By Cassandra Spratling, Detroit Free Press
(Photo: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
Champion boxer Laila Ali is fighting a new fight: one to raise awareness among women about the importance of taking care of their health.
Her latest bout was in the public service ring speaking before hundreds of women at the Detroit Marriott at the Go Red for Women event sponsored by the American Heart Association's Southeast Michigan chapter.
"We can take control ... no matter what stage you are in your life right now," Ali told an audience of 600 women, most of them dressed in red.
Ali, who has retired from boxing, is the daughter of the iconic boxer, Muhammad Ali.
She challenged women to step up and start taking care of themselves.
"This is a fight and I feel like we're losing, and as you've heard, I don't like to lose," said Ali. "When I heard one in three women will die of heart disease I was stunned.
The good news is it can be prevented."
Ali outlined a multistep plan to help women on the journey to optimal health, acknowledging that she remains on that journey herself and knows it's not easy.
"First, you have to be aware that you can and must take care of yourself," she said.
Every day offers a new opportunity to make a choice about what to eat and when and whether to exercise, she said.
"It has to be a priority," she said.
Other steps she outlined, included:
■ Be honest with yourself about the changes you need to make.
■ Map out a plan with a wellness plan. For many women that plan should include losing weight, exercising and reducing stress.
■ Eat a diet heavy on whole foods, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean meat.
She called eating right a fight for your health.
She cited a nutritionist who likened eating right to fueling a luxury vehicle. "Your body is like a sports car; put in the best quality gasoline. What is it going to take to get the best performance?"
Acknowledging her own weakness for sugar, she said, "Decrease your sugar. Trust me I tried to find a way around that one."
She echoed earlier speakers in encouraging women to drink more water and exercise.
"Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels," Ali said.
Prior to Ali's talk, Go Red for Women chairperson Janice Cosby, offered her definition of what GO RED Means:
G is for Get your numbers. (Cholesterol, high blood pressure and other indicators of heart health).
O is for Own your lifestyle.
R, Realize your risks.
E, Educate yourself and your family.
D, Don't be silent. Donate time and resources to raising awareness and money for heart health, especially among women.
For more on the Go Red For Women program, go to https://www.goredforwomen.org/
