 |
|
|
|||||
|
|
January 24, 2005 Heart Attacks Among Top Killers of Women You might be seeing red Feb. 4. The American Heart Association has designated it National Wear Red Day. Encouraging everyone to wear red that day is part of the association’s Go Red for Women campaign to raise awareness of heart disease in women and help them take charge of their heart’s health. Nationally, cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, heart failure, strokes and other forms of heart disease, remain the No. 1 killer for the population as a whole, according to the U.S. Mortality Public Use Data Tapes and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Cancer Society recently announced that cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading killer of people under age 85. However, nearly 697,000 people died from heart disease and related cardiovascular diseases, compared with 557,271 from cancer, in 2002, the latest year data is available. In North Dakota, 12 times more women die from heart disease, strokes and other cardiovascular disease than breast cancer, the American Heart Association’s North Dakota/South Dakota chapter Web site reports. “Heart attacks and strokes devastate victims, families and relationships, threatening life and limb while bringing emotional upheaval and financial distress,” said Lynne Struble, community advocacy director for the American Heart Association’s North Dakota/South Dakota chapter. North Dakota’s first lady, Mikey Hoven, has agreed to be the statewide spokeswoman for the Go Red for Women campaign. “To lower your risk for heart disease, eat a healthy diet, get regular physical activity and take steps to stop smoking if you smoke,” said Julie Garden-Robinson, a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist. Garden-Robinson recommends people eat more fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, fiber, whole grains, foods containing folic acid, fish and soy-based food. She said they also should substitute polyunsaturated fats, such as sunflower, safflower, corn and soybean oils, or monounsaturated fats, such as olive, canola and peanut oils, for solid fats. People also should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as walking, at least five days a week, Garden-Robinson says. Three 10-minute segments count toward that goal. Here are some other tips for people to get more activity into their daily lives:
Other risk factors for heart disease include high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, being overweight, age and family history of heart disease. People can’t control factors such as age or family history, but they can manage conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure through diet, physical activity, medication and regular monitoring, Garden-Robinson said. Warning signs of a heart attack may differ in men and women. Chest pain and discomfort are classic signals in both, but women may have other symptoms, such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; jaw or back pain; nausea, vomiting or dizziness; unusual stomach or abdominal pain; unexplained anxiety, weakness or extreme fatigue; and palpitations, cold sweat or paleness. “Women tend to wait longer than men to call for help when they are having a heart attack, but they shouldn’t,” Garden-Robinson said. “Women and men who notice the warning signs in themselves or others should call 911 immediately.” For more heart health information, visit the American Heart Association Web site, www.americanheart.org. To learn more about food and nutrition, check out the NDSU Extension Service Web site www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food or contact your local Extension Service office. # Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
|
North Dakota State University |
