February is Heart Research Month in Australia — also known as RedFeb.

It’s a great opportunity to learn more about your heart health and what’s happening to raise awareness of cardiac issues this month.

We’re going to take a look at heart health in the following article, in celebration of Heart Research Month 2023.

What’s Heart Research Month all about?

This month, it’s all about raising awareness of heart health issues and raising funds too, for research into these conditions.

RedFeb is organised by Heart Research Australia, which raises funds for research that helps all aspects of heart disease — from preventing heart disease to diagnosis and treatment.

Why is it important?

It’s so important to raise awareness of issues affecting heart health because heart disease affects two in three Australian people and is in fact the leading cause of death in our country.

This means that the vast majority of us know someone affected by heart disease — or are living with it ourselves.

Know that heart disease is a blanket term that covers conditions such as:

  • Coronary heart disease (where cholesterol deposits build up in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke)
  • Arrhythmia (abnormality of the heart’s rhythm)
  • Congenital heart defects (that you are born with)
  • Angina (pain in your chest or other areas when the blood supply to your heart is restricted because of narrow arteries)
  • Heart attack (when the blood supply to a part of your heart muscle becomes blocked)
  • High blood pressure

What should I know about my heart health?

Given that so many people’s lives will be touched by heart disease, it makes sense to use RedFeb as an opportunity to learn more about keeping the heart healthy.

Heart Research Australia has devised a simple way to keep your heart healthy, known as the “4-M approach”:

Move: Physical activity helps to keep your heart healthy by lowering blood pressure and reducing the thickness of blood so that clots are less likely. There are lots of other health benefits too, like aiding weight loss and stimulating your immune system.

Meals: Knowing how to achieve a healthy, balanced diet and getting the right amount of exercise is a good way to ensure the health of your heart and overall well-being.

Measurement: Knowing measurements like your blood pressure and cholesterol level will help you track your health and understand when you might be facing a medical issue. Check-in with your doctor to know more about taking ownership of your health.

Mental approach: Staying positive can have a beneficial impact on your health. Taking time out to nurture your mental health, for example by practising mindfulness or meditation can help reduce your chances of heart disease.

How can I get involved in RedFeb and heart health issues?

One of the simplest ways to get involved is to wear red during the month to raise awareness of the issues and get people talking.

You could encourage your workplace or school to wear red for a donation to Heart Research Australia, for example.

Other fundraising ideas include:

  • Holding a heart-healthy breakfast for colleagues, friends or neighbours
  • Running a “best dressed in red” competition
  • Getting your workplace to match every dollar you raise

You can use the following hashtags to publicise your activities on social media and encourage people to donate to a worthy cause:

  • #wearredanddonate
  • #REDFEB
  • #HROz
  • #researchsaveslives
  • #heartdiseaseawareness

Don’t forget to tag @heartresearchaustralia too.

And if you know someone who is living with a heart condition, RedFeb is the month to find out more and offer them your support.

You can do this by:

  • Asking them about their heart condition
  • Accompanying them to medical appointments
  • Encouraging them to make healthy lifestyle changes, like taking up exercise with them
  • Buying them a medical alert bracelet to help them feel confident about their condition

More about med alerts

Medical bracelets are stylish and comfortable wristbands that offer information about the wearer’s health condition. This means that in the event of an emergency or if they are unable to communicate, they can receive the right treatment which does not compromise their condition or any medication they are taking.

For example, a medical ID can show that the wearer has a pacemaker fitted, has had a coronary bypass or is on anticoagulants to help prevent blood clots.

Medical IDs can also be customised with any information about the wearer’s condition or medication so that they feel confident simply going about their everyday life.

Make the most of RedFeb

Make the most of RedFeb this month by raising awareness of heart health, including your own!

And if you have a loved one affected by heart disease, reach out and learn more about their condition.

You can also support them by choosing a medic alert bracelet, customised with the details of their condition.

Browse our collection of medical wristbands and know that our service also provides 24-hour accessible medical information so that healthcare professionals can access accurate details at any time.

RedFeb is your month to get proactive when it comes to heart health… so why not start today?