February is an important time of year for us at BornFit. Yes, we get to eat chocolates and tell those close to us just how much we love them, but it's also American Heart Month. At BornFit our mission is to keep moms moving and heart healthy for themselves and for their loved ones. We are dedicated to creating active wear for all moms, young and old alike.

Our support toward women's heart health started with the loss of someone very close to me. Here is Bonnie's story...

While visiting Bonnie (my favorite mother-in-law!!), in October of 2006 she suddenly didn't feel well and had to sit down. She complained of another 'episode' as she pressed against her chest. After rushing her to the ER we learned she had suffered a heart attack. Test results revealed that she would have to undergo quadruple bypass heart surgery. A heart attack was completely unexpected, but heart surgery seemed incomprehensible. This just couldn't be for a woman who worked hard and paid close attention to her diet. The surgery went well and, because she was only 56 and strong, the doctor's assured us that she would recover without problem.

Within days of being home from the hospital Bonnie was baking a cake for a friend ~ "Happy Birthday Sharon" it read in purple and green icing.

But two days later, on October 30th, something went terribly wrong. My husband received a terrifying phone call saying that she had died. We don't know if she suffered another heart attack or experienced a blood clot. We still feel numb at times from the experience.

We miss her terribly. I sometimes expect to hear a surprise knock at the door and see her smiling face; that she really isn't gone. She loved beautiful sunsets and they continue to remind us of her constant presence.

I wish that I would've known more about women and heart disease - known that signs in women are different than in men and that their symptoms also vary. I cannot change what happened, but I can make a difference now. I can communicate a message of encouragement and confidence and educate women on the risk factors and symptoms of heart disease.

Colorado has one of the nation's lowest rates of heart disease according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, it remains the leading cause of death in our state according to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. The reason heart disease still kills so many women in Colorado is because most don't even know they have it. A simple way to start is to check your risks with this online quiz.

Risk factors include: Type 2 diabetes, menopause, smoking, chronic stress and obesity. The good thing about this is that these factors can all be countered to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Warning signs:
- Pain, squeezing, fullness or pressure in the center of the chest that lasts more then a few minutes or goes away and returns.

- Pain that moves to the shoulders, neck or arms.

- Chest discomfort accompanied by lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, fatigue, nausea or shortness of breath.

BornFit believes strongly in educating women and providing resources to you about heart health. Your hearts performance improves with exercise. Regular exercise helps to prevent heart attack and stroke by lowering blood pressure as well as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We encourage you to fight heart disease by exercising and if you don't exercise regularly - START! Here.

Love your heart, Keep Moving and Be the Fit Mom that you Truly are!

Written by: Lisa Welch (co-founder of BornFit)