Skip to main content

Heart Health for African American Women and What to Ask Your Doctor

It's American Heart Month, sis. 

Risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking and physical inactivity put Black women at a higher risk for heart disease. These factors can be controlled by lifestyle and dietary changes. So it's time to literally take the necessary steps to protect your heart. 



Other factors, like a family history of early heart disease can't be controlled. For women, heart disease becomes a risk factor at 55. That’s because, as the American Heart Association explains, after menopause, women are more likely to get heart disease. Partly, this is because their body no longer produces estrogen. Also, middle age is a time when women tend to develop other heart disease risk factors. That's even more incentive to take care of ourselves, physically and emotionally. 

Stress can also wreak havoc on our heart health. So make self-care a priority, whatever that looks like for you. Light some candles, put on your favorite playlist and soak in Epsom salts. Taking a socially distanced nature walk. Work in your garden. Take a yoga, dance or meditation class. 

Now that you've been reminded of some of the risk factors, here's a handy list of ten questions to ask your doctor during your next check up, from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI's Heart Truth for Women campaign

1. What is my risk for heart disease? 

2. What is my blood pressure? What does it mean for me, and what do I need to do about it? 

3. What are my cholesterol numbers? (These include total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood and food.) What do they mean for me, and what do I need to do about them? 

4. What are my “body mass index” (BMI) and waist measurement? Do they mean that I need to lose weight for my health? 

5. What is my blood sugar level, and does it mean I’m at risk for diabetes? If so, what do I need to do about it? 

6. What other screening tests for heart disease do I need? 

7. What can you do to help me quit smoking? 

8. How much physical activity do I need to help protect my heart? 

9. What’s a heart healthy eating plan for me? 

10. How can I tell if I may be having a heart attack? If I think I’m having one, what should I do?


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Giveaway: Thank Your Friends with Merci Chocolates!

National Friendship Day was August 4, 2013, but Everything She Wants has decided to continue the celebration with a giveaway from merci fine European chocolates . While some friendships are for a season or a reason, other friendships are built to last a lifetime.  I’m fortunate to have two best friends: Cindy, whom I’ve known since junior high school and Deanna, who started out as my amusing intern.  Besides my mother and my husband, these girlfriends are my greatest confidants.  They’re like the sisters I never had and we’ve supported each other through personal trials and triumphs. So what better way to say ‘thank you’ to your friends than with merci chocolates?  One lucky reader will win a ‘Friendship Kit’  that you can either keep to reward yourself for being such a great friend or share with a deserving comrade. The kit includes: $25 Target gift card (yay!) 7 ounce box of merci chocolates A picture frame to display a photo of you a...

Memorial Day Summer Swimsuits in the Amazon.com Swim Shop!

Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner.   Do you have your new summer swimsuit yet?  If not, Everything She Wants recommends checking out Amazon.com's  Amazon Swim Shop . Me at the Amazon Swim Shop preview. The online shop is stocked year-round with trendy and timeless swimsuit styles, cover ups and swim accessories from your favorite brands. While I'm usually partial to the figure-flattering tankini, at a press preview for the Amazon Swim Shop, I noticed that the often unforgiving one-piece suit has made a compelling comeback. Thanks to a generous gift card from Amazon I took a chance and ordered a Calvin Klein one-piece in a pretty nude/coral "Sand" color, along with several bohemian tunics. Now here's your turn.    One lucky reader will receive a promo code for $100 to spend at the Amazon Swim Shop (qualifying items must be sold and shipped directly by Amazon and not a third-party seller). Here's how you can win ( you must comp...

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Comes to Brooklyn, June 5-8

Attending a performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is always a highlight of my arts and culture calendar. An engagement with this awe-inspiring and genre-bending dance company is even better when they perform close to home at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.                                                                                                                                         Photo: Danica Paulos Ailey’s long-standing relationship with BAM began in 1969 when the trailblazing choreographer established The Ailey School in Brooklyn and presented his company’s...