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... By Karli Taylor
Even though heart disease kills more women than breast, lung, and ovarian cancers combined, only 1 in 10 women see themselves at risk. Most women think that heart disease is something that they don’t have to worry about until they are retired, but studies show that heart troubles can start as early as childhood.
There is good news, however. More than 80 percent of all heart disease in women is avoidable, and the steps that you need to take to protect yourself are simple to do. In fact, taking protective measures as early as your 20s can help lower your odds of suffering from a heart problem by as much as 60 percent.
No matter how young you are, experts recommend making healthy lifestyle choices now to avoid trouble later. Things like not smoking, drinking in moderation, exercising daily, and eating a reasonably healthy diet are all simple yet imperative to your heart health. The earlier you start your healthy habits, the easier it will be to maintain a healthy heart throughout your life.
If you are not already in the habit of going for a yearly physical, start now. Make an appointment with your regular doctor for a complete physical and become aware of your personal risks.
If you have any risk factors, talk to your doctor about ways to lower them through diet, exercise, and medication if needed. Have your doctor discuss your numbers and how they compare to ideal statistics.
If you have recently had a physical and don’t know what to make of that lab print out that you filed away, look at the following. A healthy female should have a blood pressure below 120/80, cholesterol less than 200mg/dL, Triglycerides less than 150 mg/dL and a fasting blood sugar below 100 mg/dL. If your numbers are way off, call your doctor to find out why he or she hasn’t addressed it with you. Do not assume that everything is fine if your doctor failed to bring something up. Something minor should still be addressed. Take charge of your health!
