Maintaining heart health is easy with top tips. Understanding what signs your body is showing and treating them on time is the key. Discover the symptoms of menopause and cardiovascular disease or heart disease in women. Find out more about the risk factors involved and about whether hormone replacement therapy is for you or not. Find useful information about how to protect yourself from developing a heart condition and what to do to restore health after a heart disease.
Symptoms of Menopause:
1. Hot flashes
2. Chills
3. Night sweats
4. Sleep problems
5. Mood swings
6. Thinning of hair
7. Dry skin
8. Loss of breast volume
9. Irregular menstruation
10. Vaginal dryness
Not all the symptoms will show initially, however, with time, most of them are evident. Dealing with menopause for aging healthy is all about practicing mindfulness and healthy nutritional habits. It can be overwhelming to have all of these symptoms at once. Let us discover some of the symptoms of heart conditions.
Warning Signs, Subtle Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack, Heart Blockages, Heart Issues and Heart Troubles in Women:
● Chest pain, discomfort, pressure or angina
● Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
● Numb, pain or weak body parts due to narrowing of blood vessels
● Fast or slow heartbeats than usual
● Dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting
● Skin turning blue or gray
● Swelling in legs, abdomen and eye areas
● Swelling in hands, ankles and feet
● Shortness of breath during exercise or physical activity
● Skin rashes
● Dry cough that does not go away quickly
If you are facing some of the above mentioned difficulties or symptoms, visit your doctor.
Risk Factors for Poor Heart Health:
1) Family Medical History: If your father or mother or their immediate family has been ever diagnosed with heart conditions such as heart rhythm problems, birth defects with respect to heart, heart valve or muscle issues or heart or an infection, you are likely to inherit that as well. This risk factor is more prominent with your age.
2) Personal Medical History: If you have had a previous heart condition, suffered from a minor stroke or chronic chest pain in the past, you can expect it to return as you progress in life. Most common causes of such conditions are diabetes, obesity, lack of proper nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, history of pregnancy complications and mental health conditions like depression, hypertension, anxiety and stress.
3) Poor Lifestyle Practices: Smoking, alcoholism and substance abuse can be detrimental for the weak at heart. Moreover, digestive problems worsening and natural slow down of the metabolism of macronutrients with age can lead to the buildup of cholesterol over a period of time in the blood vessels reducing the correct flow of blood in the body and turning into a heart condition.
Now, if you must have undertaken a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) recently or post your menopause, learn more about how it will affect your heart health.
Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) on Heart Health:
A woman with an existing heart condition must avoid HRT with progestin to mitigate the symptoms of menopause. Studies by Mayo Clinic show that estrogen and progestin both when used in HRT can slightly increase the chances of a heart disease. However, in HRT if only estrogen is used, it does not cause any side effects on the heart health.
1) Early menopause, HRT and risk for heart disease:
51 years is the average age for women to have complete menopause. If you have stopped periods before 40 years of age, your doctor will not recommend an HRT because it can increase the risk of developing a heart disease.
2) Low risk of heart disease and HRT:
If you have never been diagnosed with any heart disease earlier and heart conditions do not run in your family line, after completing an assessment from your doctor, they prove a low heart disease risk. This means you qualify for an HRT and get rid of the symptoms of menopause to enjoy life.
3) High risk of heart disease and HRT:
If you have had a heart attack or a heart condition or cancer before or after menopause, then HRT is not for you.
Most of the doctors mitigate the risk of developing a heart condition in your HRT by varying the dosage form and doses of your medication. For instance, your hormone therapy medication comes in many forms like pills, skin patches, gels, vaginal creams, suppositories or rings to insert in your vagina.
Please note that these laboratory made synthetic hormones are not organic. Some people might have side effects of the medication. For instance, hormone therapy pills have unwanted side effects than hormone therapy skin patches or slow releasing medications. It is vital to understand your body from the inside out before making a decision to go for hormone therapy. Depending upon the severity of the menopause symptoms, consult with your doctor before deciding to go for hormone therapy. Kinder Women’s Hospital and Multispeciality Clinic, Bangalore has expert doctors that can help you with getting relief from menopause symptoms. Consult today!
How to Restore and Maintain your Heart Health?
1) Consume a varied rich balanced diet:
Leafy greens, whole grains, berries, avocados, fatty fish and fish oil, walnuts, beans, dark chocolate, tomatoes, almonds, seeds, garlic, olive oil, edamame, green tea are few of the foods you must consume for a healthy heart. If you are allergic or have some other medical conditions, consult your clinical dietician before starting a new diet for the heart.
2) Socialize with community for better mental health:
Combating hypertension, stress and anxiety when alone is nearly impossible. The longest living people live in groups and know the importance of socializing. Having nurturing relationships with your pack of people can boost your mental health. It is evident that socializing can increase life expectancy by 25-36% relative to lonely people.
3) Practice mindfulness and balance in life:
Overeating is one of the eating disorders a lot of people are facing. Eating in small portions and enjoying life is important. Obesity is one of the risk factors for poor heart health.
Having a purpose in life that gets you excited to wake up every morning is important. Define your goals in life and work on them. Meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, being calm and praying are all known to reverse inflammation from your body. These have anti-inflammatory properties that relax your mind and make your body start healing. Your cells are aging slower when you are young and they are aging faster when you are old. Practicing mindfulness is the key for longevity and better heart health too.
4) Make physical activity a part of your lifestyle:
Cardio activity at the gym can fire up the fat burning process. Moderate to heavy physical activity everyday can add extra years to your life as well as make your heart fit. If you are going through a heart condition, consult your doctor before engaging in exercises. Taking a walk, running, climbing mountains are all free of cost activities you can adopt in your lifestyle. Riding a bicycle is also an environmentally friendly activity for a better heart.
A sedentary lifestyle does not work up your heart rate. When you perform physical activity, you tend to increase the flow of oxygen in the body and increase the healing process. Proper blood flow in the body causes the blood vessels to be in good shape.
5) Create a positive environment around you:
Clean and serene surroundings avoiding air pollution and sound pollution creates a positive physical environment. Adopt healthy practices and avoid contact with air and noise pollution as much as possible if you are at the risk of developing heart disease or trying to recover from one.
6) Don’t skip on regular medical checkups:
Having preplanned regular medical checkups can save you a lot of trouble and avoid emergencies. Monitoring your health parameters can help you set realistic goals with respect to your health and achieve them with changing your behavior and lifestyle.
7) Take your prescribed medication as per instructed by doctor:
Remember to take your medications on time. Do not discontinue medications if you start seeing improvements in your health on your own. Consult your physician when taking long term medications and before starting to supplement your diet with over the counter supplements. Various dosage forms need to be taken in a particular way at a particular time of the day. Do as per the instructions of the doctor and follow your medications religiously. Keep a track of your progress over a period of time and enjoy better heart health. Connect with a doctor for your health after menopause at Kinder Hospital, Bangalore.
