Heart disease is the number 1 woman killer in the world today, surpassing even breast cancer in death toll. A research conducted by some group of student researchers from the university of California revealed heart disease to be responsible for at least 1 in every 5 female deaths. Studies reveals that at least 1 in 16 women have heart disease. The reason why more women than men are affected by cardiovascular diseases is because women naturally have smaller arteries than men, so the disease develops and spreads faster in women.

In women, cardiovascular diseases are popularly regarded as silent killers. Because in most cases, a woman can have the disease and remain oblivious about it until it has caused critical damages to the cardiovascular system. This is owing to the usually vague nature of heart disease symptoms in women. While in men the symptoms are usually very typical, that is not the case with women. Cardiovascular diseases symptoms in women tend to be very fuzzy. So it is undeniably crucial that every woman knows how to eliminate risk factors in order to minimize their chances of developing heart diseases. Here are seven ways of doing that :

1. REGULAR CHECK UPS

Women with diabetes are more prone to getting heart disease than women without diabetes. In minimizing your risk of heart disease, it is critical to pay keen attention to your blood glucose levels and endeavor to keep it within a healthy range. If your blood pressure is high, your heart works harder to pump blood. This strains your heart, damage blood vessels and increases your risk of heart diseases. So you must maintain a healthy blood pressure. cholesterol is a type of fat that your liver produces, there are two types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL. LDL often nicknamed “bad cholesterol” clogs your blood vessels and increases your risk of heart disease. It is advisable to regularly check your cholesterol levels and ensure to avoid abnormal levels of bad cholesterol in your system.

Always conduct regular check ups. it is critical to remain consistently conscious of your blood sugar, cholesterol and blood Pressure levels. These three things play critical roles in your heart’s health. Conducting these tests regularly will give you important information about the condition of your cardiovascular system and keep you informed on any irregularity that might demand special attention, just so you are not caught unaware. Conducting regular tests can minimize your chances of getting heart disease.

2. QUIT SMOKING

Smoking increases your liability of developing heart disease and stroke. smoking shrinks the blood vessels and this could lead to heart complications. 1 out of every 5 smoking related deaths is caused by heart disease. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider leaving smoking altogether if you’re serious about minimizing your chances of getting heart disease :
• Smoking causes an increase in blood pressure
• Reduces blood flow from the heart
• Increases risks of blood clots
• Damage blood vessels
• Increases the risk of stroke
• Reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the body’s tissues including the heart.

Exposure to second hand smoke also increases your risk of heart disease. A research conducted by center for disease control and prevention reveals that 34,000 people die annually from inhaling second hand tobacco smoke. Quitting smoking is the most significant step to take in reducing your risk of heart disease. Most people find it hard to quit smoking, you will find great support by confiding in family and friends while disconnecting from smoking and replacing it with healthier habits.

3. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Too much weight in the body itself is a solitary cause of heart complications, regardless of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and diabetes. Extra pounds themselves cause injury to heart muscles. In response to the added stress, the muscles release a copious amount of an enzyme called troponin. Research from the American college of cardiology shows that people with higher levels of troponin are 9 times more likely to develop heart disease. The more weight you put on, the more troponin your heart muscles releases in response to the extra stress.

Asides obesity directly being a cause of heart disease itself, it also increases your risk of heart disease indirectly by causing a spike in your cholesterol levels, making your blood pressure rise and increasing your blood sugar levels — all of which directly impact your heart’s health negatively. Maintaining a healthy weight is an efficient means of reducing risks of heart failure long term. If you are obese, always watch out for signs of a deteriorated heart condition which includes : fatigue, irregular heart beat and shortness of breath. Report to your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms persist.

4. CUT DOWN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

How much alcohol is too much alcohol? Moderate drinking is defined as a glass a day for women and 2 glasses for men. While it is true that fixing a general measure as the moderate alcohol consumption is difficult because individual threshold and health statuses varies, the main key to note in safe alcohol consumption is moderation. Relative to heart health, Some people will be just fine with moderate consumption of alcohol while others will be better off desisting from alcohol totally, especially people with high blood pressure and irregular heart beat.

Alcohol abuse causes a health condition known as cardiomyopathy; a kind of heart disease which thins your heart muscle and makes it difficult for your heart to pump sufficient blood round your system. When your blood circulation is not fluent, all vital organs of the body are affected. Including your heart. This could be life threatening. Many heavy drinkers do not even know that they have cardiomyopathy because the disease doesn’t usually exhibit symptoms until in later stages when it takes on the form of a full fledged heart failure. In preventing heart disease, It is critical to be watchful of your alcohol intake. If you must consume alcohol at all, never consume too much.

5. REDUCE STRESS LEVEL

A study conducted by Lancent revealed links between stress levels and cardiovascular diseases. Everyone suffers some degree of stress in life. Chronic stress is when your stress level is above normal limits and is constant. Chronic stress leads to high blood pressure which in turn increases your chances of getting heart disease. Stress can result from various causes, but the most common causes of stress are emotional depression and heavy work load. Research has revealed that the risk of women with two or more divorces developing heart disease is similar to that of smokers and diabetics. Too much worry is also a very common source of stress for most people. Research has shown that people who are always worried about losing their jobs or other financial problems are 20 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases than people who worry less. Stress causes inflammation in the body which in turn increases your chances of getting heart disease.

One of the easiest and effective ways of reducing stress levels is by creating time for family, friends and entertainment. You can also ease stress through light or rigorous physical activity such as doing house chores, taking a walk regularly or running. Regular physical activity decreases blood Pressure and reduces risk of heart disease. Lack of adequate sleep is another common source of stress, you should aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Lastly, the most effective method in reducing stress levels is by increasing your laughing quota; and it is free too!

6. FOLLOW A HEALTHY EATING PLAN

The best diet for reducing your chances of heart disease is one that is full of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish, poultry and vegetable oils. Avoid excess consumption of alcohol and foods that contain refined carbohydrates, red and processed meats, process foods with trans fat, beverages with added sugar and too much sodium. Study has shown that people that adhere to this diet are 31 percent less likely of getting heart disease.

Sodium and potassium are interrelated minerals that play crucial roles in your heart’s health. They directly impact your blood pressure. Potassium is found mostly in natural foods, especially in legumes, low fat diary, fruits and vegetables. While sodium is mostly found in processes foods. such as packaged snacks, processed bread, canned foods and fast foods. Consuming too much sodium will increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Increase your intake of potassium rich foods and reduce your consumption of sodium to keep your heart healthy.

7. REGULAR EXERCISE

Study shows that physical exercise and fitness directly impacts heart health and liability of cardiovascular diseases. Recently, physical inactivity has been recognized by the American Heart Association as an independent cause of heart disease. Women that exercise regularly have lesser chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. The center for disease control recommends at least 3–5 days of exercise in a week to prevent heart diseases in women. The benefits of exercise cannot be over emphasized, just to name a few, exercise :

• Reduces stress levels
• Reduces blood pressure
• Prevents bone loss
• Reduces bad cholesterol
• Helps to maintain a healthy weight
• Improves blood circulation

If you’re thinking of how to include exercise into your daily routine, you can start with a simple daily walking program which is very easy to begin with. Studies reveal that for every hour you spend walking, your life expectancy is increased by two hours. So do not look down on walking as an effective form of exercise. Research has shown that people that start exercising with a simple activity like walking are less likely to quit along the way compared to people that start off with a more strenuous activity. But If you’re more enthusiastic and would like to do some more rigorous activity then you can try out other options such as : jogging, running, skipping, swimming and cycling. These are all aerobic exercises that would greatly enhance your heart’s health.