Women's Cardiovascular Health

It’s February. That means in Canada, USA, UK, and Philippines, it’s Heart Health Month.

Does that mean anything to you? It should! Especially if you're a woman.

There’s a lot of info about men and heart disease - the women’s side is less publicized and women are notorious for skipping self-care to take care of everyone else. Here’s proof.

Approximately 90% of women have at least one risk factor for CVD.

Heart disease and stroke make up 40% of female deaths. Every 16 minutes a woman dies from heart disease or stroke. Women are five times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than breast cancer.

Every seven minutes, a Canadian woman is diagnosed with heart disease.

Symptoms of heart attack in women are often different from men. While women may have the ‘typical’ chest pain, others may have more subtle symptoms like fatigue, indigestion, neck/back pain, jaw pain, shortness of breath, flu-like symptoms.

The sad truth is that even with correct diagnosis women are less likely to receive appropriate care before or timely care after a heart attack.

So, ladies - let’s talk about what you can do to take control of your own health and reduce your risk or becoming a statistic.

1. Eat to calm inflammation - this is so much more than just lowering cholesterol - because heart disease is largely an inflammatory process

Focus on:

• Colorful vegetables: including leafy greens and cruciferous

• Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado oil, nut oils

• Omega 3: wild fish or supplements

• Fiber: beans, lentils, vegetables, ground flax/chia seed

Limit:

• Refined carbs & sugars

• Seed oils: corn, soy, canola

• Ultra-processed foods
  

2. Daily physical activity - consistency is crucial – sitting for long stretches is now considered as bad a smoking.

Focus on:

• Brisk walking: 30 minutes per day – divide this up into short walks after meals

• Resistance training: 2 – 3 days per week

3.Protect your Blood Sugar – even if you are not diabetic - blood sugar spikes damage arteries! Elevated insulin is a stronger predictor of heart disease than elevated cholesterol.

Focus on:

• Eating protein with every meal – strive for at least 30 grams per meal

• Avoid sugary drinks and frequent snacking

• Walk for 10 – 15 minutes after each meal

• Prioritize sleep – women need more sleep than men!

4. Manage your stress like your heart depends on it – because it does. Chronic stress increases:

• Blood pressure

• Inflammation

• Cortisol

• Arrhythmia risk

Focus on:

• Slow breathing of 4 – 6 breaths per minute

• Spending time in nature

• Mindfulness or prayer

• Meaningful social connection – loneliness increases cardiovascular risk as much as smoking

5. Know your numbers - then address the root cause

• Blood pressure

• Fasting glucose & A1C

• Triglycerides

• HDL

• Waist circumference (for women, waist of over 36” suggests blood sugar issues and increases the risk of CV issues)

• Hs-CRP and fasting insulin

All of these risk factors CAN be reversed, if you’re willing to do the work.

I encourage you to get labs done – either through your doctor or a private lab. If any of the results are out of line, see what your doctor has to say AND see what your herbalist/nutritionist has to say, then choose your course of action.

You don’t have to become a statistic!