What many of us gals fail to realize is that February is not only the month for our hearts to pump red with lust and passion, but it is the month for heart disease awareness, especially for us ladies! It’s very common for women to think that heart disease can’t affect them, but the scary reality is that it can! Heart disease in women has become one of the most deadly diseases today.
Over the years many studies of heart disease have been male focused, but the American Heart Association reported more women are dying of heart disease than men. In fact, studies have shown that while 1 in 31 women die of cancer, 1 in 3 women die of heart disease! There have been some preventative actions revealed that we can take to stay healthy. Remember, although the risk of heart disease is greater as we get older, being youthful and beautiful does not exclude us from the risk. Below are helpful preventative steps to stave off this disease.
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5 Ways To Prevent Heart Disease in Women
1 – Get your numbers checked.
Yes we know, not all of us are enthused to visit the doctor’s office- especially when it involves getting our blood drawn. But, it’s all worth it when monitoring our numbers! 200 mg total of cholesterol per daily intake and a maximum blood pressure of 120/80 mm is the recommendation.
2 – Eat a healthy diet.
This may be one of the most important ways to prevent heart disease in women. We not only eat clean in order to look fabulous, but to be healthy within! Below is the recommended daily intake for a well-balanced diet:
Fruits and vegetables – 4.5 cups a day
Fish (the oily fish such as salmon-highly recommended) – 3.5 ounce a day
Fiber rich food – 1 ounce a day
Nuts(unsalted) – 4 servings a day
3 – Exercise regularly.
The recommended exercise routine is no less than 40 minutes a day for three to four times a week. This entails a suggested power walk, light jog, or your choice of workout routine.
4 – Avoid unhealthy habits.
Moderate your alcohol consumption. That means no more than one drink per day. If you’re a gal who likes to party all the time, seven days a week, simply ease up on that drink! Your blood pressure will thank you!
Bad habits and people with bad habits. That’s smoking and second-hand smoking is not only bad for the lungs but will spike that blood pressure up to the skies!
A sedentary life style. Yep, some of us have those nice office jobs that require us to sit on our tooshies all day! Well, lets make sure the rest of the day has us up off our feet and being active- that is, until new episode of The Bachelor starts!
5 – Know your family history!
If you discover that your family does have a history of heart disease, you now know what risk you’re taking and what further preventative methods to take. Talk to the affected family member, or your own personal physician about how you can avoid this type of family tradition. Angelina Jolie is just one famous diva that took precaution of a deadly disease once she realized her family history. Don’t ignore your genes, they make up who you are on the inside and outside- health included.
Preventing heart disease in women has been a growing movement across the United States due to a rising statistic that is killing women throughout the country. You can never be to safe when it comes to being healthy, so don’t be afraid to ask your doctor any questions your have about any risks you may think are an issue.
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