Heart Stride Challenge Tip - Week 12

The Heart Stride Challenge, organised by the Heart Health Centre, is providing a short series of weekly challenge tips for better heart health in connection with the War on Weight programme. Here's the latest....

Week 12:  Many women think heart disease is a man’s disease. But here is The Heart Truth: Heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

Did you know that:

♥ In the United States 1 in 4 women die of some form of cardiovascular disease.  1 in 30 women will die from breast cancer?
♥ Heart disease is the largest single cause of death among women in the Western World?
♥ Many women do not recognize heart disease as their leading health threat?
♥ Women may have atypical symptoms, often not recognizing the seriousness and resulting in delay of treatment?
♥ 80% of all women have at least one risk factor?
♥ Education and awareness are two of the major defenses we have against heart disease?

It is never too early or too late to take a proactive role in your heart health.  How you choose to live in your 20’s and 30’s greatly affects the outcome of your heart health in later years.  Ignoring troublesome symptoms and personal risk factors now can have devastating effects later.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I smoke?
• Do I have high blood pressure?
• Do I have high blood cholesterol?
• Am I overweight?
• What is my waist circumference?
• Am I physically inactive?
• Do I have diabetes?

Other risk factors include: Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis, metabolic syndrome, pregnancy complications (high blood pressure, diabetes, or delivering a pre-term infant), radiation or chemotherapy for cancer
 
Take action! Start with a personal commitment to:

• Choose a diet low in fat, cholesterol and sugar but high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products, and lean protein
• Be more conscious of portion control
• Walk at least 10,000 steps per day
• Stop smoking
• Limit alcohol to one drink per day
• Manage emotional stress
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Maintain a healthy waist circumference (less than 35 inches)

85% of heart disease can be prevented but it is up to you.  Talk with your physician about your heart disease risk and take action to prevent or control these risk factors. Being heart healthy never goes out of style.

This week continue to set daily step goals.  Each day is a new day and an opportunity live a healthier life. 

Congratulations on taking care of your heart health! For more on heart attack warning signs check out The Heart Truth’s new video: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/video/tht-video-warning-symptoms.htm

Sources:
The Heart Truth® is a national awareness campaign for women and heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information check out: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth

Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center
Saint Luke’s Health System
https://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/service/womens-heart-center-services