Important Heart Health News! Are You "Listening"
TGIF Friday, June 12, 2009
OK, I know some of you may not think this pertains to you BUT the premise behind this DOES pertain to you & that is to listen to your body & if something seems off, get it checked.You all know by now that I talk endlessly about my hormone changes due to my age. Jeez, hot flashes, slowing metabolism, now trouble sleeping, fatigue more than normal. I had read that this is all part of "the change". SH*T, when will it ever end!!!
Anyway, I was watching the news the other night & saw this story about how you may thing you are going through menopause BUT the symptoms could actually be a sign of heart disease!!!! YIKES! This was a true story about a lady that had the normal menopause symptoms & thought nothing about it. She ate well, exercised & did all the right things but she actually had heart disease!!! Here is the story:
Handling Heart Health after Menopause:
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Hot flashes, fatigue and trouble sleeping sound like symptoms of menopause, but they could also be a sign of something more serious. Debbie Griffin, 56, thought she was the picture of perfect health. She eats right, works out and enjoys the outdoors with her horse. Debbie's blood pressure is less than 120 over 80, which is ideal. But during one of her annual check-ups, she was diagnosed with heart disease. Her main artery was completely blocked. "I thought I knew the risk factors for heart disease and, again, I didn't think I fit any of those profiles," said Debbie.
The one risk factor Debbie overlooked was menopause. Mayo Clinic Dr. Carolyn Landolfo says after menopause, a woman's risk of heart disease skyrockets by 70 percent. Fatigue, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, nausea and burning sensations are all signs of heart disease that many women brush off as hassles of menopause. "People say, 'I'm just getting older. I need to exercise.' There's always an excuse," said Dr. Landolfo, cardiologist. After age 50, nearly half of all deaths in women are due to some form of heart disease, which is more than the number of deaths from all cancers combined. "I think it's important for women to take charge of their own health and ask their doctor, 'Could this be a sign of heart disease?'" said Dr. Landolfo.
OK, I know some of you may not think this pertains to you BUT the premise behind this DOES pertain to you & that is to listen to your body & if something seems off, get it checked.You all know by now that I talk endlessly about my hormone changes due to my age. Jeez, hot flashes, slowing metabolism, now trouble sleeping, fatigue more than normal. I had read that this is all part of "the change". SH*T, when will it ever end!!! Anyway, I was watching the news the other night & saw this story about how you may thing you are going through menopause BUT the symptoms could actually be a sign of heart disease!!!! YIKES! This was a true story about a lady that had the normal menopause symptoms & thought nothing about it. She ate well, exercised & did all the right things but she actually had heart disease!!! Here is the story:
Handling Heart Health after Menopause:
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Hot flashes, fatigue and trouble sleeping sound like symptoms of menopause, but they could also be a sign of something more serious. Debbie Griffin, 56, thought she was the picture of perfect health. She eats right, works out and enjoys the outdoors with her horse. Debbie's blood pressure is less than 120 over 80, which is ideal. But during one of her annual check-ups, she was diagnosed with heart disease. Her main artery was completely blocked. "I thought I knew the risk factors for heart disease and, again, I didn't think I fit any of those profiles," said Debbie.
The one risk factor Debbie overlooked was menopause. Mayo Clinic Dr. Carolyn Landolfo says after menopause, a woman's risk of heart disease skyrockets by 70 percent. Fatigue, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, nausea and burning sensations are all signs of heart disease that many women brush off as hassles of menopause. "People say, 'I'm just getting older. I need to exercise.' There's always an excuse," said Dr. Landolfo, cardiologist. After age 50, nearly half of all deaths in women are due to some form of heart disease, which is more than the number of deaths from all cancers combined. "I think it's important for women to take charge of their own health and ask their doctor, 'Could this be a sign of heart disease?'" said Dr. Landolfo.
Debbie is on medication and a strict diet. "When your blood pressure is not only good, but excellent, you think that you've got everything under control and you're in great shape," said Debbie. "It's very eye-opening." Debbie is now working hard to rein in her disease.
Because of recent clinical trials, the American Heart Association does not recommend women take postmenopausal hormone therapy to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke.
This is important for older people BUT this can apply to YOU TOO! Are you listening to your body? Do you brush off things that may mean more.
Listening to the body for health & exercise is VERY crucial! Hey, I am going to admit that I didn't follow my own advice this past week. I was just plain tired & felt it in the gym. I did modify my workouts but maybe I should have just taken a day or two off. I am considering taking off Sunday which is normally my outside jog. I will see how I feel then & let you all know if I followed my own advice! Fridays and Saturdays are off days for me except for core. Also, I can feel another "change" coming over my body so I will be evaluating to see what changes I need to make in the near future.
Pass this on to anyone you think might need to know this.. I had not heard this before! Dr. J, if you read this post, curious to see what you think about this!
you nailed it on the DO YOU BRUSH THINGS OFF WHICH COULD MEAN MORE.
so so so many of us caretaking women do---and things which, were they happening to loved ones, we would NEVER IGNORE!
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Oh great, another thing to look forward to with menopause just around the corner--increased risk of heart disease! The fun just keeps on comin'.
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Oh man, vital info that I will be passing on to my aunts and mother who are going through change of life. It is so imperative to be aware of these things at any age.
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Yikes! Scary stuff but good to know! I will be forwarding this to my Mom as she is going through 'the change'. Don't us girls have enough stuff to deal with?! Jeez!
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I was having hot flashes the other day. Hubby insisted it was menopause. I'm only 36! I guess anything is possible. Even healthy person heart disease! Scary.
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MizFit.. such a true comment!
Crabby: I hear ya on this. Bad enough putting up with all the symptoms before it leaves & then we get kicked when we are down!
Shauna & Amanda.. so true!
Josie: Perimenopause can start for some women in their 30's so just keep listening to the bod to see what is happening. I have both the monthly & the perimenopause stuff to deal with at the same time! It ain't fun!
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So great information, we certainly need to be prepared, but I can't shake the feeling that we are getting conflicting messages from the article--not you Jody!
So Debbie was not over weight, didn't smoke, handled stress well, ate lots of fruits and veggies? Did she really do everything right, and had no history of heart issues in her family? Was she using HRT? And if she really was doing everything right, is this an anomaly or something we really need to fear?
If so, then it seems like a mixed message for the article to end with "Cardiovascular disease (CVD) may be prevalent, but it doesn't mean you have to accept it as your fate. It can be prevented by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products; exercising; and not smoking or using tobacco products."
Am I missing something?
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I hear ya on this. The thing I more wanted to get across is that symptoms that seem like one thing may actually mean something else. I have all these symptoms too & not in menopause yet so it does make me think to pay attention more to my bod & listen even more carefully.
I already try to stay pretty in tune with my bod but we never know.
Again, I agree that we don't have the whole story but I think women need to know that symptoms that may seem like normal stuff for the change of life could but not necessarily mean more. It is a good thing to know for those of us going thru the change & for others not to just to pay attention to their body signals more.
Maybe I should send your questions to ABC7!!! Would be nice to know!
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Good idea Jody! And your point is well made. I definitely am going though changes and need the kind of information you provide us with, so I personally can't thank you enough for making me think and be aware. Really!
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