7 Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Heart Disease

Why should you care about heart health?

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women over 50. Did you know that twice as many women die from it than cancer?

Like it or not, menopause is a time when every person should start to pay attention to their heart health. Your risk of heart disease after menopause is an estimated 2.7 times higher than that of someone of the same age who is premenopausal.

Women who start their period before age 12, or who begin menopause before the age of 45, also have an increased cardiovascular disease risk.

Genetics certainly play a role in your risk, but research shows that lifestyle has just as much to do with your heart health.

The INTERHEART Study followed 30,000 people in 52 countries. Researchers found that 94% of women’s heart attack risk was due to modifiable lifestyle factors.

A 2013 study found that the interactions between someone’s DNA and their lifestyle, environment and diet was the dominant factor in their risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

The Bottom Line on Women’s Heart Health

Lifestyle choices related to food, sleep, stress, exercise, smoking, and environmental toxin exposure change the expression of your genetics to influence your heart disease risk. So, while you can’t change your genes, the choices you make on a daily basis ultimately determine your risk. No matter your age, the following changes can lower your risk.

7 Lifestyle Changes That Move the Needle

1. Eat well

Eat a nutrient-dense diet plentiful in colorful vegetables and fruit and low in processed grains, flour, and refined sugar. Choose healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, wild salmon, and flax seeds.

Minimize your intake of red meats and prioritize leaner proteins like poultry and fish. Organic, grass-fed meats are preferable, which have a better omega-3 fatty acid content and avoid antibiotics and pesticides.

2. Prioritize sleep

Poor quality and quantity of sleep lead to chronic inflammation, fatigue, poor blood sugar control, and cravings for sweets. Most people need 7-8 hours nightly.

3. Stay active

A sedentary lifestyle and poor fitness in middle age is a strong predictor of future risk of heart failure. A study by the Cleveland Clinic found that a sedentary lifestyle is worse for your health than smoking, diabetes, and heart disease.

Experts recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise and two days per week of strength-building exercise to get all of the benefits for long-term health.

4. Reduce your toxin exposure

Various kinds of environmental toxins are everywhere, and affect many aspects of health including cardiovascular disease risk. For example, heavy metals like lead and arsenic are found in many water sources and can affect heart health. Pesticides found on foods have also been linked to heart health risk.

Depending on where you live and work, you may have more or less control over your toxin exposure. Choosing organic and pesticide-free foods is one place where you can influence your exposure. Filtering your tap water or buying bottled water is another way to reduce your exposure to toxins.

5. Manage stress

Chronic, uncontrolled stress increases inflammation, alters glucose metabolism, and increases blood pressure. While stress is an unavoidable part of life, it’s essential to have coping skills that allow you to meet and manage stress in a healthy and sustainable way.

Exercise, meditation and mindfulness, meaningful social connection and gratitude practices all help to reduce the stress response.

6. Get expert help

If you’re concerned about your heart disease risk, consider a consult with a specialist to review your risk factors and get testing for markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health.