There is some misconception that heart disease is for men. While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women and women need to understand that! Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and the gap between men and women’s survival continues to widen.
Know Your Numbers
You can’t manage what you don’t measure, which is why knowing your risk is critical to preventing cardiovascular disease. Knowing your risk starts with knowing your numbers.
Talk to your healthcare provider today to learn about your Blood Pressure, Total Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and BMI (Body Mass Index).
Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack
If you have any of these signs, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away.
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheaded.
- As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. Women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
Risk Factors That Can Be Managed
You can control or treat these risk factors with lifestyle changes and your healthcare provider’s help:
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- High blood cholesterol
- Lack of regular activity
- Obesity or overweight
- Diabetes
Risk Factors You Can’t Control
You can’t change these risk factors:
- Age
- Gender
- Heredity (family health history)
- Race
- Previous stroke or heart attack
Here are a few lifestyle changes you should make:
- Don’t smoke
- Manage your blood sugar
- Get your blood pressure under control
- Lower your cholesterol
- Know your family history
- Move Smart
- Lose or manage your weight
- Eat Smart
Just 20 minutes, twice a week of Strength Training at Smart Fitness will help you build a healthy heart. Lifting weights paired with cardio every week is recommended and our Personal Trainers can specifically guide you. We also can help you EAT SMART with our Nutrition Programs. Feeling like you need to de-stress? We have two Licensed Massage Therapists on staff to assist you with that too! Check us out here!
Find a buddy and sign up for our Buddy Sessions (2 or more friends/family). These sessions are a great way to stay motivated, stay accountable and save money! All February, we are offering ONE FREE WEEK to any new clients who want to BUDDY UP!
Go For Red this Friday, February 5th! Wear red and help to raise awareness about Women’s Heart Health! The information above and more is sourced from The American Heart Association website. Check out all the resources they have to offer!
