As women, our lives may differ in educational advancements, whether we’re married or single, work outside of the home or stay at home with the kids. But I’m certain our lives mirror one another when it comes to grueling schedules, over-commitment, and lack of sleep.
Furthermore, our to-do-lists never include us at the top and, to be perfectly honest, we don’t even make the list. We dedicate ourselves to our families, jobs, and houses of worship, but rarely do we stop to consider what we need and should be doing for our health.
Ladies, this cycle of neglect must stop today.
The number one killer of women is heart disease, not cancer. In order for our hearts to maximally perform, we must provide it with the proper tools to succeed. These tools include the right people on our team, the right foods, exercise, knowledge, and good, old-fashioned common sense.
Our heart is a muscle, and it beats approximately 80-100 beats per minute. This muscle is important because it is pumping oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. Therefore, if the heart is damaged, this compromises the rest of the organs and tissues within the body.
High blood pressure can injure the heart by causing it to have to work excessively hard.
Over time, certain areas of the heart can become thickened or stiff, resulting in a condition called congestive heart failure (CHF). With CHF, fluid builds up in the lungs, causing shortness of breath, and fluid builds up in the lower extremities. There are several different stages and levels of severity of CHF. If left untreated, CHF can progress to the point of heart transplantation.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is also a risk factor for coronary artery disease, blockages in the vessels which supply the heart. If there is a blockage in an artery, sometimes people feel pressure or pain in their chests. This pain can radiate to the arms or jaw, and it can cause nausea or vomiting.
However, women may not have typical symptoms. I had a patient once who just had back pain and none of the other more common complaints during a heart attack. With this particular patient, I had to insist that she seek an evaluation from the cardiologist. She initially resisted because she said she was too busy.
Per the American Heart Association, normal blood pressure should be less than 120/80. Every woman should be able to rattle off four very important numbers: blood pressure, weight, body mass index (BMI), and cholesterol. These dashboard indicators are risk factors for heart disease. In order to obtain these numbers on a regular basis, you must visit your primary care provider regularly and not just your gynecologist. Women are more than their lady parts.
After visiting with your doctor, if abnormalities are identified then it is time for action. Lifestyle modifications – diet and exercise – are generally the first step, but in some cases the next step could be medications. It is important to adhere to the prescribed plan.
For women, this leads us right back to the beginning of our discussion. We can name every reason why we don’t exercise, why we don’t eat healthy meals, and why we don’t get enough sleep. In addition, we often fail to recognize the warning signs: headaches, chest pain that we attribute to indigestion, and shortness of breath.
Ladies, every task that we feel is so urgent will mean nothing if we no longer exist. Slow down. Re-prioritize. You are worth your attention.
Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., is associate professor at SLUCare Family Medicine and the medical accuracy editor of The St. Louis American. Email yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com.
