people of all over the country, regardless of color or background, wear red to represent heart disease awareness. At Su Voz Latina, we are showing our support through the eyes of fashion.

Though the month of February is generally associated with love, shades of red, cupids and cuteness, people from all over the country also come together to acknowledge a more serious issue, heart disease awareness—the silent killer that impacts a large population of women yearly.

In the early 70’s and 80’s, heart disease was often overlooked by many physicians. “Whenever a woman went to the emergency room [the hospital staff] would often think that she was neurotic or that she’d broken up with her boyfriend so [that was the reason] she was having chest pains,” stated Dr. Rafael Medrano of Cardiology Care Consultants. In the 90’s, when the numbers started coming in, physicians found that a lot of women were being misdiagnosed. “Now, it is found that more people die from heart disease than breast cancer,” stated Dr. Medrano.

Model, Paulina Dress, $425

“Atherosclerotic disease occurs when plaque (gunk) builds up in the arteries. The plaque breaks the artery and begins to form a scab, the scab plugs up the blood vessel. It’s the same with a stroke but a stroke involves the circulation in the brain,” stated Dr. Medrano. There are several things that can link to this plaque formation. Amongst those things are high cholesterol and diabetes as well as high blood pressure, smoking, and genetics. Now, what actually leads to the event [heart attack or stroke] is that this plaque breaks; it ruptures inside the artery.

According to Dr. Medrano, before menopause, a woman’s likelihood of heart disease is very low. It’s after menopause, and when women reach their 60’s, that they actually start to pass men in the incidents of coronary heart disease. Latinas, especially, should be concerned due to seemingly unhealthy diet and habits in our culture. “Unfortunately we have a lot of diabetes in this part of the country. I would probably say that in an area like this and in Latina women, [after menopause] the incidence of coronary heart disease is probably higher,” stated Dr. Medrano. In heavily Latino-populated regions of the country, it is often found that people trust abuela over their doctor. Unfortunately old family remedies are not the cure in preventing such illnesses. “We tend to [follow] beliefs and traditions from the past and across the border, I do have some patients who still believe that certain herbal remedies, garlic and various other things are helpful. There isn’t any scientific proof that these things are helpful,” stated Dr. Medrano.

In general, the healthier a person is before the attack or stroke, the better the chances that they’ll survive. “But there’s really no prediction; you can have a young, 40-year-old individual die of a heart attack and you can have a 90-year-old woman survive. In the United States and in the western world, believe it or not, coronary artery disease begins very early,” claimed Dr. Medrano. People often find that the most recommended source for heart health is fish oil. Dr. Medrano stated that fish oil tends to lessen the inflammation of the coronary artery and also lessens the lifted levels of the blood. In addition to fish oils, physicians also recommend adding fruits and vegetables to ones diet and staying as far away as possible from junk food.

Unfortunately the underlying cause of what leads to the disease is really unknown.  What physicians do know and recommend is that by keeping an active and healthy lifestyle, people may be able to prevent heart disease from striking.

Hair, Jessica Avila • Makeup, Joseph Carrillo • Gowns, Ella Blu Models from left to right, Adriana (dress $79), Anick (dress $475) and Paulina (dress $425).