“In France, one in three women dies from a cardiovascular pathology – stroke, heart failure, heart attack – i.e. 200 women every day. It is the leading cause of female mortality, ahead of breast cancer. However, in 8 out of 10, the onset of the disease could have been avoided” emphasizes Professor Claire Mounier-Véhier, vascular doctor at the Heart-Lung Institute of the University Hospital of Lille and co-founder of the Fondation Agir pour le cœur des femmes.
“It is essential that women know the risk factors: hypertension, smoking, overweight, abdominal obesity with a waist circumference greater than 88 cm, diabetes, chronic stress, sedentary lifestyle, heredity of cardiovascular disorders, excess salt and alcohol “. “Controlling or limiting these avoidable risk factors is the best way to protect yourself from cardiovascular disease,” explains Dr. Pascal Douek, sports physician and author of Big book of secrets of longevity (ed. Leduc).
How to prevent cardiovascular accident?
“At each stage of hormonal life – contraception, pregnancy, menopause – screening and evaluation of cardiovascular risk must be a reflex, coupled with gynecological follow-up” adds Pre Claire Mounier-Véhier. “When a woman has risk factors, considering a coroscanner (coronary CT scan) may be necessary, in order to detect lesions of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries. Supplemented, if necessary, by a stress echocardiogram to visualize damage to the small coronaries.
And on the food side?
Taking care of your heart is not just about avoiding risk factors. It is also to provide it with energy so that it functions well, like all muscles. For that :
- Reduce salt and sugar intake
- Follow the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, based on fruits and vegetables
- Or we adopt the Nordic diet also good for the heart
- We opt for a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in ultra-processed foods
- Eat red meat in moderation
- We fight against overweight
And we bring him oxygen by performing a regular physical activity, which increases its vascularity. For example, by practicing this exercise every morning:
>> And if eat cranberries everyday could help to have a healthy heart? This seems to be asserted by a new study of King’s College London, published on February 22. In this study, 45 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 45 were followed to see how the fruit might impact their blood pressure, heart rate, and arteries. And those who consumed the equivalent of 100 grams per day of cranberry saw their arteries dilate by 1.1% after one month, compared to the control group who ingested a placebo. When arteries narrow, blood flow to the heart decreases, which can trigger a host of health issues, including heart attack. However, cranberry consumption had no impact on heart rate or blood pressure.
Sources:
- Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial, Food & FunctionMarch 22, 2022
- Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies, Lipids Health Disease2014
