Take Your Health to Heart
Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women?It’s a startling fact that heart disease is so prevalent among women, yet many of us aren’t even aware of the warning signs or the fact that symptoms can differ between men and women. While it’s widely known that chest pain is a common symptom of heart attacks, women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, jaw pain and nausea or vomiting. It’s easy to imagine how many of us could mistake a symptom such as nausea with many other things.
Heart disease develops over time when we have increasing amounts of plaque in our body. Plaque is made up of a variety of substances including fat and cholesterol. As our arteries become clogged, blood flow is restricted which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
The reality, however, is that we can drastically reduce the likelihood of heart disease by making some simple and healthy lifestyle changes. Diet, exercise and stress are contributing factors that we have the ability to control.
What can you do to help prevent heart disease?
Eat a diet low in saturated fat
Increase your intake of heart healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains (check out my blog for lots of great ideas and recipes!)
Get regular exercise, a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 3 times per week
Reduce your stress levels
Understand your risk factors
Educate yourself. Visit www.GoRedForWomen.org, the American Heart Association’s campaign to increase awareness and knowledge and inspire women to take preventative action. Try to the “Go Red Heart Checkup” and see how healthy you are
Filed under: Heart disease, Heart Health, Exercise
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