It’s World Heart Day every 29th September. Did you know that globally, 7% of people have heart disease? And this fact actually shocked me the most- more women than men today have some sort of heart disease! Welcome to this special blog post looking more closely into 5 important things you as a woman need to know about heart disease (and what you can do about it).
What is heart disease?
Heart disease is a group of conditions that cause the heart to not work as well as it should. Some of the most common examples include:
- Coronary Heart Disease (also known as Ischaemic heart disease- when there’s not enough oxygen entering your heart cells)
- Strokes
- Peripheral Arterial Disease (affects the arteries or veins of the legs/feet)
- Heart Failure
- Congenital Heart Disease (this affects babies)
Some stats about heart disease:
Note- all of these stats are from 2019 (pre-Corona)
What Causes Heart Disease?
Some risk factors include:
| Preventable factors | Not-so-preventable factors |
|---|---|
| Diabetes (hardens your arteries) | Inflammatory diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus |
| Stress (releases free radicals) | Family history (remember, just because someone in the family had heart disease DOES NOT mean you will have it too) |
| Smoking (toxic chemicals in the smoke includes Arsenic and Carbon Monoxide) | |
| Not being active enough | |
| Excessive alcohol drinking (messes up your kidneys and liver which eventually hardens your heart blood vessels) |
What are the symptoms of heart disease in women?
While men might experience Angina (chest pain), for women, the symptoms are different:
- Dsypenea (breathlessness)
- One or both of your arms become painful
- Nausea or vomiting
- Unusual fatigue
- Indigestion
Is it just older women who have a higher chances of getting heart disease?
The short answer is no. Just like Diabetes, unfortunately, the average age women are experiencing Heart disease is getting younger. Both men and women are generally living non-active lifestyles, not having a balanced diet, etc.
What can I do to limit the chances of getting heart disease?
1 Ditch cigarettes
I remeber, looong ago in good ol’ school, learning about some of the ingredients in cigarettes. One of the ones that shocked me the most is Arsenic, which is a POISON!!
Quitting smoking is probably one of the best things to do. It’s hard in the beginning but as time goes on, it is worth it.
2 Stress less
Here are some of the things you can do you lower your stress levels:
- Take a short walk
- Do something you love
- Have power naps
3 Exercise (more)
Credit: PopSugar UK 
Credit: Essence
Organisations like the CDC and NHS say 150 mins per week of exercise is the minimum amount an adult needs to do each week. In other words, 30 mins for 5 days a week. Check out some simple fitness ideas here but other types you can do include:
- Aerobic exercise (running, jogging)
- Muscle strengthening (weights)
- Muscle lengthening (resistance bands, stretching, Pilates)
4 Eat a healthy, balanced diet
You don’t have to spend thousands to eat more healthily. Check out some of the most popular, food-related blog posts to help you:
How to Eat Well After Lockdown for Beginners Part II
How to Eat Well After Lockdown for Beginners Part I
Dietary Supplements: A Beginner’s Guide to The Most Common Mineral Deficiencies Around Today
Why Taking Supplements Is Essential In Your Food and Fitness Regime
Dietary Supplements: 3 Most Common Vitamin Deficiencies for Beginners
Dietary Supplements: A Beginner’s Guide to The Most Common Mineral Deficiencies Around Today
5 Maintain a healthy weight
One of the best ways to maintain weight is… dancing
Checking your Body Mass Index occasionally can help you see what weight level you need to maintain:
6 Drink less alcohol
So drinking small amounts of alcohol won’t cause heart diseases. BUT excessive amounts can. Why? To put it in simple terms, reasearch has suggested that it increases your blood pressure. Over time, persistantly high blood pressure (aka Hypertension) can damage your heart.
Conclusion
I don’t know about you, but Corona has taught me how super important it is to take care of your health. The best type of medicine for heart desease is prevention. Here’s a summary of things you can do to limit the chases of developing heart disease:
- Ditch smoking
- Stress less
- Excerise more
- Eat healthily
- Maintain healthy weight
- Drink less alcohol
Drop a comment below- what are your thoughts
about heart disease?
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Check out the Health Basics category for more great content.
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Thanks for the enlightenment. Good job 👍
Thanks 🙂