Heart Health for Women

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in American women. What a woman eats and her lifestyle choices play a big part in her heart health.

Other Risk Factors

While you can change what you eat and whether you exercise, there are some risk factors for heart disease you cannot change. These include:

• Aging: As women get older, their risk for heart disease goes up.
• Gender: More women than men have heart attacks and strokes as they age.
• Family History: If a woman has a close blood relative with heart disease, the chances she will have heart disease are greater.
• Race: Black women have a higher risk of heart disease than white women. Their chances of dying from a stroke are also greater.
• Previous Heart Attack: If a woman has already had a heart attack, she is at risk of having another one.

Take Care of Your Heart

Choose heart-healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy, lean protein and heart-healthy fats. Limit your calories by filling up on high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fiber can help you lose weight and keep the pounds off by filling you up faster and for a longer time.

Fat Matters for the Heart

The amount and kind of fat you eat makes a difference. Fat should make up 20 percent to 35 percent of your total calories, but only 10 percent of those fat calories should come from saturated fat. Research shows that eating too much saturated fat is not good for the heart. Foods like bacon, sausages, fatty meats, butter, ice cream and other full-fat dairy foods contain saturated fat.

Unsaturated fat is a different story. It has been shown to be beneficial for cholesterol levels and overall cardiovascular health. Foods like olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds contain unsaturated fat.

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat, have been found to be helpful in preventing sudden death from heart attacks. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring, contain two types of omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

The recommended intake for omega-3 fatty acids is 500 milligrams per day. That’s basically two 6-ounce servings of fatty fish per week.

Another type of omega-3 fat, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), is also proven to have cardiac benefits. Flaxseeds and walnuts contain ALA. Consume two tablespoons of ground flaxseed or one ounce (about a handful) of walnuts each day for heart health.   

Fruits and Vegetables Matter

When it comes to loading your plate, fruit and vegetables are where it’s at. Not only are they low in calories and high in fiber and antioxidants, they can also help keep blood pressure in check. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. What makes fruits and vegetables so good? They are packed with potassium, a mineral that has been shown to lower blood pressure in clinical studies.

Aim for 4,700 milligrams of potassium every day for good blood pressure. That’s at least two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables daily.

Slow and Steady Weight Loss for Heart Health

If you are overweight or obese, gradual weight loss offers the best results for overall health. It doesn’t take much to see results; your overall health will improve noticeably with a five to 10 percent drop in weight. Get at least 30 minutes of regular exercise most days of the week; this will help with weight loss and keep your heart beating strongly

Hydrate Right

Proper hydration is one of the most important aspects ofhealthy physical activity. Drinking the right amount of fluids before, during and after every physical activity is vital to providing your body the fluids it needs to perform properly. Sports dietitians assist athletes by developing individualized hydration plans that enhance performance in training and competition while minimizing risks for dehydration, over-hydration, and heat illness and injury.

Hydration Goal

The overall goal is to minimize dehydration without over-drinking. Adequate hydration varies among individuals. Practical ways to monitor hydration are:

Urine color
The color of the first morning’s urine void after awakening is an overall indicator of hydration status. Straw or lemonade colored urine is a sign of appropriate hydration. Dark colored urine, the color of apple juice, indicates dehydration. Dark urine is often produced soon after consuming vitamin supplements.

Sweat loss
Change in body weight before and after exercise is used to estimate sweat loss. Since an athlete’s sweat loss during exercise is an indicator of hydration status, athletes are advised to follow customized fluid replacement plans that consider thirst, urine color, fluid intake, sweat loss and body weight changes that occur during exercise.

Minimize Dehydration

Dehydration can occur in virtually every physical activity scenario. It doesn't have to be hot. You don't have to have visible perspiration. You can become dehydrated in the water, at a pool or lake, or skiing on a winter day.

Dehydration results when athletes fail to adequately replace fluid lost through sweating. Since dehydration that exceeds two percent body weight loss harms exercise performance, athletes are advised to begin exercise well hydrated, minimize dehydration during exercise and replace fluid losses after exercise.

Be alert for conditions that increase your fluid loss through sweat:

• Air Temperature: The higher the temperature, the greater your sweat losses.
• Intensity: The harder you work out, the more you perspire.
• Body Size and Gender: Larger people sweat more. Men generally sweat more than women.
• Duration: The longer the workout, the more fluid loss.
• Fitness. Well-trained athletes perspire more than less fit people. Why? Athletes cool their bodies through sweat more efficiently than most people because their bodies are used to the extra stress. Thus, fluid needs are higher for highly trained athletes than for less fit individuals.

Remember swimmers sweat, too. Like any athletic activity, when you swim, your body temperature rises and your body sweats to keep from overheating. You may not notice because you are in the water, but you can become dehydrated. Swimmers, from competitive athletes to families splashing around, need to drink fluids before, during and after swimming, even if you don't feel thirsty.

Warning Signs

Know the signs of dehydration. Early signs are:

• Thirst
• Flushed skin
• Premature fatigue
• Increased body temperature
• Faster breathing and pulse rate
• Increased perception of effort
• Decreased exercise capacity.

Later signs include:

• Dizziness
• Increased weakness
• Labored breathing with exercise.

Fluid Replacement

Replace fluids during exercise to promote adequate hydration. Drink water rather than pouring it over your head. Drinking is the only way to rehydrate and cool your body from the inside out. Sports drinks are more appropriate than water for athletes engaged in moderate to high intensity exercise that lasts an hour or longer. Rehydrate after exercise by drinking enough fluid to replace fluid losses during exercise.