Basic HTML Version
HELP GUARD
YOUR HEART
ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THESE HEART-FRIENDLY IDEAS:
RISKS AND FORMS
Women, like men, can have other forms
of heart disease, too, such as arrhyth-
mias (abnormal heart rhythm or rate) or
heart failure (a weakened heart that can’t
pump enough blood).
Several factors can increase your risk
of heart disease. Among them are smok-
ing, high blood pressure or abnormal
cholesterol levels, being overweight, or
having diabetes.
If early heart disease runs in the family
or you’re older than 55, your risk increases
too. The age-related rise in risk is later for
women than it is for men. That’s partly
because estrogen gives premenopausal
women some heart disease protection.
“Women have a high risk for cardio-
vascular disease once they reach the age
of menopause,” said Beverly Stoudemire-
Howlett, MD, cardiologist with Mont-
gomery Cardiovascular Associates. “This
risk is significantly increased secondary to
the decrease in the estrogen hormone, es-
tradiol. This is the good estrogen that has
provided a more protective effect from a
cardiovascular standpoint.”
For Hunter, heart disease was a fam-
ily affair. Hunter’s parents had it—and
so have some of her siblings. Today, she
focuses on eating low-fat foods and re-
ducing her sodium intake as well as ex-
ercising for 30 minutes a day, drinking
plenty of water and trying to not sit for
extended periods of time.
Keep a healthy
weight.
Watch your calorie in-
take, and be physically active to avoid
excess pounds.
Control cholesterol.
Eat
foods low in saturated fat, trans fat
and cholesterol, and stay informed
about your blood cholesterol and tri-
glyceride levels with regular testing.
To help improve cholesterol levels,
you may also need to take medicine.
Keep blood pressure in a healthy range.
Have your blood
pressure checked regularly. If it needs to come down, there are ways to lower it.
For instance, reduce the amount of salt you consume, eat lots of fruits and veg-
etables, lose excess weight, and take medicines as prescribed.
Get checked for diabetes.
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes,
follow a treatment plan to control
blood sugar.
Don’t smoke.
If you do, ask your
doctor about products or support groups
that may help you stop smoking.
Handle stress healthfully.
Try exercising or sharing feelings with
trusted friends.
American Heart Association; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Know the risks of
drinking alcohol.
Understand
how drinking may affect blood pres-
sure and other health risks.
—Continued on page 8
JACKSON.ORG
• 7