Is Your Heart Healthy Enough?

Is Your Heart Healthy Enough?

Who needs a healthier heart? Women do! Did you know that heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined? Even though we are learning more about heart disease, an astonishing half of women still do not recognize it as their number 1 killer.

For women age 20 and older, about 1 in 16 women have coronary heart disease, which is the most common type of heart disease.

Women can surely benefit from healthier heart habits.

Would it help you to print the infographic and place it where you see it to remind you of factors that can affect your heart health? Feel free to click on the button below to download, save to your computer, and print the graphic.

A healthy heart matters for men and women because a heart attack can be fatal. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, usually by a clot. In the United States, about 735,000 people have a heart attack each year.

Do you know how to keep your heart healthy?

Would you like to learn more about:

What Are the Symptoms of Heart Disease?

What Increases My Risk of Heart Disease?

What Healthy Practices Reduce My Risk?

Heart Disease Symptoms

What are the symptoms of heart disease?

Although some have no symptoms, others may have:

• Angina (dull and heavy or sharp chest pain or discomfort)
• Pain in the neck, jaw, or throat
• Pain in the upper abdomen or back

These symptoms may happen when you are resting or when you are doing regular daily activities. Women also may have other symptoms, including:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue

Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until you have other symptoms or emergencies, including:

• Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath
• Arrhythmia: Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations)
• Heart failure: Shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins

If you have any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 right away. 

https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/women.htm#how

 “Sorry, there’s no magic bullet. You gotta eat healthy and live healthy to be healthy and look healthy. End of story.” — Morgan Spurlock

What  Increases My Risks of Heart Disease?

What are my risk factors for heart disease?

1. A family history of early heart disease (before age 50)
2. High blood pressure
3. High LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol
4. Smoking
5. High BMI Index

Did you know about half of all people in the United States (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors?

Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put me at a higher risk for heart disease, including

• Diabetes
• Having overweight or obesity
• Eating an unhealthy diet
• Physical inactivity
• Drinking too much alcohol

What  Can I Do to Help My Heart?

Even though genetics plays a role in my heart health, there are certain habits I can change or add to show my heart some love!

Do you know how to keep your heart healthy?

TODAY, you can take a more active role in reducing your risk for heart disease by eating a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, and managing your cholesterol and blood pressure. This is a great chance to start some heart-healthy habits!

https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/

•  Know your blood pressure. Having uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to heart disease. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Learn more about high blood pressure.
• Talk to your doctor or health care team about whether you should be tested for diabetes. Having uncontrolled diabetes raises your risk of heart disease.8 Learn more about diabetes.
• Quit smoking. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, learn ways to quit.
• Discuss checking your blood cholesterol and triglycerides with your doctor. Learn more about cholesterol.
• Make healthy food choices
• Learn more about overweight and obesity.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink to one drink a day. 
• Learn your BMI index

Go Here to calculate your index, get your waist-to-height ratio, and learn food and exercise tips just for you!

I hope you have learned more about how important a healthy heart can be, and how to change your own heart habits to live healthier, happier, and better!