Written by: Mary-Anne Bennett, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
While cardiovascular disease (CVD) or coronary heart disease (HD) rates have fallen steadily in Australia over the last 50 years, there is growing evidence about the differences in how heart disease is managed for men and women.
Despite the belief that it mainly affects men, every year, 1-in-3 women in Australia will be affected by heart disease. Many of these women have no idea about their increased risk of a heart attack. Sadly 40% of heart attacks are fatal and occur without warning.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in Australia every year, killing significantly more women than breast cancer. In 2020, heart disease accounted for 50.5 % of all deaths compared to 18.7% of breast cancer among all age groups.
Why is it different for women?
The symptoms of heart disease are different for women than for men. They often experience milder or no symptoms, meaning heart disease may go undetected and the damage can lead to poorer health outcomes long term.
Estrogen is known to have a cardioprotective effect as it provides flexibility for the arteries and blood vessels and helps maintain normal blood flow. Menopause is a time when women experience a decrease in estrogen levels that can significantly increase their heart disease risk.
There are modifiable risk factors (ones you can change), and non-modifiable risk factors (ones you can’t change)
Non-modifiable risk factors ‒
Sex
Age
Genetics
Family history of heart disease
Modifiable risk factors-
High blood pressure
Smoking
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Excess alcohol consumption
Lack of physical activity
Being overweight
Stress
Social isolation
Menopause Transition
Menopause signifies the permanent cessation of menstruation and ovarian reproduction, with the median age of natural menopause being 50 years. Menopause before 40 years of age is considered premature and is considered early if it occurs between 40-45 years.
Menopause is commonly associated with a variety of body changes, many of which increase your risk of heart disease. With life expectancy increasing over the past decade, it is expected that a large percentage of women will spend up to 40% of their lives post-menopause.
How does menopause influence your heart disease risk?
The age you go through menopause ‒ women who get to menopause before age 45 have a significantly increased risk of heart disease.
Menopause due to surgical removal of both ovaries can lead to a higher risk of heart disease.
Levels of estrogen start to decline markedly as menopause approaches, which can lead to cholesterol build-up on artery walls, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Hot flashes and night sweats, common menopausal symptoms, are associated with worse cardiovascular disease risk.
Depression and sleep problems, common during the menopause transition, have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
Increased visceral adiposity, fat in the abdominal cavity near vital organs, is associated with a higher risk of heart disease even in women with a normal BMI.
Hormones
Women commonly experience the attitude that hormones don’t matter once they hit menopause. It is certainly my experience and that of many of my clients. Frustrated by the philosophy of their doctors, it leads them to my door. It is hard to understand why, with all the scientific evidence that we have on the impact of hormones on women’s health, particularly the heart, why we still get told that our hormones don’t matter.
There is no doubt the transition to menopause can increase cardiovascular risk. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can improve metabolic markers associated with aging and menopause and reduce CVD morbidity and mortality when prescribed at the appropriate time.
Hormone replacement therapy has changed with the use of bio-identical or body-identical forms of estrogen and progesterone, thereby reducing the previously known increase in breast cancer risk. The benefits of HRT may outweigh the risks when prescribed before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause. Each woman is unique, so prescription needs to be assessed based on each individual and can only be prescribed by a medical practitioner.
7 Ways to keep your heart healthy
There is no doubt that some of the most important ways you can keep your heart healthy.
1. Healthy Eating
The Mediterranean Diet is amazing for your heart, full of healthy fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy protein sources from meat and seafood.
Tip: Eat the rainbow of fruit and vegetables every week to keep your blood flowing and your heart healthy
2. Hydration
The body is a big huge water vessel, about 60% of your body is water. Water helps to keep your body fluids balanced and your kidneys healthy. The quality of the water is also important for your health. I recommend that my clients drink 2-3 litres of filtered water daily.
Tip: Get yourself a glass water bottle, it will help you to notice how much water you are drinking.
3. Keep Active
Being active ‒ walking, swimming, housework, gardening ‒ all activities that can help to keep your body healthy. Exercise can help to keep your heart, lungs, bones, and muscles strong, which are vitally important as you age.
Tip: Take a walk out in nature, not only will it keep your body strong it will boost your mood.
4. Know your risk
Information is key in health prevention. Get checked out by a health professional at least once a year. Blood tests can be a great way to monitor your health. Life gets busy and it is easy to blame signs and symptoms on the daily stresses of life. Signs and symptoms are early warning signs that something in the body is not right.
Tip: Just like your home, your body needs maintenance and care. Look after it and it will look after you.
5. Slow down
There are many ways we can look after our body, and one of the most important ways is by resting and relaxing. Most people have such a busy schedule, trying to fit in so many things every day. Even though they may stop physically, sitting down at the end of the day, they never stop mentally. Physiologically resting ‒ stopping the body and the mind so that the nervous system has time to relax and reset, instead of being on all the time.
Tip: Schedule some time every day to physiologically rest. Your nervous system and your body will reap the benefits.
6. Prioritise sleep
Sleep is a vital function of the body, it’s a time when it takes out the (biological) garbage, especially in the brain. Ever wondered why you can’t think straight if you haven’t had any sleep? Your brain gets bogged up with debris that didn’t get removed. Research has uncovered that sleep deprivation can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, immune disease, and obesity. Long term, it can also shorten your life and have dramatic health consequences.
Tip: Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day can help to keep your body clock ‒ your circadian rhythm ‒ in sync with the rest of your body. When your body is in sync, it will help you sleep well and wake up feeling rested.
7. Spend time with those who make you happy
In our fast-paced lives, it is easy to slip into a routine ‒ sleep, eat, work, repeat. It often means we lose touch with friends and family. Genuine connection and conversation, especially when combined with a meal, can have significant impacts on mood and emotions. Spending a few hours a week just chatting and relaxing is vital in helping with stress.
Tip: Schedule a lunch date with your bestie, so you can laugh and have fun.
Don’t wait until it’s too late or until you are one of the statistics.
Book your Free 30-minute Health Consult now here.
Mary-Anne Bennett, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mary- Anne Bennett is a leading thinker on women's health, harnessing the power of food to overcome chronic illness. After suffering from a range of chronic health issues which doctors could not explain, Mary-Anne went to university to study nutrition at the age of 50 to learn how to heal. This decision ignited her passion to help others get to the root cause of their chronic health issues and find the path to healing. As Director and Clinical Nutritionist at Adelaide Nutrition and Wellbeing, Mary-Anne's success comes from her strong belief that chronic illness is not a normal part of aging. Using the principles of nutritional medicine, everyone can heal.
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Knowlton, A. A., & Lee, A. R. (2012). Estrogen and the cardiovascular system. Pharmacology & therapeutics, 135(1), 54–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2012.03.007
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Australian Bureau of Statistics; Changing Patters In Mortality in Australia (2018). https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/changing-patterns-mortality-australia/latest-release#preventing-cardiovascular-death
