Health Reflection | winter 2008

Women and Heart Health

John Harris, M.D.
More women than men die of heart disease each year. In fact, it’s the number one threat to a woman’s life. The good news? These tips can help you prevent heart disease.
  1. Quit smoking. Smoking triples your heart disease risk. After you stop, your risk goes way down. Your doctor can offer nicotine replacement, counseling and medicine to help.
  2. Eat healthy. That means more fish, lean meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. Drink low-fat or nonfat milk, and cut back on fatty meat, salt and sugar.
  3. Drop some pounds. Eating healthy helps. So does exercise.
  4. Get moving. To lose extra weight, you need 60 to 90 minutes of exercise per day. If your weight is OK, keep exercising at least 30 minutes a day.
  5. Limit alcohol. One drink per day is a woman’s limit.
“Women who follow these tips lower their risk for heart attack and heart-related death by up to 80 percent,” said John Harris, M.D., a cardiologist at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. “Not smoking is the most important part of this healthy lifestyle.”