I love Valentine’s Day, because – quite frankly – I love the idea of love. It is scientifically proven that maintaining meaningful relationships and quality (not quantity) social interactions are crucial for our well-being and state of mind. Plus, holidays like this allow me to be my tastefully kitschy self – I’m all for heart shaped pancakes for breakfast, homemade valentines for family members, and a festive seafood dinner with my other half.
While some may cringe at the commercialized aspect of Valentine’s Day, there’s actually no better holiday to remind us how important it is to nurture our own hearts. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, and the numbers are slowly rising. And still, it is a fact that has yet to fully sink in with the majority of modern woman, including myself. Many still feel that heart disease is a “man’s” disease. Others are much more concerned with developing female-associated cancers, such as breast or ovarian cancer. Cancer is nothing trivial. Yet, 1 in 31 women will die from breast cancer, while 1 in 3 women will die from heart disease. That’s nearly 10 times the risk!
No matter your age or health status, it is important to start taking steps to protect and pay attention to your heart. Many factors that contribute to heart disease are “silent” – such as high blood pressure and ongoing stress – so seemingly healthy women may be unaware of potential heart damage for years. Women also tend to present differently or handle heart disease differently than our male counterparts. Our hormones, genetics, and underlying mental health all play an important role in determining our heart’s future.
Here are some important reminders for a healthy heart:
Mind your stress levels
Not all stress is bad. In fact, a low level of stress and anxiety are as essential to our lives as eating and breathing. We wouldn’t be alive today if our ancestors didn’t have the ability to anticipate dangers and threats. Those who survived being eaten for lunch by a sabre-toothed tiger eventually passed down their perception and traits to their offspring. Nowadays, our stresses are a lot less tangible. Yet, we still perceive them and react to them in the same manner.
Constant stress stimulates chemicals in our body that increase heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this can damage and put heavy workloads on our hearts. It is important to understand the triggers that stress you, the ways you react to stress, and the coping mechanisms that help you to relax.
Many women have already honed the stress-relieving practices that work best for them. Exercise, visualization techniques, meditation, and deep breathing are all helpful ways to combat stress and anxiety. It is also important to take time out of the day to do the things you love. Cooking, reading, yoga, playing with a pet, playing music, or soaking in a bubble bath are just some of the many options you can do to unwind and take your mind off of the anxiety-inducing events in your life.
Get regular check-ups for blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar
These are all incredibly important factors that contribute to heart disease. Eating whole, unprocessed foods and taking time to move and work on our muscles all help to support a healthy heart, but genetics also play a role. I am particularly wary of my own heart health since heart disease runs rampant in both sides of my family. I had high blood pressure in the early stages of my first pregnancy, but have since been very stable. Nonetheless, the above factors are important aspects of my health that I like to pay extra attention to. Many like to eat well and exercise to maintain a trim waistline. I like to think of heart health as another motivating factor. Keep in mind these optimal ranges:
Blood pressure should be around or preferably less than 120/80 mm Hg
HDL (your “good” cholesterol) should be at least 50mg/dL (remember, the higher HDL, the better)
LDL (your “bad” cholesterol) should be 100mg/dL or less
Triglycerides should be 150mg/dL or less
Total cholesterol should be 130mg/dL or less
Be wary of synthetic hormones
Synthetic hormones in the form of birth control pills and replacement therapies are a touchy subject. Most women I know have been on some form of hormone therapy for years. Family planning is a very sensitive matter whose reigns lie in the hands of the female patient and her partner. Yet, we all have to be informed of the potential dangers. Birth control pills greatly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, especially in women over 35 years old and who smoke cigarettes. It is important to remember that synthetic hormones are a not a “one-size-fits-all” therapy. The way our hormones connect and interact in our body is like an orchestra. We all have an individual “orchestra” that make up our physical, mental, and emotional health.
If you already have high blood pressure, smoke, or experience migraine headaches, it may be helpful to consider non-hormonal options. An IUD may be useful for long-term pregnancy prevention. Some IUDs, like Mirena, contain small amounts of hormones that are excreted locally. This should prevent some of the other systemic side effects – like stroke risk – however, hormonal IUDS still carry some risks. A copper IUD is completely hormone-free.
These days, technology can play a huge role in family planning. There are many “apps” available on smartphones that can help track ovulation. While apps can be helpful, a recent study suggests that they should really be used as an adjunct in family planning and not solely relied on.
If you’re of menopausal age and experiencing aggravating symptoms, bio-identical hormones may be helpful. This simply means that blood levels are drawn to check your baseline, and then exogenous hormones are tailor-made for you. This is highly personalized therapy that many women tend to prefer and do well with.
Limit your bad behaviors
Smoking and excessive alcohol directly damage the heart. Try to limit yourself to one drink per day, which is the recommended allowable quantity for women. Perhaps today it will be champagne?
Happy Valentine’s Day, and cheers to heart health!
