Heart Health for Women in their 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's

  NuHealth Women's Care

Nassau University Medical Center

2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY 11554

www.nuhealth.net     516-572-5809

Taking care of your body, especially your heart is important at all ages. The common misconception that heart problems are only for men needs to be addressed. According The Times of India, more women die of heart disease than men. You can start ensuring proper heart health in your early 20’s all the way through your late 50’s and beyond.

Heart disease occurs due to the narrowing and/or hardening of the arteries that supplies blood to the heart muscles because of plaque buildup. Plaque buildup is the accumulation of fat, cholesterol and other substances on the inner walls of the arteries. This buildup often leads to heart attacks and can be fatal.

Major symptoms women develop associated with heart disease are chest pressure or discomfort, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dizziness and extreme fatigue. Some of the common risk factors for women are family history, menopause, stress or depression and smoking.  

Here are a few facts: 

• women are 1.5 times more likely than men to die within the year following a heart attack
• heart disease in women can present itself differently than that for men
• women can have different symptoms of both heart disease and a heart attack as opposed to men
• a women is more prone to develop heart disease if her father or brother had heart attacks before the age of 55 or if her mother or sister had one before the age of 65
• depression or tension affects women’s heart more than men
• men and women in their middle-age period are at higher risk to develop heart disease risk factors

Here’s what you can do suggested by The Times of India, no matter how old you are, to manage your heart health!

20’s: be familiar with the risk factors involved with heart disease. Check your family history, control your weight, keep a watchful eye on your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels and pay attention to what you eat. Incorporate heart healthy foods like fruits, whole-grains, vegetables and lean meats in your everyday diet.

30’s: pay attention to your bodily needs and the signs it is giving you. Avoid trigger factors to heart disease like smoking or excessive alcohol consumption and follow basic nutrition guidelines involving foods low in saturated and trans fats, fiber-rich whole grains and plenty of lean meat, fruits, vegetables and fish.

40’s: regularly monitor your weight and start a balanced health program of heart healthy foods and exercise session. Count your calories and stick to a diet of at least 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day, whole grains, and oily fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

50’s: adopt a healthy lifestyle by minimizing risk factors as much as possible. Be active and indulge in outdoor fitness programs as often as possible and adopt a monthly health-check regime. Consult your physician in case of any doubts and choose foods that have the lowest sodium content to help you prevent or control your blood pressure.