I LOVE Valentine’s Day. I’m being totally honest when I say it’s not only the affection I get from my babe that I love about the holiday–it’s largely the symbolism surrounding the heart shape and the power of the color red that I love.
Oh, how I dig the candy hearts, heart-shaped doilies, heart-boxed chocolates, and tiny hearts stitched on hand towels and children’s socks! (On a related note, don’t even get me started on how fun those Target dollar bins are at the front of the store. They are Valentine’s Day “party prop heaven” for anyone throwing a soiree.)
And what would the holiday be without the color RED? When Valentine’s Day comes around, entire store aisles turn crimson, red velvet is the cupcake of choice, and head-to-toe garnet seems totally doable for a night out on the town. Yes, red is the color of fire, of passion!
However, this symbolism has changed a bit for me. This past year, I’ve been working with WomenHeart: The National Coalition of 
Women With Heart Disease, to design a special, Count Me Healthy “Helping Hearts” bracelet. It has heart-etched beads and is used to count things for heart health, such as fruit and vegetable servings or miles walked per week. Twenty-five percent of every sale of Helping Hearts goes toward WomenHeart’s heart disease prevention programs.
I feel blessed to have worked with this amazing team because 1) they are a fabulous group of people and 2) I’ve learned so much about the dangers of heart disease and how it is critical to raise awareness. Heart disease can strike any woman, even the young and supposedly fit.
So this February, for me, the heart and color red has come to symbolize, not just cute aesthetics or a passion for my sweetie, but a passion for a healthy lifestyle. That’s why Count Me Healthy is celebrating American Heart Month in a big way! We are proud to be part of some of the upcoming NYC events celebrating strong, accomplished women and their fight against heart disease—the number one killer of women in this country.
I’m going to focus on all things “heart-esque” on Counting with Chelsea all month long, including coverage on the “Getting Red Dress Ready” with Womenheart and Nutrisystem, the Woman’s Day Magazine’s coveted “Red Dress awards,” and the “Red Dress Fashion Show” in Bryant Park. Count Me Healthy Helping Hearts will be on the wrists of many of the women as they “wow” the crowd in their red gowns. We’ll also do a Q&A with Kathy Kastan, a recipient of this year’s Women’s Day Red Dress award, as well as feature fun recipes to help you get sexy and Red Dress Ready!
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