February is Heart Disease Awareness Month — the American Heart Association calls it “Go Red” month to highlight heart disease in women and how to prevent the #1 killer of women each year. Heart disease kills more women each year than breast cancer: almost one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease.

However, most — over 80% of cardiac emergencies in women — can be prevented with proper diet, exercise, and not smoking.  Focusing on low sodium foods and cutting out processed carbohydrates can make huge differences in our susceptibility to heart disease.

It’s also important to know the signs of a heart attack — which differ in women and men. Signs a woman is possibly having a heart attack include:

- Chest discomfort — tightness, pressure, pain — in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body including pain in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. These are especially important if they occur during exercise.

- Shortness of breath accompanied with chest discomfort.

- Cold sweats, nausea, or light-headedness.

If you feel any of the above or any type of chest discomfort — err on the side of caution. Call 911.