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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 A woman's guide to heart health By Dr. Elizabeth Smoots Herald Columnist Many women falsely assume heart disease mainly afflicts men--but the truth is that more females than males die of the disorder in the U.S every year. According to the latest guidelines from the American Heart Association, about half of women will succumb to heart disease during their lives, and nearly all are at risk. That's why a heart-healthy lifestyle is just as important for women as it is for men. Here are some tips to help you take better care of your ticker. guidelines "Women of any age should seek ways to reduce the risk that they will develop heart disease during their lives," the Heart Association says. "The risk is real, but changing the way you live your life and talking to your health care provider about your risks can help you avoid heart-related disaster." The group published updated guidelines for heart disease prevention last year. After reviewing the latest research, the association issued the following recommendations for healthy women. Lifestyle interventions Nutrition: Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods. Consume fish at least twice a week. Substances to limit include saturated fat (no more than 10 percent of calories), cholesterol (less than 300 milligrams a day), trans fat (as low as possible), alcohol (no more than one drink a day), and salt (less than 2.4 grams per day.) Physical activity: Women should participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise such as brisk walking on most, and preferably all, days of the week. The exercise recommendation lengthens to 60 to 90 minutes for women who need to lose weight or maintain weight loss. If you're unaccustomed to this level of activity, first get your doctor's approval. Smoking: Avoid exposure to tobacco products such as smoking or secondhand smoke. If you need to quit, nicotine replacement, prescription medications, counseling, or a formal smoking cessation program can help. Weight reduction: Use diet, exercise and behavior modification to achieve a body mass index within the normal range. Aim for a waist measurement of less than 35 inches. Modifications Blood pressure: An optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Useful approaches to get it there include weight control, exercise, alcohol moderation, salt restriction, and an increased intake of plant foods and low-fat dairy products. Medications are advised when blood pressure remains at 140/90 or higher. Cholesterol: Keep it under control, with medicine if necessary. Aim for LDL (bad) cholesterol levels less than 100, if at high risk of heart disease, and less than 70 if at very high risk. Diabetes. Blood sugar levels need to be managed carefully in women with diabetes. Ineffective measures The guidelines recommend against several popular treatments. Hormone replacement therapy has not proven effective for preventing heart disease in postmenopausal women. Neither has folic acid. Likewise, antioxidants such as vitamin E, C and beta-carotene have not been shown to prevent heart disease and should not be used as preventive agents, the association says. In addition, aspirin has not been proven to protect the heart in healthy women less than 65 years of age. But the drug can help older women, who should discuss the pros and cons of aspirin for heart-disease prevention with their primary care doctors. For more information: American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org. Contact Dr. Elizabeth Smoots, a board-certified family physician and fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, at doctor@practicalprevention. com. © 2008 Elizabeth S. Smoots READER COMMENTS Log in or register to post new comment | Log out Cholesterol Meds After reading about niacin therapy at cholesterolscore.com , I switched to niacin to control my high cholesterol (and low HDL). I'm happy to say that niacin has improved all my cholesterol numbers. Even my HDL went from 31 to 45. My bank account numbers have improved, also, now that I don't make the insurance co-payments for Lipitor. The niacin I use is cheaper than aspirin. The site, cholesterolscore.com focuses entirely on niacin therapy. A great help. mitch good | Sep 16, 2008 7:08 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal

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