The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body. We all have one, we can’t live without it, and every day, the average heart beats around 115,000 times, making it the most lively of our bodily organs. The average human heart is around the size of a clenched fist, and the way you live your life can impact on your heart health. Diet, exercise, and even your physical and emotional state can have an effect on your heart.

Most people are born with a healthy heart, but unfortunately, some people are born with, or develop heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in Australia. It is also the leading cause of death worldwide, with heart disease, also known as Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), claiming the lives of more than 17 million people each year.

According to Heart Research Australia, many heart conditions are caused by genetic inheritance, with defects passing from one generation to the next. Heart disease can also be exacerbated as a result of poor lifestyle choices, including smoking, extensive inactivity, obesity, and poor nutrition.

Total DNA Services can help you to discover your genetic predisposition to heart disease (and a range of other conditions with the Genetic Predisposition Test. By analysing a sample of your DNA, this test will allow you to establish whether you have a genetic predisposition toward developing any one of 34 diseases and conditions. It will also provide information on your risk of developing a particular disease, as well as providing an estimated lifetime risk of develop a disease compared to the average population. The results will enable you to take control of your health future, and make any adjustments required to prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease. The Genetic Predisposition Test, is quick, simple and painless, and provides accurate results in a timely manner.

February is heart research month, so while you are waiting for your DNA test results, why not paint the town red? National Wear Red Day is an initiative by Heart Research Australia, and on February 14, everyone is invited and encouraged to wear red clothing to raise awareness and much needed funds for vital research into this killer disease. Get together with your workplace and hold a red themed lunch, complete with tomato sandwiches, red apples and even some Flaming Hot Cheetos to get your heart racing!
You can participate as a workplace, a school group, an individual or a sporting team, and the opportunities to wear red and make it a fun themed event are endless.

The goal of Heart Research Australia is ‘to reduce the devastating impact heart disease has on families and the community. The focus is seed-funding for cardiac researchers to investigate new areas. The aim is to make their work competitive for grants from national bodies such as the National Health and Medical Research Council.’

You can help make a difference to the lives of those with heart disease by participating in Wear Red Day, and you can also make a positive impact on your own health with the help of Total DNA Services, and some simple but potentially life-extending changes.
So show your support and wear your heart on your sleeve this February.