It’s heart month: Time to live healthier!
One out of every three American women will experience heart disease in her lifetime.
One out of three! Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women age 65 or better, and the second leading cause of death among women ages 45-64.
In fact, a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2000 baby boomers, both men and women, had more hospitalizations for heart disease than the 45-to 54-year-olds born 10 to 20 years before them, U.S. News & World Report wrote.
Relatively speaking, Wisconsin boomers have a lower overall incidence of death from heart disease, as shown on the Centers for Disease Control web site.
Simple steps can keep women healthier and living longer.
Consider this: fitness is the most powerful predictor of deaths from heart disease and other causes, says Rita Redberg, MD, a cardiologist from the University of California at San Francisco, on GoodHousekeeping.com. People who exercise regularly have up to a 50 percent lower risk of having a heart attack or chest pain, and they have a lower risk of other diseases too.
Other experts add that exercising is more important than being thin, and may even help those who smoke for maintaining heart health.
Eating right is crucial as well. Learn about heart-healthy fats, reading labels and getting the most from your grocery store trips at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Center.
And breathe easier knowing you’re doing the right thing. The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line is a free, easy-to-use resource to quit smoking for good. Get phone coaching, medications and more at no cost. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or go to the Quit Line home page to get started now.
More resources:
- Go Red Heart CheckUp — learn your risk for developing heart disease over the next 10 years
- American Heart Association’s Learn and Live Quiz — identify resources to live a healthier life
- Interactive Menu Planner — plan your intake of calories, fat, salt, sugar and more
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