Procter & Gamble

Evans is 40, Heart Healthy and Training for the Olympic Games after 15 Year Hiatus

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 2012-- A four-time gold medalist embarking on her fourth Olympic Games at age 40 – that’s the name of the game for Janet Evans. Touted as the one to watch at the London 2012 Olympic Games, “Miss Perpetual Motion” steps back into the spotlight following a 15 year hiatus from competitive swimming. Evans is committed to following her heart – and also taking care of it – to make sure it’s strong enough to take on competitors half her age.

On her journey, Evans is partnering with Metamucil to share her inspiring message. During February Hearth Health Month, she will educate Americans about the small steps they can take to improve their health, such as taking Metamucil with psyllium fiber to help lower cholesterol*. High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke¹, making getting enough fiber in your diet an imperative and smart step towards better heart health.

According to the Women’s Heart Foundation, eight million women in the U.S. are currently living with heart disease, and 35,000 are under the age of 65², proving it is as important as ever to teach people to be proactive early in life. Evans is vigilant about taking care of her heart in order to maintain the most important tool she has – her body. Having suffered two tragic family losses due to heart attacks, Evans realizes how essential it is to be proactive about health. For Evans, it was an eye-opener that life is too short not to follow your dreams – and so she is on her quest to make it back to the Olympic Games.

“I couldn’t be more ready for this, and I don’t feel 40 at all! It’s not easy, but it’s really all about having the right attitude and taking care of my body. It’s the small steps you take every day that truly help make a difference, like taking Metamucil to increase the fiber in your diet and lower your cholesterol,” says Evans.

Evans continues to say, “With a family history of heart disease, educating others during February Heart Health Month with the help of Metamucil was a no-brainer. Together, we want to inspire Americans to get heart healthy because whether you’re keeping up with your competition, your kids or just your hectic schedule, everyone can take small steps to improve their health.”

Evans: Wife, Mom, Proud Sponsor of Mom.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) will continue their “Thank you, Mom” campaign as part of their larger sponsorship of Team USA during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

As any Olympian will tell you, there is nothing like the support of family when training, working hard and facing tough competition. But no one offers better support than a mom, and Janet can attest to that.

Therefore, she is taking her partnership with P&G one step further and saying “Thank you, Mom.” In celebration of the “Thank you, Mom” campaign, Janet, other Olympians and P&G, are taking the time to recognize and honor these very important women in their lives.

“And to my mom, I say, ‘thank you for helping me into the pool almost 40 years ago today!’” says Evans.

Visit Metamucil’s Facebook Fan page at www.Facebook.com/Metamucil to learn more about heart health, P&G’s “Thank you, Mom” campaign (or directly at http://www.facebook.com/thankyoumom), as well as to stay up-to-date on Evans’ progress towards the London 2012 Olympic Games!

About Metamucil

Created and marketed for the first time in 1933 by G.D. Searle & Co., Metamucil powder was purchased by Procter & Gamble in 1985. Made with 100% natural psyllium fiber, Metamucil flavors (Orange, Pink Lemonade and Berry) fit any lifestyle when you are looking to increase your fiber intake. Metamucil is the number one doctor and pharmacist³ recommended fiber brand. For more information, visit http://www.metamucil.com.

About Viscous Soluble Fiber

Viscous soluble fiber like psyllium fiber, the natural dietary fiber found in Metamucil, is proven to help lower total and "lousy" LDL cholesterol* because it forms a thick gel that traps and helps remove some cholesterol, bile acids and waste in the gut. High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke¹, making getting enough fiber in your diet an imperative and smart step towards better heart health.

About Janet Evans

Recognized as the best female distance swimmer in U.S. history, Evans became a 3-Time World Record holder (400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle) after starting to compete at age 15. Following the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, Evans decided to take time off to enjoy her family, but her passion for the water still burned strong in the back of her mind. No longer able to ignore the itch for competition, this year she jumped back into a daily routine of early morning 10 mile swims to diligently train for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Since her return to the water, Evans has had no trouble showing she is one to watch as she broke two Masters records in the 800m and 1500m freestyle at the Janet Evans Invitational in June. Evans resides in Orange County, California with her husband and two children.

About P&G

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®.

The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

References:

¹http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/WhyCholesterolMatters/Why-Cholesterol-Matters_UCM_001212_Article.jsp#.TtPW9OyS41I

²http://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartDisease/heart_disease_facts.asp

³Pharmacy Times Survey 2011 (laxative bulk fiber category)

* Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 7 grams of soluble fiber per day from psyllium husk may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. One adult dose of Metamucil has at least 2.1 grams of this soluble fiber. Use as directed. If you have specific dietary needs, you should consult your doctor before consuming this product. This Metamucil product has a low glycemic index, a measure of the effect of dietary carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50153933&lang=en

Source: Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble, Global Digestive Wellness
Scott Popham, 513-622-0219
popham.sw@pg.com
OR
MSLGROUP
Amanda Walsh, 781-684-6672
Amanda.Walsh@mslgroup.com