Anti-age your heart

Heart disease is a killer, but making some simple lifestyle changes could add years to your life

Many people associate heart disease with portly, middle-aged businessmen. But it’s by no means a male illness. In fact, one in six women dies from heart disease in this country – that’s nearly 45,000 deaths a year. While breast cancer is the illness that most women fear, in fact you’re four times more likely to die from heart disease.

Heart disease and heart attacks are much less common in women before they reach the menopause because the hormone oestrogen in the body has a protective effect. However, after this your risk becomes practically the same as a man’s. Along with the decline in oestrogen, a heart-unhealthy lifestyle may have caught up with you by this time, causing arteries to become narrowed and furred up. The result can be that oxygen-rich blood can’t get through to the heart, potentially resulting in a heart attack.
An unhealthy lifestyle can mean your heart’s health age is older than your chronological age. But some simple lifestyle changes can take years off your heart, slashing your risk of a heart attack.

1 Stop smoking It’s estimated almost one in five deaths from coronary heart disease are caused by smoking, and women who smoke are twice as likely to have a heart attack as those who don’t. Smoking contributes to artery narrowing and lowers levels of ‘good cholesterol’ in your body.

Encouragingly, one year after stopping, your risk of a heart attack is halved, and after 15 years returns to that of someone who’s never smoked. But quitting isn’t always easy. The key is being supported while you do this. Visit www.gosmokefree.nhs.uk for help and information. To soothe the anxiety that can come with giving up, try calming herbs such as chamomile and valerian.

2 Get moving Inactive women are around twice as likely to develop heart disease as active women. Exercise helps strengthen the heart and can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lessen the risk of developing diabetes, and keep weight at a healthy level – all of which decrease the risk of a heart attack.
Even regular light exercise like walking could reduce a woman’s risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 14 per cent. The more you do, the better. Thirty minutes of moderately intensive exercise at least five days a week is the target.

3 Control cholesterol We need some cholesterol for cell membrane manufacture, the production of certain hormones, and for the digestive process. But you need the right type, and if your overall cholesterol level is too high, your risk of a heart attack is significantly greater. A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or ‘bad cholesterol’ contributes to fatty plaque formation in the arteries. Foods high in saturated and trans fats, such as red meat and some cakes and biscuits, raise LDL cholesterol. On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, or ‘good’ cholesterol is beneficial – go for olive oil and oily fish.

As well as keeping to a healthy weight and eating plenty of fruit and veg, eating foods that are rich in soluble fibre such as porridge oats, lentils, beans and pulses can help mop up ‘bad’ cholesterol and increase ‘good’ cholesterol levels. Lecithin may also help to lower cholesterol levels.

4 Have a glass Moderate alcohol intake can cut your risk, but only after the menopause. It may make blood less likely to clot and increase levels of ‘good’ cholesterol. One to two units a day (with one unit equivalent to a small glass of wine or single measure of spirits) is considered beneficial. But don’t exceed 14 units per week. Excess alcohol can damage the heart directly, and indirectly affect it by increasing your blood pressure and your levels of body fat.

5 Get well-oiled Omega-3 essential fatty acids help regulate heart rhythm, lower the triglyceride fat levels that are linked to heart disease, and help prevent blood from clotting. Omega-3s may also help lower blood pressure. Eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines). If you’re not keen on fish, take omega-3 supplements.

6 Shed the centimetres As well as being a risk factor for heart disease, obesity plays a role in type 2 diabetes, and women who have this are more likely to develop coronary heart disease.
Waist size is an indicator of risk. For women, a waist size greater than 80cm (31.5in) increases risk, while a waist of 88cm (35in) puts you at greatest risk. Eating healthily, reducing your calorie intake, and keeping active will help you to reduce your weight.

7 Have a cuppa Green tea in particular is considered to have health-boosting effects – Japanese research has found people who drank green tea had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t. It may help reduce total cholesterol and harmful ‘bad cholesterol’ levels, and, vitally, could increase ‘good’ cholesterol levels. It’s thought to be substances called polyphenols that give green tea its protective action. And its antioxidant properties may help prevent artery-wall plaque formation. Try swapping your regular cuppa for the green variety.

8 Cook with garlic Using garlic as a flavouring in cooking is a way of reducing salt consumption and in turn controlling blood pressure. Research has found that when allicin in garlic is broken down, compounds are formed that relax blood vessels, helping blood to flow more easily. This is an easy lifestyle change to introduce – simply chop garlic into dishes from stir-fries to Bolognese sauce and you’ll reap the benefits.

9 Beware of high blood pressure High blood pressure is a contributory factor in an estimated one in eight deaths from coronary heart disease. But it doesn’t usually cause symptoms, so have yours checked by your GP.
If you do find out you have high blood pressure, you may need medication, and lifestyle changes can help too. Losing weight, being more active, cutting down on salt and alcohol, and eating more foods rich in omega-3 fats can all lower blood pressure, and the mineral magnesium may also be helpful.

10 Take it easy Stress makes you more likely to turn to comfort foods and alcohol, leading to heart-threatening weight gain. Long-term stress increases blood pressure, and may directly contribute to heart disease. Yoga, deep-breathing exercises and regular time-outs will all help you cope with tension. Spend five minutes every hour relaxing and at least 30 minutes each day doing something enjoyable.
• For more information, visit the British Heart Foundation at www.bhf.org.uk.

Are you having a heart attack?
Being aware of the signs could save your life – or someone else’s. Women’s symptoms can be different from men’s.

Common signs include:
•   Central crushing chest pain, or mild chest discomfort
•   Sweaty, clammy, and grey complexion
•   Shortness of breath
•   Nausea and vomiting
•   Dizziness
•   A general feeling of being unwell
•   A frightening sense of impending death

Less typical symptoms:
•   A ‘heavy’ feeling, dull pain, or ache in the chest
•   Chest pain that feels like severe indigestion
•   Mild chest discomfort making youfeel generally unwell
•   Chest pain accompanied by light-headedness or dizziness

Women often experience:
•   Burning in the chest
•   Back pain
•   Abdominal pain
•   Fatigue

Warning!
Always seek medical advice if you have any unexplained symptoms and before taking supplements, changing diet, or embarking on a new exercise regime, particularly if you have a medical condition or are already taking medication.

Expert: Dr Rob Hicks
Dr Rob Hicks works in general practice and in a hospital sexual health clinic. He is the Classic FM radio Doctor and has written Control Your Blood Pressure (Infinite Ideas, £12.99)