Women, don't be foolish with your heart
Women, don't be foolish with your heart
Sari P. Setiogi
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Women, if you think heart and cardiovascular diseases are solely
a man's problem, then think again.
According to the World Heart Federation, a U.S.-based non-
governmental organization dedicated to the prevention of heart
disease and stroke, every year over eight million women worldwide
die from the diseases, the highest causes of death among women.
The figure is almost 18 times higher than deaths caused by
breast cancer and six times higher than HIV/AIDS-related deaths.
In developing countries, half of all deaths of women over 50 are
caused by heart disease and stroke.
Concerned about the facts, this year's World Heart Day, which
fell on Sept. 28, was themed "Women, heart disease and stroke".
In Indonesia, cardiovascular disease is the most common cause
of death among women, the chairman of the Indonesian Heart
Foundation (YJI), Laksmiati A. Hanafiah, told The Jakarta Post on
Saturday.
She said women were more prone to heart disease after
menopause. "After menopause, women's estrogen levels decrease."
Estrogen helps control cholesterol in a woman's body. After
menopause, women become five times more vulnerable to stroke than
men of the same age.
Separately, a cardiologist from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital,
Jakarta, Fathema Djan, said women's arteries and organs were by
nature relatively narrower and smaller than men's, which makes
women more susceptible to cardiac problems.
"Arteries can easily become clogged due to high cholesterol
levels caused by a high intake of fatty meat and dairy products,"
she said.
Fathema said a balanced diet helped keep one's heart healthy.
It is best to eat a balanced diet from an early age.
"Consuming more oatmeal is good as it can eliminate the 'bad'
cholesterol that sticks to artery walls," she said.
Women are also more likely to have a higher pain threshold
than men. "In most cases women often mistaken take heart pains
for something else," said Fathema.
She said the mortality rate due to heart disease had reached
26.3 percent in Java and Bali, while the highest rate was
recorded in Sumatra at 30 percent.
"Eating habits in Sumatra involve relatively high
cholesterol," she said.
On top of the list of risk factors is smoking, followed by
diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and
physical inactivity.
Oral contraceptives also increase the risk of heart disease.
It would be better for both women and men to exercise for a
minimum of 30 minutes a day. A brisk walk every day can also help
halve the risk of heart disease.
In conjunction with World Heart Day, YJI organized a fun walk
in Bandung on Sunday, with some 2,000 people participating.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips for a healthy heart:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Quit smoking and avoid passive smoking as much as possible.
(2) Eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit and
vegetables and a variety of whole grain products.
(3) Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day. A brisk walk is best.
(4) Visit your physician once a year if possible to have your
weight and cholesterol measured to monitor your level of risk.
(5) Relax, enjoy a loving relationship.
Source: World Heart Federation
--------------------------------------------------------------------