Women Hearts And Staying Clear Of Cardiovascular Disease

Women hearts can be protected against heart disease if you know these six factors. It is a known fact that heart disease is the number one killer of women.  And also, if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or you have both, you can improve your odds with these factors.

We can keep this marvelous muscle pumping away in very good condition for decades to come.

First you should know being each other’s strongest supporters along with strong friendships are excellent protections of women hearts. And also knowing your health risk during pregnancy matters. Studies shows that Black women are among the highest to die while giving birth.

Women Hearts And High Blood Pressure

Women are told to keep their waist circumference at 35 inches or below.  And, if that measurement is higher, then those women hearts are at a greater risk for heart disease. This is usually because they are overweight.

But you should know that even if you are thin and don't smoke, women are at risk for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, though the risks are at lower levels.

Armed with all this information and knowing the need for women awareness, Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of NYU Langone Medical Center overheard a doctor saying that women don't get heart disease. This confirmed what she already knew that women needed to start a dialogue about their unique risk factors, and created The Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health.

Starting today learning or knowing these six facts can protect women hearts from cardiovascular diseases giving them good health and longevity.

Six Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Heart

Thin Women Can Be At Risk

They are lots of women, that I personally know, that are thin and have high blood pressure and even fluctuating cholesterol levels. I was shocked by this, and my friend is even taking a low dose of HBP medications.

Dr. Ian Neeland, a cardiologist from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, further state that even if a woman has a normal body mass index (BMI), but still have high amounts of visceral fat, that is the body fat stored deep within the abdomen that nestles around the liver, pancreas and intestines are at risk for heart disease.

This type of fat is considered dangerous because it secretes cytokines, inflammatory substances that are toxic to the heart.

Feeling Lonely And Depressed Isn't Good For Your Heart

Menopausal women that are also suffering with depression are found to be of higher risk for heart disease. These two conditions increase stress levels that raises blood pressure and inflammation.

Also, if an individual is lonely and depressed, they are less likely to care for themselves. The increasing stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline contributes to anxiousness, lack of sleep and feelings of sadness.

All these symptoms are not good for women hearts.

A Woman's Health During Pregnancy

If you had these symptoms; high blood pressure, preeclampsia or gestational diabetes during pregnancy; and they disappeared post-delivery, you are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

The risk you are at a greater disadvantage of is developing metabolic syndrome - a combination of heart disease risk factors, including a large waistline, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure - after giving birth.

Pregnancy was the stress test for your body, and this disease may show up at a later time if you gain weight and you have hormonal changes.

So, please make sure your primary care physician knows about your health issues during your pregnancy for them to give you frequent cardiovascular health screenings.

Sleep And Your Heart Health

This I know for sure for when I don't get enough sleep my heart will race and my blood pressure spikes.  Lack of sleep raises the levels of your cortisol and inflammatory cytokines, both of which increases your blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

Dr. Goldberg states that people who get five or fewer hours of sleep have fifty percent more calcium in their coronary arteries.  That's an early indication of heart disease.  Though too much sleep, nine or more hours a night, had seventy-two percent more coronary calcium than those who sleep seven hours.

But what it really boils down to is not how much sleep or how little sleep you get per night.  It is how well do you sleep.  Not sleeping well might mean you have sleep apnea which is also linked to heart disease.

So, make a note of your sleep patterns and if you are putting in the hours to sleep and are not feeling well rested than ask your doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist.  Know what going on.

Nearly Half Of All Heart Attacks Are Silent

Researchers from the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center study states that about forty-five percent of heart attacks have such mild symptoms that they go unnoticed.  The heart attack was discovered when patients had a electrocardiograms test.

So if you have a family history of heart attack at a young age, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes and experience shortness of breath, back pain, jaw pain, nausea or fatigue get checked out.

Aging Well - 40s And Up

If you are in your best shape in your forties, you are less likely to suffer a stroke after age sixty-five, so state the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

They state exercising is one of the best things you can do to prevent and combat cardiovascular disease.  They further state that people with coronary artery disease who exercise actually develop tiny bypass channels to get around the blockages that narrow their arteries.

So it is never too late to start a brisk half-hour walking program, or get involve with a physical activity that you love. Just remember to get your doctor's approval before starting any exercise program.

Return From Women Hearts To Women And High Blood Pressure

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