Heart Disease

I got this email that Friday is national wear red day, because something like 1/3 of women "dies of heart disease or stroke and it’s 80% preventable.” I don’t believe that. I’m not denying the science mind you. I’m denying the language and sentiment. Death is not 80% preventable. It’s 100% going to happen. It’s just a question of how. So what you’re really saying is that by preventing heart disease and stroke, you’re rooting for Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes, lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, bone cancer and occasional police brutality to beat heart disease to the punch (pun intended). And that just seems wrong. Also, none of that is really prevented by you wearing red clothing. Stroke does not care the color of your blouse or socks. Heart disease is a little more racist but still doesn’t really care what you wear. If it’s awareness you’re going for. Have a fat white guy with a beard walk around in a red suit slapping hamburgers out of people’s hands all day. That would be far more effective and would probably raise more media attention and thus awareness.

BTW: This is purely a selfish idea but I like to think that if I knew my clock was running out, I would go on my own terms. Steak – medium rare, single malt, cohiba, skydiving with no parachute.