Heart disease and womem who have it is concernful. However, on the other hand, it isss great to know there are thing we can do as women to reduce our risks. Today, we will talk about the rest of six things we can do to lower our risks.
These tips are taken from the site, “Go Red for Women”
Tip #1: Don’t Skimp on the Exercise!
Get Physically Active!
Couch potatoes, listen up! If you’re physically inactive you’re much more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improves your cardiovascular fitness and helps reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Exercise can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. It can also help lower blood pressure. For most healthy people, the American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most or all days of the week to condition your heart and lungs.
You don’t have to be an athlete to lower your risk! Moderate activities such as walking, gardening, housework or dancing for at least 30 minutes on most days can help your heart. The time may be broken into shorter periods. If you’ve been inactive, you can start with 10 minutes of physical activity, then work up to more.
Tip #2: Watch the weight.
Obesity/Overweight
If you have too much body fat, especially if a lot of it is in your waist area, you’re at higher risk for health problems. These include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Women with excess body fat are at higher risk of heart disease, even if they don’t have other risk factors. Here’s some advice to keep in mind:
- Try to reach a healthy weight, and stay there. To lose weight, most women should eat 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, but not less than 1,200. Losing one to two pounds or less per week is considered a healthy weight loss. (One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories.)
- Many overweight and obese women have difficulty losing weight. Stay with your plan! Even modest weight loss (5 to 10% of body weight) can help lower your heart disease risk!
- Treatment of obesity and extreme obesity focuses on substantial weight loss over a long time. Beware of fad diets, programs and products that promise rapid weight loss. Work with your healthcare professional, registered dietitian (R.D.), or nutritionist licensed or certified by the state (an L.D. or C.N.). Together you can set up a sensible program of eating and physical activity that will help you reach a healthier weight and stay there.
- Body Mass Index (BMI) is a recommended way to estimate a person’s body fat. BMI assesses your body weight relative to your height. Calculate your BMI risk level.
- Check out our Physical Activity Chart. Based on your weight range, it tells you how many calories you can expect to burn off while doing many common physical activities.
Tip #3: Reduce Risk for Diabetes
Diabetes
Diabetes most often appears in middle age and among overweight people. But it’s becoming an increasing problem in children and adolescents. It affects many more women than men after age 60. Compared to women without diabetes, women with diabetes have from two to four times higher death rates from heart disease. (CDC – Women’s Health – Diabetes, 9/15/06)
While diabetes is treatable, having it still increases a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke. Many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. This increases their risk even more.
If you have diabetes, it’s critical to have regular medical checkups. Work closely with your healthcare provider to manage your diabetes and reduce or eliminate any other risk factors. If you have a family history of diabetes, ask your healthcare provider for a fasting blood sugar test.
