Enjoy your later life : physical and emotional well being for older women.

  • Great Britain. Department of Health
Date:
1998
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Enjoy your later life : physical and emotional well being for older women. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Heart disease gets more common with age and you are more likely to get it if other close relatives have had heart problems. Women with diabetes are over three times more likely to develop heart disease. Women from some ethnic backgrounds are also more at risk. How to prevent heart disease or stop it getting worse The most important way to prevent heart disease or to stop it getting worse is to live a healthy lifestyle: v if you smoke, give up. If you can't stop, cut down V take regular exercise if possible. Exercise improves your circulation, helps lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels (never ignore chest pains that happen because you are exercising). If you are not sure about which if you have any medical worries, see your doctor v eat a healthy diet including fresh fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates and a little protein. Cut down the amount of fat you eat and use less salt. If your diet is poor, taking vitamin supplements - A, C and E can give you some protection against heart disease v keeping your weight under control is very important. Carrying excess weight can damage your heart v drink alcohol at a moderate level. One or two units of alcohol a day can reduce your chances of having a heart attack v avoid stress and try to reduce its effect, for example by taking exercise combined with relaxation techniques or by listening to relaxation tapes or taking time out to read for pleasure v get your doctor to check you for: e signs of high blood pressure e high cholesterol - too much cholesterol is what furs up or blocks arteries v if you already have heart disease, or smoke, or have a high cholesterol level, discuss oestrogen replacement therapy (HRT) with your doctor Symptoms of heart disease Heart disease is damage to the heart caused by the narrowing of the coronary arteries. At first there may not be any noticeable symptoms. As heart disease progresses, it can lead to chest pain (angina). If an artery becomes blocked, part of the heart dies leading to a heart attack.