Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States? Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year…..that is approximately one woman every minute.
If you had heart disease, would you recognize the symptoms? Most think of crushing chest pains, but that is not always the case for women. Some of the common symptoms for women include shortness of breath, nausea, back pain, vomiting, and jaw pain. These are often more subtle and women mistakenly write them off as a less serious issue such as the flu, aging, or acid re-flux.
There are actions you can take to reduce your risk. Your behavior and lifestyle are major factors in your overall heart health. These involve things you can control:
- blood pressure
- cholesterol
- smoking
- diabetes
- diet and weight control
- physical activity
It is important that you measure your risk for heart disease and do what you can to prevent it. To get started, check out this tool to help you assess your risk of having a heart attack.
You need to make your heart health a priority because no one else will do it for you. Be sure to schedule a well-woman visit, a prevention check-up to review your overall health so your doctor can measure blood pressure, check cholesterol and look for signs of heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses. It is a great time to schedule if you haven’t already done this.
February is American Health Month and a great way to show your support of women’s heart health is to participate in National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 5th.
Sources:
American Heart Association, http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/HeartAttackToolsResources/Heart-Attack-Risk-Assessment_UCM_303944_Article.jsp#.VqEIdfkrJD9
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth/
Written by: Tammy Jones, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension – Pike County, jones.5640@osu.edu
Reviewed by: Daniel Remley, Field Specialist, Family Nutritional Wellness, Assistant Professor, OSUE-Human Ecology Ext Admin, remley.4@osu.edu
Live Healthy Live Well 
Reblogged this on Concierge Librarian.