health
T
he statistics are stagger-
ing. More than 260,000
women will die of heart
disease this year. Heart
disease, not breast cancer, is the
number one killer of American
women.
To heighten
awareness of heart
disease, Beaumont
Hospital's
Ministrelli Women's
Heart Center held a
Florine Ministrelli
16 • OCTOBER 2003 • STYLE AT THE JN
special event, kicking off the
nationwide "Red Dress Project."
The Project is a national exhibit of
dresses by top fashion designers,
including Marc Jacobs, Calvin
Klein and Carolina Herrera. The
red dresses symbolize the need to
make more women
aware of their risks
for heart disease.
It's not just a man's
disease anymore.
Dr. Pamela
Marcovitz, medical director of the
Women's Heart Center, lectured to
the largely female audience and
led a panel discussion that includ-
ed staff dietician Nancy Kennedy
and nurse practitioner Pam Gray.
Marcovitz outlined the risk eleva-
tors: high choles-
terol, high blood
pressure, sedentary
lifestyle, obesity,
diabetes, smoking,
stress and an elevat-
Lila Lazarus
ed CRP (a protein). Kennedy listed
heart-healthy foods that can actual-
ly raise the HDL or "good choles-
terol." She recommended soy
foods, almonds (or any nut), cran-
berry juice, wine, even a little bit
of chocolate.
Lest you think
heart-healthy foods
are bland and bor-
ing, Beaumont's
kitchens provided a
tasty spread that