Go Red for Women: Modifiable Heart Disease Risk Factors
Although heart disease is more common in men, heart disease mortality in women under 65 is increasing. While cancer is still the leading cause of death for this age group, the gap between cancer and heart disease mortality rates is narrowing.
Heart disease is often referred to as a silent killer. It is common for patients to discover they have heart disease only after having a heart attack. Thankfully, there are modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and being overweight or obese that diet and lifestyle habits have a major impact on.
Exercise: Both cardiovascular training and resistance training are crucial for metabolic health. Cardiovascular training has been proven to reduce blood pressure and help manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It is recommended you engage in at least 150 minutes per week of accumulated moderate intensity (brisk walking 2.5-4mph, biking 5-10mph, active yoga, recreational swimming) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (jogging/running, biking >=10mph, singles tennis, swimming laps). If this recommendation overwhelms you, walking for just 10 minutes after meals is an effective way to manage blood sugar and has been shown to decrease post-meal blood sugar spikes. All individuals should engage in some type of resistance training that is appropriate for their current level of fitness (i.e. body weight, resistance bands, dumbbell, or barbell training). For those with diabetes, building muscle helps manage blood sugar because more muscle equals more glucose storage. If you have more muscle tissue absorbing glucose, there is less in the bloodstream wreaking havoc on your body.
Improve your diet: Diets should be individualized based on several factors, including dietary preferences, dietary restrictions, and metabolic differences (age, gender, activity level, muscle mass). However, a few simple changes can help most people improve their metabolic health. Aim to prioritize whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, healthy fats (i.e., olive oil, avocados, and fish [like salmon and sardines]), and quality protein from eggs, dairy products, and meat. Additionally, soluble fiber has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Soluble fiber is found in oats, beans, lentils and fruits or can be found in supplements like psyllium husk. Avoid sweetened drinks/sodas, juices, alcohol, fried foods, and refined grain-based carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, cereal, baked goods). Reducing your intake of processed foods will typically decrease caloric intake as well as your intake of added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium, which can all contribute to high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure.
Get quality sleep and manage stress: Both lack of sleep and chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure and cholesterol and poor blood sugar control. It is important to get at least 7 hours of good quality sleep each night. To get quality sleep, get daytime sunlight to set your circadian rhythm, keep consistent sleep and wake times (even on the weekend), avoid caffeine 8-10 hours before bedtime, avoid alcohol for at least 4 hours before bedtime, avoid screen time and other bright lights before bedtime, and keep your room cool and dark. A well-balanced diet, adequate sleep, and regular exercise can improve symptoms of stress. Meditation and mindfulness practices can also be beneficial.
Maintain a healthy weight: Although most doctor’s offices will use BMI as their standard of a “healthy weight,” BMI can be skewed if you have a lot of muscle mass. Other ways to assess and monitor your weight are through body fat testing (i.e., skinfold calipers, bioelectrical impedance scales, DXA scan, or hydrostatic weighing) or a waist circumference measurement. Ideal body fat percentages based on age and gender can be found by doing a quick Google search. For waist circumference, studies have shown that a waist circumference over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.
Key Points:
Get moving. Start with daily walking and/or a quick resistance band workout in your living room if going to a gym feels overwhelming.
Reduce your intake of processed foods. You don’t need to cut out entire food groups or count your macros. Start with cutting out ultra-processed foods that come in a box or bag, and you’ll be surprised by the changes you see and feel.
Sleep. Sleep hygiene doesn’t just include what you do right before bed. Your sunlight exposure (or lack thereof) during the day and afternoon caffeine intake has more of an impact than you may realize.
Maintain a healthy weight. The above key points have a significant impact on weight loss. Sleep deprivation can impact weight loss by causing hormonal imbalances, negatively altering your metabolism, increasing cravings, and decreasing your ability to build muscle.
Resources:
Hello Heart Staff. (2024, August 23). The State of Women's Heart Health: A Crisis We Need to Confront. Hello Heart. https://www.helloheart.com/post/the-state-of-womens-heart-health-a-crisis-we-need-to-confront
How does alcohol affect your sleep? (2025, January 28). Piedmont. https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/how-does-alcohol-affect-your-sleep
Huberman, Andrew. (2021, September 20). Toolkit for Sleep. Huberman Lab. https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/toolkit-for-sleep
Papatriantafyllou, E., Efthymiou, D., Zoumbaneas, E., Popescu, C. A., & Vassilopoulou, E. (2022). Sleep Deprivation: Effects on Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance. Nutrients, 14(8), 1549. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14081549
St. Michel, Carrie. (2023, February 24). Preventing Heart Disease in Women. Cedars Sinai. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/preventing-heart-disease-women.html
UCLA Health. (2021, July 12). Benefits of Resistance Training for People with Prediabetes. UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/benefits-of-resistance-training-for-people-with-prediabetes