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Women
Not Heeding
Warnings About Heart Disease
(HealthScoutNews) -- Cardiovascular
disease is the leading killer of American women, but they're failing
to take some simple measures to protect themselves.
An American Heart Association
(AHA) survey conducted earlier this year found that 75 percent
of U.S. women don't make healthful choices when it comes to diet
and exercise. Physical inactivity and poor nutrition contribute
to development of cardiovascular disease.
"Studies have shown
that women realize what it takes to reduce their risk for heart
disease and want to reduce that risk, but they often aren't equipped
with the tools they need to help them do so," says Dr. Rose
Marie Robertson, director of the Vanderbilt Women's Heart Institute
and AHA past president.
To help women, the AHA
has launched "Simple Solutions," a free education program
to help them learn how to make lifestyle changes to reduce their
risk of heart disease and stroke. "Simple Solutions"
offers a variety of information, including health recipes and
nutrition and exercise tips.
If you're interested
in enrolling in "Simple Solutions," call the AHA at
1-888-MY HEART, or go to
Simple Solutions.
Some of the Simple Solutions
tips include:
- Add a handful of walnuts
and low-fat dressing to your salad in place of cheese, high-fat
salad dressing and croutons. Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids,
which may help reduce your risk of heart disease.
- When you have a baked
potato, add a tablespoon of low-fat or fat-free sour cream,
which is lower in fat and sodium than margarine. Feel free to
pile on the chives, but pass on the cheese and bacon.
- Don't go grocery shopping
when you're hungry. Walk around the outside aisles of the grocery
store at least once before you begin to do your shopping.
- When you drop the kids
off for soccer practice, get out of your car and walk around
the field while your children play their game.
- Do outdoor yard work
such as mowing the lawn, or raking leaves or grass.
More information
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has some
disturbing facts on women and heart disease.
Reference
Source 101
For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick
Prevention Resources".
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