Women who give with their heart, must remember to take care of their heart

According to the American Heart Association, more women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, including cancer. Sadly, however, only about one-third of women know that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States and many are undereducated about what the indicators of heart disease are.

"As a visiting nurse, I go out and see patients who are referred for home health care," says Donna Chouinard, RN, a visiting nurse and the director of clinical services at The Homemakers Health Services. "More often than not, the caregiver in the home is a woman. When women are caregivers, they tend to put their own needs on the back burner and one of the areas that seem to get the least attention in women is their heart health."

According to Chouinard, women are often undereducated about what the indicators are for heart disease.

"Women's symptoms for heart disease can often mimic other conditions. It can start out as s indigestion or shortness of breath walking to the mailbox or a sudden episode of sweating that just gets pushed aside because it doesn't seem to be connected with anything," says Chouinard. "But when women are taught to recognize that these could be symptoms of heart disease, they put themselves in a position of power to get themselves the medical attention they need to possibly avert a heart attack."

So if you are one of those average women who are constantly giving with your heart, whether it's caring for an older loved one or your own younger children and family, remember to take care of your heart.

Heart attack symptoms:

• Chest discomfort or pain. The discomfort or pain can feel like a tight ache, pressure, fullness or squeezing in the center of the chest lasting for more than a few minutes.
• Upper body pain. Pain or discomfort may spread beyond your chest to your shoulder, teeth or jaw.
• Stomach pain. Pain may extend downward into your abdominal area and may feel like heartburn.
• Shortness of breath. You may pant for breath or try to take in deep breaths. This often occurs before you develop chest discomfort.
• Anxiety. You may feel a sense of doom or feel as though you are having a panic attack for no apparent reason.
• Lightheadedness. You may feel dizzy or feel like you might pass out.
• Sweating. You may suddenly break into a sweat with cold, clammy skin
• Nausea and vomiting. You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.

Additional heart attack symptoms in women.

Women may have all, none, many or a few of the typical heart attack symptoms. For women, the most common heart attack symptom is still some type of pain or discomfort in the chest. But women are more likely than men to also have heart attack symptoms without chest pain, such as:

• Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal pain or "heartburn."
• Sweating

What you can do to help reduce your risk of heart disease:

• Schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor about your personal heart disease risk.
• If you smoke, quit. Smoking not only increases your risk of heart disease, it also presents a whole host of other health issues that are unique to women.
• Be more active physically. Most Americans are not getting enough physical activity. Just one hour of aerobic activity three to five times a week has been shown to significantly lower your risk of heart disease and several forms of cancer.
• Eat heart healthy

Healthy heart diet tips:

• Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol. Limit the amount of solid fats – butter, margarine and shortening – you add to your food when cooking and serving. Trim fat off your meat or choose lean meats with less than 10 percent fat. Use low fat substitutes for a heart healthy diet. For instance, top your baked potato with salsa or low fat yogurt. Use a low sugar fruit spread on your toast rather than butter.
• Choose low fat protein sources such as skim or low fat milk; fat free or low fat dairy product such as yogurt or cheese; fish, skinless poultry, soybeans and soy products and lean ground meats. Avoid full fat milk and other dairy products, organ meats such as liver; egg yolks, fatty and marbled meats, spareribs, bacon and fried or breaded meats.
• Eat more vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals, are low in calories and rich in dietary fiber. Choose fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits, low-sodium canned vegetables and canned fruit packed in juice or water. Avoid coconut, vegetables with creamy sauces, fried or breaded vegetables, canned fruit packed in heavy syrup and frozen fruit with sugar added.
• Select whole grains. Whole grains are a good source of fiber and other nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health. Choose whole-grain bread, high-fiber cereals, whole-grain pasta, and oatmeal rather than white bread, waffles, corn bread and biscuits. Another easy way to add whole grains to your diet is ground flaxseed, which can be added to yogurt, applesauce or hot cereal.
• Reduce salt in your food. Eating a lot of salt can contribute to high blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Reducing the salt in your food is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. Instead use herbs and spices and salt substitutes. Look for reduced-salt soups, prepared meals and condiments.
• Control your portion size. In addition to knowing which foods to eat, know how much to eat. Overloading your plate and eating quickly leads to eating more calories, fats and cholesterol than you should. For example, one serving of pasta is ½ cup or about the size of a hockey puck. A serving of meat, fish or chicken should be two to three ounces, or about the size of a deck of playing cards.
• Allow yourself an occasional treat. Allow yourself an indulgence now and then. Make overindulgence of treats such as potato chips or a candy bar, the exception rather than the rule.