Each year, more than 16 million people die from heart disease, and 40% of all adult deaths are from heart disease. Although women have a tendency to have heart disease later in life than men do, it is more severe and more likely to be fatal, with more women dying from heart disease than breast cancer.
Metabolic Syndrome and Heart Disease
A group of three or more specific problems, including obesity centered around the waist (an apple-shaped figure), high blood pressure, low levels of good cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, and sugar metabolism problems can lead to a condition known as metabolic syndrome. Another risk of this condition is high levels of C-reactive protein, a chemical created in the liver in response to inflammation. A person with a level of one to three milligrams of C-reactive protein per liter of blood is at risk for metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
Heart Disease Risk Factors
In addition to women being at higher risk for heart disease, there are also a number of risk factors that can increase their chances of having heart disease, including:
Smoking: Smoking is bad for your health anyway, but it is a major risk factor for women and heart disease. Women who smoke are five times more likely to develop heart disease than women who don’t smoke.
Weight: Being overweight is another risk factor when it comes to heart disease. Women with a body mass index of 27 or more are at a higher risk for developing heart disease.
Lack of Estrogen: Women who are post-menopausal need to have an estrogen replacement, and without it, their risk of developing heart disease increases greatly.
Hypertension: Plaque deposits can be caused by high blood pressure, adding stress to the arterial walls, which can lead to heart disease.
Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to a number of health issues, including heart disease, by raising cholesterol and damaging arteries.
Lack of Exercise: Just like the rest of the muscles in your body, the heart needs exercise to be healthy, and when you don’t exercise, you increase your chance of other risk factors, such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes.
Family History: This is something you have no control of, but if there is a history of heart disease in your family, you may be at risk yourself.
If you find yourself in any of the above categories, you can take steps to become healthier. A change in diet will help, along with becoming more active. This will lower your risk for a number of health conditions, including heart disease.
The Importance of Exercise
One of the first things to do if you want to get in better shape and reduce your risk of heart disease is to start exercising. This doesn’t mean that you have to work out at the gym for three or four hours every day, but the American Heart Association does recommend that people get at least one half hour of exercise daily. This doesn’t have to be any kind of structured exercise. Walking is great exercise, and if you want to make it more fun, why not try mall-walking with a group of friends. No matter what kind of exercise you do, it is important that you start out slowly if you are not used to it. Of course, you should also consult with your physician before starting any kind of exercise program.
The Importance of a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is important, no matter what. And there are a number of healthy diets out there, including the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet program, which is recommended by the American Heart Association. This diet is fruit and vegetable-based, and limits the amount of saturated fats and sodium that are ingested. This type of diet is very healthy for a number of reasons, including the fact that having a diet that is high in protein will make you feel fuller and more satisfied without overeating or eating the wrong kinds of foods.
Even though you may hear a lot of bad things about carbohydrates, it is actually essential that a normal diet be around 50% carbohydrates, with 25-35% coming from protein and the final 15-25% from fats.
Carbohydrates: not only do carbohydrates provide energy, they are the only source of energy accepted by the brain, which without energy, will slow down bodily systems and cognitive functions. Simple carbohydrates are quickly and easily digested, while complex carbohydrates are slower to digest. Complex carbohydrates do not cause a spike in insulin levels, which in turn leads to weight gain.
Fats: We need fats in our diets, but we need good fats. Bad fats can lead to an increased risk of inflammatory response, while good fats reduce inflammation. Some excellent sources of good fats include salmon and other fatty fish, olive oil, and nuts.
Protein: Protein is absolutely necessary for survival and is important for muscle growth and recovery, and also plays an important role in good health. Protein is essential for good digestion, healthy eyesight, ovulation, and even sleep. But it is also important that protein be used properly, because some high-protein foods are also high in calories and cholesterol. Some delicious and healthy choices for sources of good protein include lean red meat, poultry, eggs, brown rice, nuts, and beans.
It is important that we all have a well-balanced diet, with protein playing an important role. But it is also important to remember that too much protein can have effects opposite of what you are looking for, including weight gain, kidney damage, and digestive troubles. One great way to get the right amount of protein is by using Profect, by Protica, a 100-calorie drink that is less than three ounces but offers 25 grams of protein. Profect is low in carbohydrates and is available in delicious fruit flavors.
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