Women’s Health: How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
As we discussed last week, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in this country. It causes 1/3 of women’s deaths each year approximately one woman every minute dies of heart disease. So what can you do to protect yourself from heart disease?
Know Your Risk Factors
Eighty percent of women from the ages of 40 to 60 have one or more risk factors for heart disease—which dramatically increases your chance of developing a problem.
And it’s not just women over forty. Heart disease can begin as early as the teen years, and women in their 20s and 30s need to take action sooner rather than later to avoid worse complications later on.
Also, among U.S. women ages 18 and older, 17 percent are smokers. Sixty-four percent of women ages 20 and older are overweight, 27 percent have high blood pressure, and 45 percent have high cholesterol. These are all major risk factors for developing heart disease
Lower Your Risk
In addition to the risk factors above, you may have a genetic tendency toward heart disease, which is something you can’t control. But there are several lifestyle changes any woman can make to reduce the risk of heart disease:
- Quit smoking—or don’t start!
- Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day most days; exercise for 60 to 90 minutes at a time if you need to lose weight.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Eat a diet that’s low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
- Take prescribed medications appropriately, including blood pressure medications, blood thinners and aspirin.
- Manage other conditions that can contribute to heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
And remember, even if you exercise regularly and eat right, you may still have heart disease or a contributing factor. Maintain a good relationship with your doctor and make sure you visit regularly and discuss your family history and your current state of health honestly.
If necessary, work with your doctor to help yourself quit smoking, lose weight or eat better. It’s never too late to work toward a healthier life for yourself!
When you are a patient at Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, we care about your overall health and would be glad to help you find the solutions you need to lower your risk of heart disease.