Stay Well Secret: Know When to Get

Screened
Cardiovascular disease kills about half a million women every year -- more than cancer,
respiratory disease and Alzheimers disease combined. The American Heart Association
AHA! this year released new "uidelines for preventin" heart disease in women. #$ost
risk factors for heart disease are silent, so unless you have your blood pressure and
cholesterol checked you may never know if theyre elevated,% says &oAnne 'oody, $.(.,
$edical (irector of the cardiovascular wellness pro"ram at )ri"ham and *omens
Hospital and Associate +rofessor of $edicine at Harvard $edical ,chool in )oston. The
AHA recommends these tests be"innin" at a"e -./ blood pressure checks at least every
two years0 wei"ht, body mass inde1 )$2! and waist circumference measured at each
re"ular check-up0 and cholesterol tests every five years more fre3uently when you turn
45 for a man, 5. for a woman, or if problems show up!. )lood "lucose tests for men and
women should be done every three years be"innin" at a"e 45. #2f you already have
symptoms of heart disease, like havin" difficulty doin" activity, unusual fati"ue, an1iety,
indi"estion or shortness of breath, talk to your healthcare provider who may recommend
more advanced testin" or a consultation with a cardiolo"ist,% says (r. 'oody, who is also
an editor of the American Colle"e of Cardiolo"ys
2Stay Well Secret: Shrink Your Dinner
Plate or Bowl
Two out of three American women over a"e -. are overwei"ht or obese, a ma6or reason
that heart disease and diabetes in women are on the rise. 7sin" smaller plates can help
you control portion sizes. #The problem with the American diet is not so much what we
eat but how much,% says 'oody. #$ost people would be better off usin" a salad plate for
dinner.% )i""er plate and bowl sizes today mean that often people dont realize how
much theyre eatin". 2n studies at Cornell 7niversity, people who were "iven bi" bowls
served themselves about one-third more ice cream than people "iven smaller bowls. ,o
start downsizin" your dishes.
Stay Well Secret: Stretch Your Restaurant
Order Further
)urnin" up the calories in todays restaurant portions isnt easy. 'or e1ample, -. years
a"o, a typical portion of spa"hetti was 5.. calories one cup spa"hetti with sauce and
three small meatballs!. Today a typical portion of the same meal is 8,.-5 calories two
cups pasta, sauce, and three lar"e meatballs!. Thats an e1tra 5-5 calories9 To burn those
e1tra calories from that one meal, youd need to clean your house for two-and-a-half
hours, accordin" to The :ational 2nstitutes of Health :2H!. Twenty years a"o, a portion
of fast food fries was -.4 ounces and -8. calories0 todays typical portion size is ;.<
ounces and ;8. calories. =oud have to walk for an hour and ten minutes to burn those
e1tra 4.. calories. To avoid pilin" on calories, eat half of what youre served at a
restaurant and save the rest for tomorrows lunch or dinner!. #The secret to maintainin"
heart health is consumin" ade3uate portion sizes so that youll burn up the calories you
consume,% says 'oody.
Stay Well Secret: Switch to Water
>ne 8--ounce can of soda contains 8?. calories and ei"ht teaspoons of su"ar. The new
AHA "uidelines recommend that women "et no more than 8.. calories per day from all
added su"ars those that arent found naturally in foods! in their diet, which is about ;
teaspoons per day. ,tudies show that Americans typically consume an avera"e of --
teaspoons of added su"ar a day -- that e3uals ?55 calories9 )esides makin" you "ain
wei"ht, a hi"h-su"ar diet has been linked to increased risk for hi"h blood pressure, low
levels of H(@ the healthy cholesterol!, and hi"h levels of tri"lycerides, a kind of fat in
the blood that raises your risk for heart disease and diabetes. >ne simple way to cut back
on the added su"ars in your diet is to stop drinkin" soda. #(rink water and other
bevera"es that are unsweetened naturally,% su""ests 'oody, #and when you must have a
soda, choose a diet soft drink.%
Stay Well Secret: Move More
2f tryin" to s3ueeze in a 45-minute workout every day is 6ust too overwhelmin", think
about doin" three 85-minute walks or five 8.-minute walks instead. #2ncreasin" the
amount of activity in your day -- walkin" more and 6ust "ettin" up and movin" more --
can have as dramatic an effect on health as doin" a 45-minute workout,% says 'oody.
