Love Your Heart – At Any Age

Did you know heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States?

Did you know that every minute, one of these women lose her battle with the disease?

The 60 to 70 percent of Americans who are either overweight or obese are at a higher risk for many health problems, including heart disease. Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds is proven to decrease the chance of developing heart disease.

The good news is that heart disease is preventable as long as women take charge in knowing and practicing heart-healthy habits. In honor of National Heart Month and the Go Red for Women movement, the American Heart Association and BayChoice Bariatric Center recommends the following tips for women at every age to love their hearts:

Women in their 20s should start practicing good heart habits, which includes scheduling regular checkups with your primary care physicians at least every five years.

·      Know the health-related numbers that impact your heart. Find out your cholesterol levels, and strive for less than 200 mg of total cholesterol intake daily. Understand your blood pressure reading, which ideally should be 120/80 mm Hg or less. Be careful not to exceed 1500 mg of sodium per day.

·      Be aware of your family history. If you have a family history of heart disease, your chances for developing it increase. Talk to your doctor about what this means for you.

·      Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. Women who smoke have a 25 percent higher risk of developing heart disease.

·      Drink in moderation, which means no more than one drink per day.

·      Choose birth control carefully, which can be problematic for your heart if it increases blood pressure.

·      Eat balanced, healthy meals, with concentration on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds.

·      Exercise three to four times a week for 40 minutes at a time.

Women in their 30s are often balancing a family and career, while also trying to maintain healthy habits. If you successfully avoid the conditions that put you at risk for heart disease until you turn 50, you’re far less likely to develop the disease.

·      Learn to manage your stress, which can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

·      Get enough sleep, which means six to eight hours a night.

·      Continue to make smart birth control choices, which can be problematic for your heart if it increases blood pressure.

·      Make time to eat and cook healthy, with concentration on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds.

·      Continue an exercise routine three to four times a week for 40 minutes at a time.

Women in their 40s are typically run ragged taking care of spouses, children, parents and work obligations, but it’s imperative you also invest in your own health to prevent heart disease –for yourself and the people who count on you.

·      Worry less. Take 15 to 20 minutes every day to relax and practice stress management techniques.

·      Continue your favorite physical activities, or find time to incorporate 40 minutes, three to four times per week into your life. Jogging and yoga are excellent heart-healthy activities.

·      Give your heart the nutrients it needs, which also improves cholesterol and blood pressure. Concentrate on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds. Lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy are also heart-healthy choices.

·      Get regular checkups. In addition to blood pressure checkups and heart-health screenings, have your blood sugar level tested by the time you are 45 as Type 2 Diabetes is most likely to develop in women after this age.

·      Make sleep a priority by striving for six to eight hours a night.

Women in their 50s will start to lose some of your natural defenses against heart disease, primarily due to hormonal changes.

·      Monitor changes in your body and talk with your doctor about how hormonal fluctuations can impact your heart health.

·      Get heart screenings. Get your cholesterol checked every five years, your blood pressure every two years, your blood glucose levels every three years, waist circumference as needed and BMI during every regular healthcare visit.

·      Watch what you eat. Concentrate on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds. Lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy are also heart-healthy choices.

·      Get physical. If exercising has long been part of your routine, change up the types of exercise you engage in to keep things interesting. Incorporate core strengthening exercises, as well as those to increase bone density once a week. If you haven’t been exercising, start now by choosing activities you enjoy and starting slowly. 

Women in their 60s tend to have rising blood pressure, cholesterol and other heart-related matters, but keeping your risk factors under control can still prevent heart disease.

·        Be on the lookout for symptoms of heart disease. Sixty-four percent of women who die suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms. Women’s heart disease symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, back pain, jaw pain, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, and extreme fatigue.

·      Know your numbers. Be aware of your cholesterol levels (both HDL and LDL), Triglycerides, blood pressure and BMI, as well as what each of those mean to your heart health.

·       Keep moving. The older we get, the more difficult exercise can be. The recommendation is still 40 minutes a day, three to four times per week. Even short brisk walks for 10 minutes at a time can provide enough physical activity to keep your heart in shape. Light weight lifting, water aerobics and yoga are great options as you age.

·       Eat heart healthy. Concentrate on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds. Lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy are also heart-healthy choices.

When diet and exercise aren’t enough

One third of Americans are overweight and another 35 percent are obese. For some obese and morbidly obese individuals, diet and exercise are not enough. Seeking weight loss through bariatric surgery may be the only cure leading to improvement of overall health, including recovery from diabetes, improvement in heart disease risk factors and a reduction in mortality.

For more information about how BayChoice Bariatric Center in Houston, Texas, can help you in the fight against obesity and heart disease, contact Dr. Kenneth Hollis today at 281-482-5300.