Heart Disease in Women: Risk Factors and Prevention
February 1st is “National Wear Red Day” for awareness of heart disease in women. Although heart disease is often thought of as a problem for men, more women than men die of heart disease each year.
Risk Factors:
- High cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
- Mental stress and depression
- Low levels of estrogen after menopause
Prevention Tips:
- Know your numbers for cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure
- Quit smoking
- Get active
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish and whole grains
- Participate in stress reduction techniques
- Decrease alcohol consumption
Source: Mayo Clinic, Heart Disease in women: Understand Symptoms and Risk Factors