Your health is important, and learning to recognize dangers and how to avoid them is crucial for living a happy and healthy life. There are many diseases and ailments to watch out for, but for women, heart disease is the #1 killer. Unfortunately, it often goes undetected. According to the CDC, only a little over half (56%) of women know that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. While heart disease is concerning, there are ways to recognize it early, as well as preventative measures you can take to mitigate your risk. Here’s what you need to know.
Symptoms of Heart Disease
Heart disease can be serious or even fatal. Learning to watch out for early symptoms of heart disease may help you and your healthcare professional catch an issue before it escalates into something more serious. Common early symptoms of heart disease may include:
- Chest pain
- Tightness in your chest
- Discomfort in your chest
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in your arms or legs due to a narrowing of your blood vessels
- Neck pain
- Jaw pain
- Abdomen or back pain
If you believe you are experiencing any of the listed symptoms, consult your doctor immediately to find out if they are related to possible heart disease.
Once heart disease escalates, it can manifest as a heart attack, arrhythmia, or heart failure. These symptoms can result in death or long-term complications. If you believe you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
How to Take Care of Your Heart’s Health
There are several ways you can proactively take care of your heart’s health. Here are some simple ways to protect your heart and health.
Manage Your Stress
Stress is one of the worst things for your heart health. It can elevate blood pressure and add strain to your body. Look for ways to limit stress such as:
- Going for walks
- Meditating
- Yoga
- Spa Nights
- Etc.
Monitor Your Blood Pressure
Monitoring your blood pressure allows you to identify when it is getting out of control. High blood pressure generally has no symptoms in and of itself, but it can lead to major complications. To monitor your blood pressure, you can make regular trips to the pharmacy to check it for free.
Start a New Diet
Diets will allow you to reduce intake of foods that are bad for your heart such as fried and greasy foods. However, temporary diets will only help your heart temporarily. Rather than a diet, consider changing your eating habits permanently to include heart foods such as leafy greens, berries, whole grains, etc.
Stay Active
Another way to help your heart is to start exercising on a regular basis. Most physicians recommend at least two and half hours of exercise each week. After dinner walks, morning jogs, and swimming are excellent ways to stay active and help prevent heart disease.
Quit Smoking
It’s no secret that smoking is terrible for your health. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you are currently a smoker, there are several methods to help you quit. We understand that it can be very difficult, but ultimately your heart health is far more important.
Heart disease can be very serious. If you are concerned about possible symptoms or issues you may be having, please consult your healthcare professional about what further steps you can take to help protect your heart health.
We Can Help!
Work Health Solutions has made it their mission to help provide necessary healthcare for those who need it, especially in the working environment. We understand the difficulty of taking care of employees in the workplace, and if you’re planning to conduct occupational health spirometry testing, contact us today to help get it done efficiently.
