Women's Heart Health #2

I'm continuing a series on women's cardiac fitness as part of February's Heart Health Month. Heart disease is a woman's No. 1 health risk. The good news is that 80% of heart attacks and strokes are preventable.

In Your 20's & 30's


Establish good  lifestyle habits now and it will be easier to stick with them throughout the years.

• Exercise regularly to help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure low.
• Stop smoking. This can reduce risk of a heart attack by 40%.
• Limit alcohol. One glass of red wine can positively affect cholesterol. More than that can raise blood pressure.

You've got a good supply of estrogen during these years. This hormone helps increase HDL (good cholesterol), reduce LDL (bad), and relax blood vessels for strong blood flow.

You may become pregnant during these years. If you have complications like high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or pre-eclampsia, you're at risk for heart disease, especially five to fifteen years post-delivery. In this case, your doctor should monitor you.

In your 20s and 30s, enjoy the protective benefits of estrogen and establish good health habits, not only for now but for the future.

Stay Active, Keep Moving and

Enjoy Your Food