Six Ways to a Healthy Heart According to Mache Seibel, MD

According to American Heart Association’s 2018 statistics, cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly 836,546 deaths in the U.S. That’s about one of every three deaths, and about 92.1 million American adults are living with some form of cardiovascular disease or the after-effects of stroke.

“Some of this rise in heart disease may be attributed to the stricter guidelines defining high blood pressure, which the American Heart Association began enforcing in 2017 along with the American College of Cardiology,” says Mache Seibel, MD.

But other reasons that we can change to lower risk include:

1. A sedentary life style including prolonged sitting in cars, in front of TVs and computers, and not enough exercise can increase your risk. Ideally, you need 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise three to five times a week. Try to get five minutes of movement every hour or get a standing desk and walk 10,000 steps a day.
2. Stress – Government shutdowns, hurricanes and freezing temperatures, political differences, economic uncertainty, and so much more make stress a significant part of almost everyone's life. Over long periods of time, the added stress hormones strain the heart.
3. Sleep difficulties – Poor sleep not only makes you tired, it silently increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes, a deadly combination.
4. Sugar – Americans now eat almost their weight in sugar every year, contributing to obesity, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s. What's harming you may be on your plate.
5. Smoking – Quitting smoking may be the most immediate health benefit you can give yourself.
6. Suffering Silently – For women entering menopause, fear of estrogen and hormone therapy has resulted in 80% fewer women taking hormones today than in 2002. And that has been accompanied by an increased risk of heart disease and premature death in women. The Estrogen Fix explains how women who take estrogen at the right time live longer than those who don't and have a lower risk of heart disease.

A warning, however, from the latest 2019 study shows HRT tablets are associated with increased blood clot risk—but not patches, creams, or gels. Hot flashes during menopause are not just about quality of life but may also be linked to the risk of heart issues, making it even more important to combat them.

Hormone therapy in the form of transdermal (through the skin) estrogen gel like Divigel has been found to be the best and safest way to reduce hot flashes because, unlike estrogen pills, transdermal estrogen appears not to increase blood clotting. Women who are pregnant or nursing, cancer patients, and menopausal women avoiding hormone therapy or those who are on HT but still experiencing vaginal dryness can find estrogen-free relief with over the counter options such as Replens Moisturizer, which promotes the healing of the vaginal tissues and naturally restores moisture.

“You owe it to yourself to figure it out, so you don't have to tough it out,” adds Seibel.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190215005523/en/

Jaimie Weiner
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