Woman Heart Disease - Heart Health Facts
A growing and worrying health issue in women is woman heart disease.
Heart disease is said to claim the lives of one in three American
women.
The extent of this womens health issue is such, that in 2003, nearly
twice as many women died of cardiovascular disease than from all
cancers combined (womens health.gov). And, while both men and women
will experience heart attacks, more women who have them will die.
Some ethnic groups of women are moreso at risk than white women
of dying from woman heart disease.
The reason being that ethnic
women have a tendency toward additional health issues such as obesity,
diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of physical exercise etc., These
groups include African American women, Hispanic and Latina women,
who will need to take special care to reduce their risk factors even
more.
If you are worried about the incidence of heart disease or
how you can protect yourself, here are some basic facts that will
point you in the right direction toward maintaining your heart
health.
woman heart disease - self
care and monitoring
If there's a history of heart disease in your family or if a
close family member has suffered a heart attack, the chances are
that you're more likely to develop the condition. It is also
true to say that the older you get, the more likely you are to
develop woman heart disease.
Although this does not necessarily mean that you will have a
heart attack, what it does mean is that
you will need to take
greater care of yourself, in ways that promote your heart health.
Woman heart disease or heart health is an issue for all women.
Irrespective of your age or race, you should become proactive about
taking care of yourself for prevention of heart disease. You can
minimise your chances of the condition by taking a few basic steps:
Do regular checks on your blood pressure. This is one of the
tell-tale signs of just how hard your heart is working in order to
pump blood around your body. The harder it is finding it to do
this, the higher your blood pressure will be.
Because you're unlikely to know when your blood pressure is high,
you'll need to get this checked yearly. If you have high blood
pressure, this will call for some lifestyle changes. It can also
be managed by medication your physician may prescribe.
Do also have a diabetes test, which will tell you the state of
your blood sugar level. If your levels are high, you're unlikely
to know and since diabetes increases your chances of getting heart
disease, you should aim to get your blood sugar levels checked on
a regular basis. Diabetes can be controlled with a healthy diet
and/or prescribed medication.
When last did you have a cholesterol test? Your level of cholesterol
is a good indication of, and can alert you to early signs of heart
disease. Cholesterol (a fatty substance found in the blood), can
clog your arteries, prevent healthy blood flow to your heart and can
lead to a heart attack. There is medication that can help lower
cholesterol levels, however women following low cholesterol diet for
heart health will help minimise their risk of woman heart disease.
woman heart disease -
lifestyle changes
In addition to the steps you can take in monitoring your heart
health, you can also incorporate some healthy lifestyle changes of
your own that will reduce your risk of heart disease. For
instance:
Stress is a major cause of many serious illnesses and health
conditions. Learn how to effectively manage and/or minimise your
stress levels. You can achieve this through a variety of ways
such as
physical exercise, drawing on your support networks, or through
journaling your feelings, fears anxieties
etc.,
If you're overweight or have obesity, you're at increased risk of
woman heart disease. A heart healthy diet is important for lowering cholesterol, when supplemented with cardiovascular exercise and will help improve heart health and minimise woman heart disease risk.
You can learn more about the many health benefits of the Mediterranian diet and
about various research findings, which you may also find
helpful.
Other steps you can take to promote your heart health, include
limiting the amount of alcohol you consume. If you smoke, do
give it up. Smoking is one of the leading cause of woman heart
disease.
To help you with your heart health goal, you'll find further
information on establishing your healthy eating plan here. You will also find
this 5 part activity goal-setting guidance
extremely helpful. It will walk you effortlessly through setting
your heart health goals. There goal setting forms and goal worksheets
to aid you further.
"He that takes medicine and neglects
diet, wastes the skill of the physician".
(Chinese Proverb)
Sources: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006
(womenshealth.gov/faq/heartdis.htm)
Further Reading:
Learn how different foods affect the way you feel and how to select
those that are best for your body's chemistry. Including:
How to eat your way to better health
How to assess your current health
How to manage cholesterol levels
The information on this site is purely of educational value
and is not intended to replace your seeking medical advice. You
must consult your doctor over all your health concerns.
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