If you had to live to be 100, would you want to enjoy those years?

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

Heart disease can affect anyone and at any time.  More recently, doctors have started to see the beginnings of heart disease in young children.  But there is another population that are grossly underserved when discussing heart disease.  And they are the women you know and love!  Women need the same protection as men.  Sometimes they need even more than men.  Ladies, you may benefit from increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Women and Heart Disease - The statistics are scary.  In many cases, a woman’s risk for developing heart disease is INCREASED.  
Here are some statistics:

• There are over 42 million women living with cardiovascular disease.

• Out of those 42 million women, more than 8 million have a history of heart attack and angina.

• And the kicker: 200,000 women die each year from heart attacks.

Five times as many women die from heart attacks
than will die from breast cancer

And that’s not all!  Heart disease is THE leading cause of death of women in America.

More WOMEN die from heart attacks
 and heart disease than MEN

Women are less likely than men to receive appropriate treatment AFTER a heart attack.  This may INCREASE their overall risk for having another heart attack or dying from heart-related problems.  Do you think women have the same signs as men when having a heart attack?  Not always!  More often women do not experience the typical symptoms that men experience.  Common signs of a heart attack can vary from person to person.  But preventive treatment is the same for everyone!  Maintaining a heart-healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising, and managing stress levels may be keys to reducing your risk factors.  Increasing omega-3 fatty acids may also help in the fight against heart disease.

Omega-3 Intake - A recent study shows the impact omega-3 fatty acids have on decreasing risk factors for YOUNG women and heart disease.  Women have been an underrepresented group in research on heart disease.  This study followed over 48,000 women, all free of cardiovascular disease and considered healthy, and were between the ages of 15 and 46.  They were followed for 8 years.  During the 8 years, there were 577 events of cardiovascular disease observed.  Researchers took detailed records of eating patterns, through the use of questionnaires and telephone interviews.

Their results may shed some light on a dark area in women’s health!  The researchers found women who consumed less omega-3 fatty acids (fish or supplements) showed an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion:
Women with little or no intake of fish or omega-3 fatty acids
increased their risk for developing cardiovascular disease

Eat More Fish - Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for women.  Women are five times more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer.  Increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may decrease your risk of heart disease.  By decreasing your total cholesterol, increasing HDL, and lowering your triglycerides, you may reduce your risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease.  Research shows a decreased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may increase your risk - even if you are CURRENTLY healthy.

Diet, exercise and increasing omega-3 rich supplements or foods may possibly reduce your risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease and may prevent premature death.


Exercise can help lower the risk of heart disease also.  If you or someone you know needs help with an exercise program, don't hesitate to contact me, it could save your life.