National Wear Red Day: Make Sewing a Healthy Activity

Did you know that today, the first Friday in February, is National Wear Red Day?  

It's all about Heart and Stroke awareness.  And I realize that you might be thinking, "what does this have to do with sewing?"  Well, sewing can involve long periods of time where we're sitting at our machines or sitting while we are hand sewing.  

Here are some heart and stroke busting tips that we can weave into our sewing journey.  

First, grab your measuring tape!  

Did you know that roughly 60% of Canadian adults are over-weight?  Sure, we can blame it on pandemic pounds. I'm guilty.  But to be completely honest, this was a pre-pandemic issue for most of us.  It's not just being overweight, it's where we carry our weight.  

Do you have that measuring tape?  Let's wrap it around our waist.  If you are female and your waistline measurement is greater than 31 1/2 inches you're considered to be at increased risk for heart and stroke issues.  Now, this is not the end and be all factor for determining your risk assessment.  It's a starting point to look at our health and have those all important conversations with our health care professionals.  Body mass index, family history, and other factors play a part of our risk assessment.  

Red sweatshirt fabric turtleneck dress,
OOP Burda 8848

It might signal a time to watch your blood pressure.  High blood pressure can be kept under control with medication but wouldn't you rather spend that money on fabric and sewing supplies?  Lifestyle changes will help with keeping our sewing budget from being eaten up by the medical side of the budget.  

Red car coat:  OOP McCall's 2495

One of the lifestyle changes recommended is to lose weight and exercise more.  How about moving the ironing board away from the sewing machine?  This way, we'll have to get up and walk to the ironing board.  No one is saying that you have to spend an hour or more at the gym, taking you away from your sewing projects.  Especially now, with many gyms at reduced capacity, reduced time slots or under lockdown measures.  So how about considering exercise snacking?  Short bursts of exercises that can be done on the spot without a change of clothes.  Although, I'm all for stepping away from the sewing machine and going outside for some fresh air as well.  

Another lifestyle change is to alleviate stress and what better way than sewing?   Need I say more?  

One more lifestyle change that I really can't avoid mentioning is diet.  It kind of goes hand and hand with the losing weight part.  I'll confess, I'm a sewing room snacker.  When trying to get your blood pressure to a healthy number, one is advised to watch one's salt, caffeine and alcohol intake.  Ahhh, coffee how I'm going to miss you.  I'm going to have to replace you with water and exercise snacking.  

Wear red and keep sewing!