Heart disease kills one in four American women, making it the one killer of women in the United States.
More women experience heart disease than men. It’s harder to diagnose, because the symptoms present differently, and more subtly, than in men. In fact, nearly 66% of women who died of heart disease had no previous history of symptoms.
Causes and Risk Factors
Four main risk factors are identified in heart disease among women:
- Metabolic – high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high triglycerides, belly fat
- Stress – mental stress, anxiety and depression can contribute to heart disease
- Lifestyle – smoking increases the risk of heart disease
- Hormonal – low estrogen levels, especially after menopause, can lead to increased risk of heart disease.
Women who are African-American, Hispanic, Caucasian, American Indian and Alaska Natives suffer from heart disease more than women of Asian descent.
Other risk factors
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- No physical activity
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Symptoms
A heart attack indicates heart disease. Symptoms of heart attack are:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Numbness in the limbs, especially the left arm
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Fatigue
Heart attacks can be caused by blood clots forming in the arteries, restricting oxygenated blood reaching the heart. As a result, cells in the heart start to die. If the attack is strong enough, or the heart disease severe enough, it can cause permanent heart damage.
Heart Diseases
There are more than 50 types of heart disease. The most common type is coronary artery disease.
Coronary artery disease is the hardening of arteries that supply blood to the heart. It’s known by these names are well:
- Arterioschlerosis
- CAD
- Heart disease
- Ischemic heart disease
The hardening is created by a build-up of plaque along the interior walls of the arteries. As the plaque builds up, artery walls become narrower, which decreases volume of blood flow. Decreased blood flow means less oxygen to the heart.
Many women also suffer from angina pectoris, a stinging pain in the heart when the heart doesn’t get enough blood.
The Symbolism of the Heart
Metaphysically speaking, the heart is the seat of our true inner-self, the doorway of spiritual illumination, the center through which we express our capacity for deep feeling, nurturing, unconditional love, affection, forgiveness, compassion and sensitivity for oneself, others, and life. Our fears of being hurt, insecurity, feeling unloved, broken-hearted, arrogance, insensitivity, intolerance, misplaced affections and desires; long-held hurt, bitterness, anger, hostility, rage, excessive anxiety and stress, heavy-heartedness, resentment, and lack of forgiveness can block the flow of vitality in the heart area.
There are a lot of unhealthy hearts in America. But believe it or not, hurt is actually good for the heart. You can’t know love without knowing pain/hurt. Pain causes the heart to evolve and to blossom. However, for many, pain just leads to hate. While hate is detrimental to the body, it is simply one extreme of the polarity. Hate and love are the same thing in nature or essence, simply differing in degrees, just like ice and steam, both of which are water but differing at degrees. That’s why there’s such a thin line between love and hate, because they are in essence the same thing. Duality exists in all things.
When your heart has been emotionally wounded, the pain stores in the tissues of the heart and can manifest as the physical heart pain that doctors call angina.
Love is the best elixir for a healthy heart and the best medicine for a broken heart.
Natural Healing For Heart Disease
Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day, at least 4-6 days a week. If you don’t have the time in one block, you still get the same heart health benefits when you break it up into 15-minute segments.
Quit smoking. Enough said.
Maintain a healthy weight. People with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher show higher rates of heart disease. Losing at least 15 pounds can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Reduce anger and emotional stress. Negative thoughts and emotions place the heart under tremendous duress, and contribute significantly to heart disease. Surround yourself with positive people, create a healthy, positive environment where you work and live. Visualize a healthy future, and be kind to yourself with your thoughts and actions.
Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is proven to take a physical toll on the body-and the heart is no different. Get at least 6-8 hours of restful sleep each night to ensure the healthiest body possible.
Dietary Intervention
Eat a diet low in saturated fat, salt (sodium) and cholesterol. Add foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as:
Seeds, spices and vegetables
- Flaxseed oil
- Flaxseeds
- Chia seeds
- Sprouted radish seeds
- Walnuts
- Basil
- Dried oregano
- Grape leaves
- Dried marjoram
- Walnut oil
- Spinach
- Spearmint
- Capers
- Wheat germ oil
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Arugula
- Lettuce (butter and bibb lettuce have the highest levels)
- Peppermint
- Kidney beans
- Red bell peppers
- Mustard seed
- Pinto beans
- Broccoli raabFlaxseed oil and flax seeds have higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids than any fish source. Eating fish isn’t necessary to consume this vital nutrient.
Fruits
- Blackberry juice
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Guava
- Lemon
- Acerola (Indian Cherry)
Dherbs Solutions
Dherbs.com products that can help include:
Thank you for reading!
This article is compliments of Dherbs.com.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
