February is Heart Health Month and February 2, is Go Red for Women Day, the American Heart Association’s signature women’s initiative to increase awareness about cardiovascular disease.
Over 60 million women in the U.S. are living with some form of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women and can affect women at any age.
In most cases, heart disease is preventable with a healthy lifestyle. This includes not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure, engaging in regular moderate-intensity physical activity, managing stress, and getting regular checkups.
Heart Healthy Habits
Healthy meals and snacks. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods.
- Regularly eating foods high in saturated fat and trans fat have been linked to heart disease.
- If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you can take steps to lower your risk for heart disease with nutrition choices.
- Eating foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol can help prevent high cholesterol.
- Limiting salt (sodium) can help lower blood pressure.
- Limiting sugar can lower your blood sugar level to prevent or help control diabetes.
- Learn more about healthy diet and nutrition at the CDC’s Healthy Eating Tips webpage.
Regular physical activity. This helps to maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
- Check with your primary health care provider before starting an exercise program.
- Even 15 minutes a day of moderate physical activity such as walking, biking, and swimming reaps health benefits.
- Find what you enjoy! Invite a friend to join you.
- Goal is at least 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week.
- What’s good for the heart is good for the brain, a bonus.
Stop smoking. Cigarette smoking greatly increases risk for heart disease. Don’t smoke? Then don’t start!
- If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your doctor can suggest ways to help you quit, including smoking cessation programs.
- Smoking is a greater risk for heart disease for women.
- Within one year of quitting, heart disease risk is cut in half compared to what it was while you smoked. Within 15 years, heart disease risk is the same as a woman who never smoked.
Address Stress. Stress is a natural response to change or challenges. It’s something we all deal with. But long-term, chronic stress increases risk of heart disease and more likely to have a heart attack.
- Stress may also raise your risk of heart disease if it makes you more likely to smoke, eat unhealthy foods, drink alcohol, or less likely to exercise.
- It’s no joke, laughter is good medicine.
- Steps you can take to handle stress in a positive way include:
- Getting enough sleep
- Deep breaths and/or meditating
- Eating right and engaging in physical activity
- Talking to someone you trust
- Journaling; write down your thoughts
- Taking time for yourself; this is especially important if you are a family caregiver. Check out these Tips for Managing Caregiver Stress.
- Getting help from a professional when needed such as a therapist
Concerned about your health? We can help you address concerns and navigate the best options for a healthier future. Click here to schedule a free, get-acquainted call with one of our Certified Care Managers today.
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