#*alkin" 8.,... steps a day is e3uivalent to 45-;. minutes of aerobic e1ercise, but many
people find its much easier to accumulate small steps throu"hout the day than to do one
full workout. +ark further from a store and use the stairs in your home as your own
personal stair climber0 run up and down them several times a day.%
Stay Well Secret: ake a Dee! Breath
)reathin" e1ercises and other techni3ues such as pro"ressive rela1ation, visualization,
and even countin" to 8. before you react, can help reduce stress. 2n a recent study of
about 85,... people around the world who were admitted to hospitals for heart attack,
hi"h stress levels raised risks about the same as hi"h blood pressure and abdominal
obesity. #,tress causes the heart to speed up, blood pressure to "o up, and many people
who are stressed overeat and "ain wei"ht,% says 'oody. #'or all of these reasons, keepin"
stress in check is important for a healthy heart.% Try our tips to cut down on your stress.
Stay Well Secret: "au#h Out "oud
,urroundin" yourself with funny people is "ood for your heart. +eople who have heart
disease lau"h about 4. percent less than people who dont, accordin" to studies at the
7niversity of $aryland. Aesearchers also found that when people watch comedies and
lau"h, their blood vessels rela1, open and blood flows easily. *atchin" movies depictin"
stressful situations causes a viewers blood vessels to constrict, lessenin" blood flow. #2f
youre a "lass half-full person and you can see the funny side of thin"s you tend to have
fewer issues with your heart,% says 'oody.
Stay Well Secret: $uddle %!
,e1 and romance are pretty darn "ood for your heart, so "et out there and find a cuddle
buddy. #,tudies show that people who have "ood personal relationships, "ood physical
relationships, and even people who have pets have lower blood pressure and less heart
disease than people who dont have these supportive relationships in their lives,% says
'oody. #And se1 is e1ercise, which is "ood for your heart, too.% 2n a recent analysis of ;B
studies conducted on women since 8<<5, researchers at the 7niversity of +ittsbur"h
identified stress, an1iety and depression as important risk factors for heart disease in
women, while supportive relationships are a si"nificant factor in reducin" heart disease
risk.
Stay Well Secret: Slee! Yoursel& Well
=ou already know this, ri"htC ,o why arent you "ettin" more sleepC #,leepin" well is
essential to a healthy heart,% says 'oody. #+oor sleep weakens the heart and contributes
to heart failure. 2t can raise risks for arrhythmias or irre"ular heartbeats, and poor sleep
can lead to hi"h blood pressure because it doesnt allow the blood pressure to come down
to a more normal ran"e as it should durin" the evenin". 2f you have trouble fallin" asleep,
wake up fre3uently in the ni"ht, snore heavily, or 6ust can "et enou"h sleep, consult your
doctor.%
Stay Well Secret: "earn Fro' Your
Pre#nancy
Certain conditions durin" pre"nancy can predict your future risk of heart disease. >ne
lar"e study found that women who e1perience preemclampsia durin" pre"nancy have
double the risk for heart disease and stroke over the ne1t five to 85 years as women who
dont develop it. #$any women are dia"nosed with preemclampsia, hi"h blood pressure,
"estational diabetes or hi"h blood su"ar durin" pre"nancy,% says 'oody. #(octors used to
reassure them that once their pre"nancies were over, these conditions would clear up, too,
and they would have nothin" to worry about. Today we know that those conditions
durin" pre"nancy are risk factors for the development of hypertension, diabetes and heart
disease down the road, and when your pre"nancy is over, your doctor should continue to
monitor your health carefully.%
Stay Well Secret: Get So'e Sun
=our skin manufactures vitamin ( in the sun, and vitamin ( is essential to a healthy
heart. #Ditamin ( levels are becomin" lower and lower in American women, and low
