The Hidden Health Hazard Most Women Are Unaware Of
If you think one of the biggest killers of Australian women is breast cancer, think again. Heart disease kills four times as many women as breast cancer, and is responsible for one death every hour.
What is more, 90 per cent of Australian women have at least one risk factor for heart disease and 50 per cent have two or three. One of the biggest predictors of whether you are likely to develop heart disease, however, is genetics.
“Family history is very important,” says Dr Amanda Newman, a women’s health specialist GP at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. “If you have a family history of premature heart disease – that is, before the age of 50 or 60 – it increases the risk of you having heart disease.
“There’s not a lot you can do to change that, but it can make you more alert to the fact you need to be aware and take care of the modifiable risk factors.”
To reduce your risk of heart disease, stay on track with these five simple lifestyle changes.
1 Check your blood pressure
Your blood pressure should be checked by a GP every two years, according to Dr Newman. “If your BP is high in the doctor’s surgery, then you should be getting a lot more measurements – 10 or 20, taken at different times – because blood pressure varies from day to day. Sometimes being in the doctor’s surgery can make you anxious and lead to a high reading – it used to be called white-coat hypertension.”
You can also get your BP checked at the chemist, or buy a blood pressure monitor to use at home. Blood pressure is a basic indicator of heart health, and should be around 120/80. If yours is consistently higher – 140/90 or more – it may be damaging your blood vessel walls. The best ways to avoid high blood pressure is to manage stress levels and stay active; ask your GP for more advice.
2 Monitor your cholesterol
Getting a blood test for cholesterol is fairly straightforward, but the result may not be. “There are two main components to cholesterol, HDL and LDL,” says Dr Newman. “You might get a reading of 6.5 and think, ‘Oh, that sounds high’, but if most of that is made up of good cholesterol (HDL), the significance is different than if you have low HDL.” Cholesterol counts can be influenced by genetics, but a nutritious diet and exercise can help you manage it. In serious cases, medication may be prescribed.
3 Maintain a healthy weight
Excess weight, especially around the stomach, ups your chances of developing heart disease. “Women have an increased risk of heart disease if their waist circumference measures more than 80cm, and an even greater risk if it is more than 88cm,” Dr Newman says. If that sounds like you, it is time to think seriously about how you can shed some kilos. Your GP can offer advice.
4 Stay active
Reducing your risk of heart disease may be as easy as adding a little exercise to your daily routine. Being active for 30 minutes or more each day cuts a person’s risk of heart disease by 35 per cent, according to the Heart Foundation. As exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight, it delivers a double dose of protection.
5 Don’t smoke
Even the occasional cigarette can increase your chances of getting heart disease, according to Dr Newman. “Some women are surprised to learn that even smoking between one and four cigarettes a day doubles the risk of heart disease compared with nonsmokers. Women say to me, ‘I don’t really smoke, just socially when I have one with a drink’ but there is no such thing as a safe cigarette.”
Send your questions to thetonicdoctor@gmail.com
All answers are provided by medical practitioners from Jean Hailes For Women’s Health.
This information is general only. Always seek advice from a medical practitioner about your personal health conditions. We do not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage caused by use of the information provided in our website.
Words_ Patricia Sheahan
Photo_ Aki Tolentino/UnSplash