Post-menopausal women & heart healthPosted by Aarti Shah on November 27th, 2020 Menopause - A new phase in a woman’s life! Absence of periods for a year since the last menstruation confirms menopause. Symptoms like weight gain, dry skin, bloating, hot flushes, sleep problems, elevated cholesterol levels, anxiety, depression, state of mood swings, panic attacks are common before menopause, though symptoms vary from woman to woman. Menopause can increase the risk of diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In fact weight gain is a risk factor for breast cancer postmenopause. Weight management programs and weight loss programs can help in keeping the weight under check in postmenopausal women. Estrogen and progesterone secreted by the ovaries control the reproductive system including the menstrual cycle. Post menopause, a decline in the estrogen levels may be the reason for the increased risk of diseases including heart disease. It is believed that estrogen keeps the blood vessels flexible thus accommodating the blood flow. It increases HDL (good) cholesterol, decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol and decreases free radicals. When the estrogen levels decline post menopause, the build up of fat and cholesterol in the arteries contribute to heart attack and stroke. Adding the wrong lifestyle choices to this like smoking and unhealthy eating further increases the risk. But, if you have followed a healthy lifestyle all along and are maintaining it even during menopause, the risk is lowered. Some dietary pointers for a reduced cardio vascular risk are:
Along with a healthy diet, regular exercise and avoiding smoking is just as important. Offline or online nutrition programs for weight loss can help tackle any excess weight that could be a risk for heart disease. A target based women’s nutrition plan can help improve eating and lifestyle habits for a reduced risk. Like it? Share it!More by this author |