THE FEMALE HEART
Protect
it at any age
I
F YOU’RE A WOMAN, perhaps one of the
most important things you need to know
about heart disease is this: You don’t need gray
hair to get it—or die from it.
It’s true that a woman’s risk of heart disease in-
creases with age. In fact, heart disease is the No. 1
cause of death for American women 65 and older.
However, the disease is also the second leading
cause of death among women 45 to 64 years old
and the third one among women 35 to 44 years
old, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC).
That’s why it’s crucial to protect your heart no
matter how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.
CDC and the American Heart Association rec-
ommend that you:
Choose a heart-healthy diet.
Eat mostly
fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole-grain
foods, such as brown rice and whole-grain
breads. Heart-smart protein options include lean
meats, fish and beans.
Try to limit the overall amount of fat in
your foods, and replace saturated and trans fats
(like butter or partially hydrogenated oils) with
healthy oils, like olive and canola. Also, pay at-
tention to portion size.
Move more.
Most adults need to do at least
2
½
hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity
(such as brisk walking) every week, along with
strengthening exercises that work all the major
muscle groups two or more days a week.
Make it personal.
Talk with your doctor
about specific risk factors that can raise your risk
of developing heart disease and what you can do
to lower them. Those risks might include:
● 
●
Smoking
● 
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Having diabetes, high blood cholesterol or
high blood pressure
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Being overweight
● 
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Drinking alcohol
Also, ask your doctor how to recognize the
signs and symptoms of a heart attack—they are
sometimes different in women than in men—
and what to do if you or someone else has them.
Get free screenings
at our convenient
mobile health unit.
See back page.
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Wear Red Day
MEMORIAL’S GUIDE TO HEALING AND WELLNESS •
WINTER 2013
February 1 marks the 10th year
of the American Heart Asso-
ciation’s Go Red For Women
movement to fight heart disease!
Here’s how you can do your part:
❯
❯
Wear red on February 1
❯
❯
Spread the word
❯
❯
Walk the talk—be physically
active, eat a heart-healthy diet,
and learn about risk factors
National
1 2,3,4