An apple a day keeps cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease away. That’s according to a new report in the March 2007 America Journal of Clinical Nutrition on the beneficial effects of the flavanoids found in apples. Red wine and pears also contain flavanoids.

Researchers studying dietary intake and heart health found that for post-menopausal women, the consumption of apples, pears and red wine were linked with the lowest risk of mortality from coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association recommends that all women increase their intake of fruits and vegetables as part of their guidelines to help prevent heart disease. One in three women gets heart disease and it is the largest single cause of death among women.

U.S. Apple

February is American Heart Month and as we reported, the American Heart Association is encouraging women to check up on their heart health and know their personal risk of heart disease.

What many women may not know is that a woman’s symptoms of heart attack can be very different from the symptoms a man experiences. Men usually have tradtitional symptoms such as a squeezing pain or pressure in the chest, but women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, back and jaw pain.

Often neither the woman suffering these symptoms nor her physician recognize that the symptoms signal a heart attack and may be dismissed as stress, panic attacks or hypochondria. Delay in diagnosis and treatment can impact the chances of a good outcome following a heart attack.

In addition to knowing the signs of a heart attack, knowing what to do if you think you are having these symptoms is equally important.

From Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, here’s some tips on what to do if you suspect you or someone else is having a heart attack:

1. Take immediate action; call 9-1-1 immediately. Don’t take time trying to reach your doctor. And don’t try to drive yourself or someone else to the hospital in this situation. Remember, every minute of delay means more heart muscle is damaged.

2. Chew one aspirin. Most heart attacks are caused by blood clots in the arteries, and aspirin reduces the growth of these clots.

3. CPR. If the person is not breathing, start cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you haven’t taken a class in CPR, sign up today. It might be the best present you ever give to someone you care about.

Cedars-Sinai.edu

One in three women get heart disease. It’s essential that women know their individual risk for develping cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association has just released its guidelines for preventing cardiovascular disease in women, updated for 2007. The new guidelines feature expanded recommendations on lifestyle changes, nutrition, physical activity and smoking cessation as well as covering HRT, aspirin therapy and some supplements.

In addition you can take the Go Red Heart Checkup test and assess your own risk for developing heart disease.

Read about the new guidelines for women

Take the Go Red Heart Check up

A study of more than 65,000 women aged 50 to 79 concludes that women who live in areas with high levels of air pollution run a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

The women lived in 36 cities across the US and were followed for 9 years to see who would have a heart attack or stroke, require coronary bypass surgery or die from cardiovascular causes. Those living in the areas with the highest pollution were much more likely to have cardiovascular disease of some type.

The researchers link the amount of fine dust and soot particles in the air to the risk of heart disease. They are not sure of the mechanism but theorize that breathing in these particles, which can carry pollutant gases into the lungs, may cause hardening of the arteries, a precursor of heart disease.

The University of Washington study is published in the Feb 1 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

Women In Polluted Areas At Higher Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease