According to the Mayo Clinic, “All women face the threat
of heart disease.” Did you know that
more women than men die of heart disease each year? “Heart disease is the number one killer of
all women,” says former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D. It can and
it does affect young people, so it’s not just a problem for those of us who are
older. The good news is if we are aware,
informed, and we take action, we can take action to minimize our risks.
First and foremost, understand that the symptoms of a
heart attack are different for women than men.
We hear about men grabbing their chests and complaining of severe pain
in the chest and arm area. “The most
common heart attack symptom in women is some type of pain, pressure, or
discomfort in the chest. It’s not always
severe or even the most prominent symptom, however,” according to research
out of the Mayo Clinic. “Women are more likely
to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain. Symptoms such as:
*neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort
*shortness of breath
*right arm pain
*nausea or vomiting
*sweating
*lightheadedness or dizziness
*unusual fatigue
These symptoms can be more subtle than the idea of
crushing chest pain. Women described the
pain as more pressure or tightness.
“This may be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main
arteries but also in the smaller arteries that supply blood to the heart.” I also found it interesting that the symptoms
for women may occur more often while we're resting, or even while we're sleeping. Mental stress can also be a
trigger for heart attack symptoms.
“Women tend to show up in emergency rooms after heart
damage has already occurred because their symptoms are not those typically
associated with a heart attack, and because women may downplay their
symptoms. If you experience these
symptoms or think you're having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help
immediately.”
Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously. According to Lori Mosca, MD in an article for
the AHA Journal, “Cardiovascular disease – the number ONE cause of death in the
U.S. – claims the lives of almost 500,000 women each year. Being aware of the risk of heart disease is
important because it’s the first step in taking action to lower the risk.” Being aware of personal risk and treatment
options can empower women to live a long and healthy life. “Awareness, knowledge, and action are by far
the most important factors in saying goodbye to the No. 1 killer of women.”
I say all this with the intention that ALL of us wake up
and take charge of what is going on in our bodies. A dear friend has been fighting extreme
fatigue, weight gain despite eating healthy, and has gone to her physician, an
endocrinologist, a chiropractor, and has tried a number of things, however,
continues feeling crummy and battling the fatigue. She is a lady who has a lot of interests, has
started her own business, is active in her social life, is a grandmother, and a
positive person. So her frustration has
been significant. Recently, she was
directed to a cardiologist. Her treadmill tests turned out fine as did the various imaging they did. She does have some family history of stroke
and heart disease. That in and of itself
is significant!
What’s fascinating is despite our long conversations
trying to figure out the next step to go for more information, neither one of
us thought about heart disease! Why is
that? Despite some level of awareness,
neither one of us even went down that path.
My take away from her experience is two-fold: one, heart disease needs to be more on the
radar as a possibility for all of us, and two, we need to continue to pursue
getting to the bottom of why we don’t feel right, we need to acknowledge that
something is wrong. Too often we use the
excuse of menopause, or I’m too young to have heart issues, or this is just a
phase because I’m going through a lot of stress at home or in my business
etc. Our excuses and rationale don’t
acknowledge that we need to be listening to our bodies and our bodies are not doing
what we know is our normal. All the
information and awareness in the world will not do us any good until we take
action and continue to push for answers.
We cannot afford to just “settle.”
Our life may depend on it.
Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously
especially those with a family history.
That’s the first step. Do you know your family history? That means your biological parents,
grandparents on both sides and maybe even great grandparents. Does anyone in your family line have issues
with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, are overweight, or have diabetes? Are you yourself a smoker or are you around
second hand smoke?
Know
your numbers!! Blood pressure is optimal at less than
120/80. Cholesterol levels are important.
Total cholesterol optimally should be less than 200; LD (bad cholesterol) less than 100
mg/dl; HDL (good cholesterol), more
than 50 mg/dl; and triglycerides (a
type of fat in the blood), less than 150 mg/dl.
(According to the AHA Journal) Healthy weight varies from person to
person, but having a normal body mass
index (BMI) is helpful. A BMI of 25
or higher can be associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Waist
circumference is also a useful number to know. It’s a tool to measure whether or not you're overweight. Women are overweight if
their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (89 cm). These
numbers are important at any age and should be monitored from year to
year. Subtle changes happen and often
times we are suddenly aware we've added an extra 5, 10, or 15 pounds. Then there are those pounds we never lost after the
birth of each baby.
So what is in our control? Learn your family history and monitor your numbers! Next, look at our spouse, significant
other, your children, and other family members.
Are you willing to make a lifestyle change for yourself that will impact
those special people in your life? Are
you willing to NOT make excuses or rationalize away your well-being? Are you willing to take action NOW and be consistent?
Lifestyle changes are your first line of defense against heart
disease. Living a healthy lifestyle must
be your top priority.
The following
suggestions are rated as Class I which means they're the strongest
recommendations given by an expert panel through the American Heart
Association:
1. Stop smoking cigarettes and avoid secondhand
tobacco smoke.
2. Get
at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. If you need to lose weight, exercising at
least 60 minutes may be needed.
3. Start
a cardiac rehabilitation program if you've recently been hospitalized or had a
procedure for heart disease.
4. Eat
a heart-healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetable grains, low-fat or nonfat
dairy products, fish legumes, and sources of protein low in saturated fat (such
as; poultry, lean meats, and plant sources).
5. To
maintain a healthy weight, balance the calories you eat with the amount you use
up each day.
6. If
it applies, lose weight. Losing even a
small amount of weight can help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk
of diabetes.
I can hear the excuses already…I don't have time to work
out, I can’t get my spouse/significant other or children to eat healthy foods,
I’ve tried to quit smoking before and it just hasn't worked, I've tried to lose
weight before on ____ diet and it never worked or the weight never stayed
off. Ok, are you done? Now stand in front of a mirror and look at
yourself. Tell yourself that you're NOT worth it, tell yourself you don't deserve to be healthy, tell yourself the special
people in your life won't miss you when you’re gone. Which is it?
You can’t have both, you know.
Make a choice to be the best YOU that you can be. Start by living a healthy lifestyle that
impacts YOU which will then impact all those special people in your life. YOU
CAN DO IT! Take one small step at a
time moving forward, take action, and be consistent with your thinking and your
actions.
February is heart health
month. Now take all this information
into March and create a heart healthy life style from this day forward.
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