It’s the last week of February and you didn’t think I forgot about women’s heart health did you? February, of course, is not only the month of love (Valentine’s day and my birthday ) but also the month dedicated to Woman’s Heart.

Now before you gents sign off… keep in mind that heart health impacts ya’ll too! So keep reading.

The number one cause of death in men and women in the United States is heart disease.

But as always I have good news here because heart disease is also one of the most preventable chronic diseases out there and we can significantly mitigate our risk factors by the way we live our lives.

First let’s review the usual suspects in terms of cardiovascular risk:

• High LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol

• Smoking

• Diabetes

• Excess weight

• An unhealthy diet

• Physical inactivity

• Drinking too much alcohol

• Stress and depression

What you may not know is that woman have additional sex specific risk factors that many woman do not know about:

• Early first period (before age 11)

• Early menopause (before age 40)

• Polycystic ovary syndrome

• Diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)

• Preterm delivery

• Delivery of a low birth weight or high birth weight infant

• Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

• The presence of chronic inflammatory diseases like autoimmune diseases lupus and RA

This is all complicated by the fact that women are more likely to present with symptoms other than classic chest pain including fatigue, dizziness or shortness of breath and presence of disease may not get picked up in women with the usual diagnostic tests.

The good news is that managing risk factors prevents heart disease in men and women. Some of these include:

• Screening for and treating diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol

• Smoking cessation

• Consuming a Mediterranean style diet which includes high quality high fiber carbohydrates, lots of fruits and veggies, lean animal protein in moderation, replacing saturated fat- with mono/polyunsaturated fats, limiting red meat and alcohol and reducing sodium.

• Getting regular exercise

• Getting adequate, high quality sleep

• Managing Stress

• Increasing connection and relationships with partners, friends, and even pets

• Adopting Mind-Body practices like breathing, meditation and spending time in nature

Our bodies are so darn forgiving and really want us to thrive! When we engage in these time honored practices, our hearts and minds take note. Not only helping us feel better but also live longer and free of disease.

Hear the whole scoop on this week’s HealthBite podcast. Your heart will thank you for it!

Wishing you a happy and healthy week!