If you're a woman who has heart disease or a family history of heart disease, take extra care with your health today. Women are more prone to broken heart syndrome and coronary microvascular disease than their male counterparts. Older women are particularly vulnerable to these types of heart disease. Learn how you can keep healthy below.
Eat Less Trans and Saturated Fats
What you consume in your diet can play a big role in preventing or treating heart disease. If you consume foods that contain trans fat, saturated fat, or both on a regular basis, you could complicate your health even further. Both types of fats can damage or clog up your arteries as well as hinder blood flow to your heart.
Replace fatty foods, such as animal protein, with beans, vegetables, and fresh fruit. If you're unwilling to give up animal protein, choose lean fish, white turkey breasts, and tofu instead. Two servings of salmon, tuna, and other fish low in mercury can help reduce your chances of heart disease. Most fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help keep your heart healthy.
In addition to the information above, take better care of your heart by seeing a doctor for a cardio checkup.
Find Heart Disease Care
Heart disease can become worse without immediate care and/or treatment. Women who don't receive cardio exams or care may be particularly at risk for problems later on. A doctor can use a cardio exam to check the condition of your heart, including the blood vessels that support it.
If you do have some type of heart disease, a doctor will provide care. Your care may depend on the type and severity of your heart disease. The type of heart disease care you receive may also depend on your age and current health. For instance, women who have low estrogen due to menopause or post-menopause are especially vulnerable to heart disease-related conditions. A doctor may monitor your estrogen levels as part of your heart disease care.
You may also require additional exams and/or treatments to control your heart disease. Exams, such as frequent cardiograms, can help monitor or detect new changes in your heart. If the exams reveal something new with your condition, such as an increase in your blood pressure, a doctor can treat it as well.
For more information about heart disease care, reach out to a doctor in your area today.
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