Heart Health for Women

Are you aware that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the US? Many women think it's a man's problem, but it's very much a woman's problem. Most research on the subject has been done on men; yet older men and women (over 60) have similar rates of heart attack.

Medical scientists have discovered many differences in the way women and men are treated for heart disease. For example, women are often referred for coronary bypass surgery at a later stage of the disease than men, which may account for their higher death rate from this surgery.

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But, women often experience symptoms that most people don't think to associate with heart attacks, such as severe indigestion or nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, severe pain in the jaw, neck, shoulder or arm, palpitations and sweating.

Cardiovascular disease affects women of all racial and ethnic groups, with African American women more likely to die of heart disease than white women. It's alarming to note that fewer than one in ten women today consider heart disease as their greatest health threat.

How to Identify Your Risk of Heart Disease

So, how does a women know she's at risk for heart disease? Here are some of the risk factors:

• Over age 50
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Family history of heart disease'
• Hysterectomy with removal of ovaries before age 45
• Stress and certain personality factors: habitual impatience, hostility, anger, high competitive drive.
• Oral contraceptives
• Absence of a social network

In the past, taking hormone replacement therapy or HRT was thought to help protect women against cardiovascular disease. But recent findings from the Women's Health Initiative Study showed that taking HRT poses more risks than benefits. The study found that HRT could actually increase a woman's risk for heart disease. The US Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that post-menopausal women should not be given HRT to prevent cardiovascular disease.

How to Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk

The good news is that cardiovascular disease is largely preventable with healthy lifestyle changes. Simple steps that you can take to reduce your risk of developing heart disease and to keep your heart healthy and strong are:

• Quit smoking.
• Lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat, trans-fats and cholesterol. Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and grains.
• Control cholesterol. Get it checked.
• Control high blood pressure.
• If you have diabetes, monitor and control your blood sugar levels.
• Exercise.
• Reduce stress.
• Oral contraceptives. If you are over 40 and have other heart disease risk factors, you may want to reconsider your use of birth control pills.

Acupuncture and herbs can help with stopping smoking (through our Acuquit program), control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and lower stress.

Better lifestyle habits will aid you in reducing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Change isn't always easy, but with support from your health care practitioner, family and friends, you can introduce healthy habits into your daily routine. Before you know it, you'll be that much closer to having a healthy heart and body.

SOMA Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc 1615 20th St • San Francisco CA 94107 • 415-643-6600 Website: www.SOMAacupuncture.com Naturopathic Medicine • Acupuncture • Herbal Medicine • Supplements Nutrition • Women's Health • Weight Loss • Breast Thermography Smoking Cessation • Work-Related Injuries