vitamin ( raises your risk for heart disease, althou"h e1actly how is unknown,% says
'oody. #Ditamin ( is really a hormone that mana"es calcium throu"hout your body, and
it impacts not only bones, but muscles and most tissues in your body.% (urin" the
warmest months, as little as 5 minutes at most ?.! of sun e1posure between 8. A$ and
? +$, several times a week to your face, arms, le"s, or back without sunscreen should be
enou"h to help your body manufacture ade3uate amounts of vitamin (, accordin" to the
:2H. 7sin" a sunscreen can block this process, and in cold winter months, the sun isnt
stron" enou"h to make vitamin ( if you live somewhere between the north of )oston and
the northern border of California. Ask your doctor to see if you should have your blood
levels of vitamin checked, and if they are low, whether you need supplementation. 2n
"eneral, levels below 8- n"Em@ are too low for overall health, and levels above 5. n"Em@
are probably too hi"h. The ideal level is around -. n"Em@. #Ditamin ( and calcium can
help improve wei"ht loss, too, which could be another benefit to your heart,% adds 'oody.
Stay Well Secret: Sto! S'okin#
Fven if you only smoke a few ci"arettes a day, you are "reatly increasin" your risk of
heart disease and heart attack. ,mokin" 6ust one to five ci"arettes daily increased the risk
of heart attack by 4. percent in an international study of 85,... heart attack victims.
Fven preventive tactics such as takin" a daily aspirin or a statin medication couldnt
counteract the dama"in" effects of smokin" on the heart. Try these tips to try to stop
smokin" without "ainin" wei"ht
Stay Well Secret: Know the Si#ns o&
(eart )ttack
Fvery <. seconds in the 7.,. a woman suffers a heart attack, accordin" to The :ational
*omens Health 2nformation Center. The classic symptoms of heart attack that occur in
men -- mid-chest pain radiatin" out to the left arm and shoulder -- may occur in women,
too, but often women have more subtle symptoms than men. These include indi"estion,
back and neck pain, and even 6aw pain, especially durin" stressful or physically strenuous
situations. 2f you e1perience these symptoms, call <88 immediately. Amazin"ly, only
about half of women said the first thin" they would do is call <88 if they thou"ht they
were havin" a heart attack, accordin" to a recent survey by the American Heart
Association. *aitin" too lon" to "et help may be one reason why women are less likely
to survive heart attacks than men.
Stay Well Secret: Know the Si#ns o& a
Stroke
Fvery year, 55,... more women than men in the 7.,. have a stroke durin" which blood
and o1y"en are cut off to the brain because of a clot or ruptured blood vessel. The
American ,troke Association says to watch for these si"ns of stroke/ ,udden numbness
or weakness of the face, arm or le", especially on one side of the body0 sudden confusion,
trouble speakin" or understandin"0 sudden trouble seein" in one or both eyes0 sudden
trouble walkin", dizziness, loss of balance or coordination0 and sudden severe headache
with no known cause. 2f you or a loved one e1perience any of these symptoms, call <88
immediately. 2f youre havin" an ischemic stroke caused by a clot and account for GB
percent of all strokes! lon"-term dama"e from a stroke can usually be minimized if
doctors can administer clot-dissolvin" medication within three hours of onset of
symptoms. 2f youre havin" a hemorrha"ic stroke rupturin" of a blood vessel!,
immediate treatment may prevent e1cessive bleedin" in the brain and save your life. ,eek
medical help even if these symptoms are transient -- lastin" less than five minutes -- and
you feel fine afterward. 2t could be a si"n of a #mini-stroke,% known medically as
transient ischemic attacks or T2As. Consider it a warnin" si"n/ one-third of people who
have them will later have a full-blown stroke with potentially deadly results.