Women And Heart Disease

February is American Heart Month, and unfortunately, most of us know someone who has had heart disease or stroke. Heart disease is the leading killer of females in America. Yet many women fail to recognize the toll that cardiovascular disease (CVD) can take on their bodies, and thus fail to do what is necessary to reduce the risk of getting this largely preventable disease.

What is CVD, and what puts women at risk and how can you lower your risk?

The term cardiovascular disease refers to any disease of the heart and its blood vessels. Generally speaking, CVD is an umbrella term that encompasses all conditions affecting the heart muscle itself, the valves of the heart and/or the blood vessels that supply the heat (i.e., coronary arteries). Vessel disease, or vascular disease, includes diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries caused by the formation of plaque deposits within the arterial wall). Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is the main culprit behind chest pain (angina) and heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Educate Yourself About Your Risk
Minimize your CVD risk by learning about risk factors such as:

• elevated total and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels

• low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels

• obesity

• smoking

• hypertension

• sedentary Lifestyles

• poor diet

• stress and depression

• family history of premature CVD

• middle age diabetes

The more risk factors that are present, the higher the risk of atherosclerosis and subsequent heart attack or stroke.

Talk to your Doctor
A simple preventive health checkup and a blood draw in the lab can arm you with the information needed to determine your specific risk. Ask your doctor questions such as:
•    What is my risk for Heart Disease?

•    What is my blood pressure reading?

•    What does this reading mean for me, and what do I need to do about it?

•    What are my cholesterol numbers?

•    What do these numbers mean for me, and what do I need to do about them?

Rebecca LeSaffre is the owner of Lynnfield Boot Camp, and is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, a Fitness Nutrition Coach and a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. She is qualified to assess what types of exercises will be most beneficial for meeting personal fitness goals, while also helping assure that you use proper form for maximum results and injury prevention. You can contact her via her web site www.lynnfieldbootcamp.com