BATON ROUGE, LA (LOCAL33) (FOX44) – One in three women die of heart disease every year, and exercise is key to limiting your risks for the disease.
February is Women’s Heart Healthy Month.
“Heart disease is the number one killer of women, it’s called the silent killer.”
YMCA Operations Director Laura O’Brien said women are often the caretakers of the family, and can forget to take care of themselves.
“I think we spend so much time raising our families and spending time at home, so we forget to take care of ourselves and it sneaks up on us in our 40s and 50s.”
It you want to better your heart health, O’Brien said start with the basics.
“I think the main thing is diet and exercise. Exercise first because there are so many benefits to it. It’s more than just weight-loss it increases blood circulation and strengthens the heart. Nutrition wise, you want to watch your sodium, try to avoid too much alcohol and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.”
When it comes to exercise, o’brien said to focus on workouts that will build muscle and increase your cardio vascular health.
“Both strength training and cardio because you get two things with one stop. Anything to get your heart rate elevated, helps you socialize, helps decrease your stress level. We offer classes from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Women’s Heart Health Month is also a great time to check in with a doctor.
“It’s good to get your blood work done every year because those kind of give you benchmarks, someplace to start and see the changes over time.”
O’Brien said knowing your numbers will give you more time with your loved ones.
“Who is going to play with them, you want to be the person that takes them through their life and enjoy their life. You can’t do that if you can’t take care of yourself.”