Imagine getting the gift of any car you want but under one condition: It would be the only car you drive for the rest of your life.
“Think about what you would do with that car. You would drive it carefully; you would keep up with the maintenance. That’s really what our body is: an amazing machine that you have to keep healthy to function better,” says Kelly Valetti, a physician assistant with Bon Secours Upstate Cardiology.
She once heard the car-body analogy at a conference and now uses it to explain the importance of heart health to her patients, particularly the women she sees.
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing one in three deaths. Yet, only 44 percent of women recognize it is their greatest health threat, according to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign.
“Unfortunately, our society is not conducive to heart health. We are seeing increasing rates of hypertension, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Those are the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” Valetti says, adding that it can affect women of all ages.
Knowing your and your family’s health history is essential since certain conditions can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Those include early menopause, which results in the loss of protective hormones, as well as polycystic ovarian disease, infertility, pre-term delivery, gestational diabetes, and more. Depression and anxiety also can accelerate the “development of new cardiovascular risk factors,” Valetti says. “These are all things that women need to be aware of so they can be vigilant in keeping up with their health. Sometimes, they don’t have as much time, energy, and resources to put towards that.”
The good news is that 90 percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable, she adds.
Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are good prevention strategies. You also should have a primary care physician (PCP) in addition to your OB-GYN and get an annual wellness exam to check your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. “Knowledge is power,” Valetti says. “The thing is, you must go before there’s a critical event.”
You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience heart attack symptoms like chest heaviness, pain radiating down the left arm, and shortness of breath, particularly with exertion. Some women may experience “less typical symptoms,” Valetti says, like more fatigue and shortness of breath or chest pain at rest.
To find a PCP, visit Bon Secours’ Find a Doctor website: bonsecours.com/find-a-doctor. You can narrow your search by zip code, accepted insurance plans, conditions treated, and more.
Six Steps to Heart Health
There are ways to minimize your cardiovascular disease risk. “I tell patients it’s simple, but it’s not easy,” Valetti says of the following preventative measures:
- Exercise at least two-and-a-half hours per week and incorporate more movement into each day, such as parking farther away from an entrance and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Eat a healthy diet. “Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables,” Valetti says. “Eating them first when you’re hungry helps them taste better and fills your body with the nutrients it wants.” The other half of the plate should include lean proteins and complex carbohydrates.
- Stay away from tobacco, which is a major risk factor.
- Focus on your mental health by finding support groups.
- Connect with “someone who’s going to encourage your healthy habits,” Valetti says.
- Keep up with doctor appointments and know your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol numbers. They should be checked yearly starting at age 40.
