| Five hundred thousand American women die each | | | | still prone to maintain those unhealthy lifestyles. For |
| year from heart diseases and the risks increases with | | | | example, according to the National Institutes of |
| age. Heart disease includes the narrowing of the | | | | Health, fifty-six million American women have high |
| arteries, heart failure, diseases of the heart muscles, | | | | cholesterol, 33% of women have high blood |
| inborn defects, hardening of the arties, and other | | | | pressure, and 62% of women are overweight. |
| conditions. | | | | Despite these risks, women are less physically active |
| We tend to think of men as the ones who | | | | than men, on average. |
| commonly have heart diseases but heart diseases is | | | | The best course of action to take is to reduce your |
| the leading killer of both men and women in the | | | | risk of developing congestive heart disease and |
| United States. Scientists who are studying the cause | | | | improve the quality of life. Habits such as not |
| of the rise in cardiac problems in woman have | | | | smoking, maintaining a healthy weight by regular |
| identified two factors that appear to be the leading | | | | activity or exercise, cutting down on the fatty foods, |
| cause of hard disease in woman. | | | | and getting your cholesterol tested can dramatically |
| The Change of Life. | | | | help prevent heart disease. Don't become another |
| After menopause, a woman's body experiences | | | | statistic about women and heart disease. |
| reduced estrogen production, changes in cholesterol | | | | Common Vitamins and over the counter products can |
| levels, changes in the structure of blood vessels, and | | | | help with Heart Disease such as Sytrinol, Policosanol, |
| increased production of the clotting agent fibrinogen. | | | | Potassium, Pectin, and Niacin. |
| Women who have gone through menopause are two | | | | Sytrinol are known to be useful in helping maintain a |
| to three times more likely to suffer heart disease | | | | healthy cholesterol level in the body by reducing |
| than a pre-menopausal woman of the same age. | | | | triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. |
| Women that have had a hysterectomy also | | | | Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar |
| experience these same raised risk factors. No one | | | | cane. Policosanol promotes healthy platelet function |
| yet knows exactly how much a woman's risk is | | | | and helps to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the |
| affected by each of these changes, but they are | | | | human body. |
| definitely associated with greater heart disease risk. | | | | Potassium may help prevent high blood pressure and |
| Scientists studying women and heart disease | | | | protect against artherosclerosis and reduce the risk |
| hypothesized that hormone replacement therapy | | | | of stroke. |
| could help post-menopausal women fight heart | | | | Pectin limits the amount of cholesterol the body can |
| disease; however, long-term studies do not confirm | | | | absorb. High pectin count in apples may be why "One |
| that preliminary idea and doctors no longer | | | | a day keeps the doctor away". |
| recommend hormone replacement therapy to battle | | | | If you are at risk from Heart Disease then find a |
| heart disease. | | | | good health care professional prior to starting any |
| When talking about your heart disease risk factors | | | | type of home treatment. |
| with your doctor, get his or her opinion on using | | | | Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect |
| hormonal birth control (the pill or the patch). Most | | | | treatment that corrects most causes of coronary |
| doctors believe that using birth control is reasonable | | | | heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids |
| safe for women under thirty-five if no other risk | | | | from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy |
| factors are involved such as smoking or being | | | | production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. |
| overweigh. For women over the age of thirty-file | | | | You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift |
| there is not enough evidence that birth control | | | | LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and |
| hormones can increase or decrease heart disease in | | | | improve HDL functioning. The intake of 3 grams |
| women and more studies are being conducted. | | | | Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum |
| A Change of Lifestyle. | | | | cholesterol by 26 percent. |
| Scientists studying women and heart disease find | | | | Always consult your doctor before using this |
| that women are knowledgeable about what lifestyles | | | | information. |
| are associated with heart disease, and yet they are | | | | |