Watch out! Heart Disease is more Deadly for Women than Men!
With better medical research of heart disease in women, we now know that the effects of common heart problems in men and women can be quite different.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is good to know that the healthy habits that prevent heart disease do so equally in both sexes.
This premise may come as a shock to many people. It seems it has always been taught that common heart problems are common mostly in men. That’s why so much research has had such a male influence. Now, however, we find this is not true for women somewhere around age 65 and older.
Men tend to have heart disease seven or eight years earlier than women but after the age of sixty-five the risk is roughly even. According to a study, heart disease is the number killer of women of 65 or more of age. In addition, even with all types of cancer combined, American women are four to six times more likely to die of heart disease than cancer.
Women, generally, are much more aware of their own health than men are of theirs. It is odd then, that women are reportedly slower to recognize heart disease symptoms in themselves. This in turn means they seek treatment later in the progression of their disease. Women also have smaller blood vessels than men. All of this leads to the disturbing fact that if a woman has a heart attack, she is much more likely to die from it than a male victim. Researchers are still working out all the reasons this is true.
Unfortunately, we can not change our genes. It is important to always make sure that your doctor has an accurate family history, especially for women. But there are a number of things that women can control in order to lower the risk of heart disease. Women, for example, should not smoke tobacco especially if on birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy.
Proper diet should lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but if it doesn’t, your doctor may prescribe a medication. Discuss it thoroughly and follow your doctor’s advice. Keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol in check is really important.
A healthy heart makes for a healthy body. In order to help prevent heart disease, you should eat healthy, wholesome foods and exercise regularly. If you are overweight, you not only risk heart problems and strokes, but diseases such as diabetes may be in the cards as well.
Easy to do, low impact exercises such as going for a swim, walking or riding a bicycle are great for revving up your heart rate. Doing a minimum of 20 minutes of moderate exercise, enough to break a sweat, for a minimum of three days each week can contribute greatly to better health.