The Heart of Cardiovascular Disease
February is Heart & Stroke Month
Many people know that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death inCanada. Yet you may be surprised to learn that more women than men suffer from one or more types of CVD. Women are more likely to die from heart disease than from any other disease. The good news is that more and more studies are being conducted to research the relationship between CVD and female morbidity and mortality. Until the body of research on women grows, however, it is essential that women learn how to protect themselves from the disease.
Although the signs and symptoms of CVD can differ between the genders, many of the risk factors for the condition are the same. According to the Canadian Heart Association, the risk factors for heart disease among women include: physical inactivity, high cholesterol, tobacco smoking, high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, and diabetes mellitus.
When discussing cardiovascular disease, perhaps the most important thing to do is emphasize the power of prevention. Women can and should become educated and proactive about what they can do to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease. Start today by taking charge of your health through the following actions:
Get moving. Physical inactivity across the country has reached epidemic proportions. Initiate a reasonable, realistic, enjoyable exercise program. Encouraging women to include more physical activity and exercise in their daily routine is the first step to reducing their risk of CVD. Women can benefit by accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. Specifically, moderate-intensity exercise refers to working at approximately 65 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate. Get the blood pumping with a speed walk or a bike ride. Group fitness classes can provide modifiable workouts, variety and even friendships.
Extinguish the urge to smoke. Smoking is the most preventable risk factor for heart disease. Although smoking rates are declining overall, the decline had been smaller among women, especially younger women. The good news is that the World Health Organization estimates that a year after quitting, the risk of CVD is reduce by 50%; after 15 smoke-free years, the risk is near to that of someone who has never smoked. Join a smoking cessation program offered through a local organization, an employee health promotion program or a wellness center. Don’t go it alone – ask for assistance.
Get the numbers. The media have done a great job of making women understand the importance of having regular mammograms, but less enthusiasm has gone to heralding the necessity of checking cholesterol levels. Yet research confirms that low levels of HDL (good cholesterol) are predictive of CVD in women, and after age 65 such levels appear to increase in importance for women even more so than men (Mosca et al. 2000). Take a few minutes out of the day, after an overnight fast, to get a full lipid profile. For a bit of blood and a band-aid, a cholesterol screening can help save your heart.
Reach for the Fruits and Vegetables. Pass on the processed snacks and grab that juicy, nutrient-packed produce.
Don’t get saturated. Avoid foods high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy, certain processed baked goods and all fried foods.
Work toward weight loss. Find a program, a friend or a cookbook for the lighthearted. Or just modify your current diet.