From caring for the people you love to doing work you’re passionate about, your heart makes life’s most meaningful pursuits possible. For too many women, however, prioritizing their heart health amid life’s many other responsibilities is a challenge. That may be one reason why heart disease claims more women’s lives than any other condition. You can help rewrite the narrative by putting the health of your heart first.
Know Your Risk Factors
To understand how best to care for your heart, you first have to know what puts it at risk. You can’t change certain risk factors, such as aging, menopause or a family history of heart disease. Fortunately, however, many heart disease risk factors are within your control, including:
- Activity level
- Alcohol consumption
- Dietary habits
- Health conditions that are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity
- Smoking
- Stress
Heart Protectors
You can reduce your risk of heart disease and help ensure you can depend on your heart for years to come by making heart-healthy changes to your lifestyle. You can:
- Eat with your heart in mind. Good-for-your-heart foods include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein, such as skinless chicken and unsalted nuts, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Minimize consumption of foods that are high in saturated and trans fats, sugar, and sodium.
- Manage heart disease-associated health conditions. Work with your primary care provider (PCP) to get blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight to healthy levels.
- Minimize alcohol consumption. The best way to reduce alcohol-related heart disease risk is to avoid alcohol altogether. If you decide to drink, limit yourself to one drink of alcohol per day.
- Move more. Strive to fit in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as running or swimming, five days per week.
- Reduce stress. Take time each day to do something you find relaxing or enjoyable, such as exercising, reading, listening to music or spending time in nature.
- Snuff out smoking. If you smoke, quitting can cut your heart disease risk in half within one year, according to the Office on Women’s Health.
Put Your Heart to the Test
Regular screenings can help you stay ahead of heart disease by catching potential problems early so you and your PCP can treat them before they become serious. The American Heart Association recommends undergoing screening for:
- Blood pressure every time you see your PCP or at least once per year if your blood pressure is normal
- Blood sugar (glucose) every three years if your levels are normal
- Cholesterol every four to six years if you are at average risk for heart disease
- Weight and body mass index (BMI) every time you see your PCP
Your PCP may wish to measure your waist circumference if your weight and BMI indicate a higher risk for heart disease.
Has it been a while since your last check-up, or do you need a new physician? Call us at 317.565.0535 to request an appointment.
Sources: cardiosmart.org, cdc.gov, fda.gov, heart.org, womenshealth.gov
