I've never really thought of myself as having heart disease until early last year when I wrote a blog about the Go Red for Women campaign. A few months earlier my doctor mentioned how proud she was of me that I had been able to keep my heart disease in check. What--me, Nancy Howard have heart disease even with all the changes I have made?

Wait a minute, in the course of 5 years I have dropped 80 pounds and kept it off. My diet is the healthiest it's ever been in my entire life. I am a faithful runner/gym goer pounding the pavement at least 5 days every week and I still fall in the heart disease category?

I should not be too surprised as there is a strong family history on both my maternal and paternal side, but the stigma remains with me. I know my health is what it is, but it still makes me wonder if I will ever be able to accept this fate.

I have totally revamped my lifestyle, unfortunately my hypertension remains to be a problem. I have had a 6 year history of hypertension--AKA high blood pressure, and regardless of all the healthy measures I have taken and have integrated into my life, it remains a condition that requires medical intervention. Thankfully, my blood pressure is under control with the use of an anti-hypertensive prescription and for that I am grateful.

So on Friday, February 5th I will proudly don my red attire to promote awareness to the dangers heart disease poses in women. The Go Red for Women campaign is a mission led by the American Heart Association each February to help make us all, men and women alike, aware that heart disease is not just a "man's disease." It is, and remains to be, the leading cause of death here in the United States and while we are making progress, more must be done.

This month SparkPeople is conducting the Healthy Heart Challenge. This challenge is for men and women, young and old. If you are looking for a way to take the focus off just losing weight, consider popping on over and share your own challenges with heart disease. And don't forget to wear red on Friday to show your support for this great cause.

Do you or have you suffered from heart disease? What measures are you taking to beat this disease? Are you going to wear red on Friday to show your solidarity to help promote this worthy cause?