Anna doing deep lung with arms overhead

Women’s Health Week: Heart health

ByAnna + Em

Cardiovascular disease is the general term used to include both diseases of the heart (cardio) and the blood vessels (veins and arteries), although most cardiovascular diseases involve the heart. Some however, such as strokes and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), involve blood supply to other parts of the body, such as the legs and brain (peripheral vascular disease).

Many people think that cardiovascular disease is more likely to be associated with men; however, one type of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, causes more deaths in women than men in Australia.

Did you know?  Heart disease is responsible for FOUR times the number of deaths in women in Australia than Breast Cancer.

While we cannot control the risk factors of age and genetics or family history, there are some risk factors that we do have control over:

❤        Eating a nutritious diet with lots of vegetables;

❤        Maintaining your weight in a healthy weight range;

❤        Consistent, regular exercise;

❤        Trying to move more and sit less; and

❤        Abstaining from smoking can all help support your cardiovascular health.

Smoking is obviously a very big risk factor in cardiovascular health, but can be hard to give up – help is out there though, so seek advice on your options for assistance, from your GP.

What can you do today towards your heart health?

❤        Know your numbers.  Have annual checkups with GP and ask for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels to be checked regularly.

❤    Aim for / maintain a healthy weight through good nutrition and regular exercise.

❤    Look after your mental health.  As stress is a big risk factor in CVD, managing your stress levels, anxiety and depression is important.  Look at practicing mindfulness/ meditation, undertaking a nourishing exercise discipline (like yoga or tai chi), or if you need additional help, ask your health professional.

❤    Don’t smoke.

Need a little help?  Download our 5 Tips to Better Health and start there.  Or there are some other great resources to dive a little further into here:

NUTRITION: What does it mean to eat more whole foods?

EXERCISE: Why movement should be your number on health priority?

Jean Hailes Organisation: Cardiovascular Disease

Women and heart disease: Heart Research Australia

Heart health for women: ACOG

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