By Millsy

08 November 2007 15:33

My mum has suffered with heart problems and I’m worried that I will too. What are the risk factors and how can I protect myself?

What is this?

 

Yours Expert Answer

By Yours Health Expert

You are right to take action.  One of the biggest threats to women’s health is cardio vascular disease.  

Heart disease and stroke kill 208,000 people in the UK every year. In 2004 over 113,000 women died from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK, 38,000 more than died from cancer in the same period!
It’s a frightening statistic but the good news is there are things you can do to help.

Stop smoking!
Giving up smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health and it’s never too late to quit. The chemicals in cigarettes make you heart work harder and make your blood more likely to clot, which increases your risk of a stroke. Smoking could also increase your blood pressure and contribute to the hardening of your arteries.

For advice on how to give up smoking visit www.gosmokefree.co.uk or speak to your GP or pharmacist for help.

Cholesterol
We actually need some cholesterol to make our cells work, but too much in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Reducing the amount of saturated fat you could help to lower your levels. Swap red meat for lean white meats and white fish.

Oily fish could help to reduce blood clotting so eat two portions a week. Use olive oil in cooking instead of butter and cut down on fatty foods such as cakes, biscuits and crisps.

Blood pressure
High blood pressure could significantly increase your risk of heart disease.
To reduce your blood pressure try eating less salt, you need no more than 6g a day, but most of us eat between 10-12g. There’s often salt hidden in processed foods, so check labels and try to cook without salt.

Eat more fruit and vegetables. They’re packed with anti-oxidants such as vitamins C and E, which help to prevent heart disease and potassium, which has the opposite effect to salt and helps to lower blood pressure.

Exercise
Being active helps to reduce the inflammation that contributes to hardening of your arteries and heart disease. Exercising regularly could help you to lose weight and lower your blood pressure too.

To make an improvement to your health try to do something active everyday. For twenty minutes do something that makes you slightly out of breath and a little bit hot and sweaty – such as walking, swimming or dancing, to burn calories and strengthen your heart and lungs.

Weight
Being overweight in increases your risk of heart disease, but collecting weight around your waist is thought to be more of a threat.  Measure your hips and waist, then divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

If you’re a woman and the result is over 0.85 or you’re a man and it’s over 0.90 you need to lose weight, by following a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise.