Women! Let’s Discuss Your Heart Health By Cora Stover, ND T


he CDC stated recently that women are at an all-time high for heart disease, cardiovascular disease or CVD, and that men were actually on par or lowering their relative risks for


CVD. This might be associated with how well known the symp- toms are and how far the public education reached. The American Heart Association states that between 2013-2016, 44.7% of wom- en aged 20 years old and older had some form of cardiovascular disease. In 2016, 49.0% of women made up the total deaths of related CVD in women. Specifically, in Connecticut according to CDC, CVD is listed as number one for mortality related diseases, followed by cancer in the number two spot, followed by stroke- fifth, diabetes - seventh and kidney disease - tenth. Four of the top ten diseases associated with death are related with how the heart relates to the body. Here is the kicker, it is not a disease of the old, unfortunately it has a high effect on women of younger ages (think ages 20s to 50s).


Signs and Symptoms These are commonly expressed by women who experience


cardiovascular incidents:


1.Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in chest that lasts a few minutes or comes and goes.


2.Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.


3.Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort/pain. 4.Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.


Women are more likely to experience the lesser known symp- toms than the traditional symptom picture associated with men and movies. Listen to your body. It is better to trust yourself, run some tests, and know the situation than be scared or in the dark. Take your health in your hands and address the issue head on.


What Matters


How many women do you know, or do you suffer from yo-yo dieting – losing weight only to gain it back within a year? This cor- relation is a high predictive factor for CVD issues in women. This issue requires finding a lifestyle change that works for you to keep the weight off and keep moving doing activities that you enjoy.


Second, what you put into and onto your body matters. Are


you eating foods that are high in hormones or cause inflamma- tion? Inflammation alone will cause the body to hold onto weight.


28 Natural Nutmeg - May/June 2019


It is hard for the body to focus on being healthy and heading back to homeostasis (our natural balance in life), when it is focusing on putting out a constant fire. Are you putting chemicals that prohibit your body from sweating or smothering it in a substance that doesn’t allow it to breathe? Our skin is our largest organ, it breathes, it is porous, and permeable (allows passage of materials). Our skin helps us to detox and remove toxins or substances that no longer serve our body or are in excess, much like the kidneys and urine.


Third, visit with your naturopath to get tested for your risks, current status and make a plan that will fit your needs.


Natural Treatments Your Naturopath may prescribe or incorporate the following


into your regime. A deficiency in nutrients can lead to many pa- thologies within the person. A look into your nutrient profile and bodily requirements may be addressed and supplements or infu- sions recommended. Homeopathy may be prescribed for bodily, mental, emotional and spiritual symptoms to help restore health and wellbeing.


1.CoQ10 is essential to our mitochondria or our powerhouse to our cells; mitochondria are the power plants that utilize CoQ10 to run our machinery, to provide energy to our bodies, acts as an antioxidant, and has an integral part in our metabolism.


2.Berries have polyphenols and specifically proanthocyanidins (a flavonoid) and are high in antioxidants that help our cardio- vascular systems, digestion, brain power, blood sugar and so much more.


3.Exercise. John Hopkins Hospital recommends doing 150 minutes of moderate physical activities, but also suggests three different types of exercise: aerobic (things that make your heart pump, increase your pulse rate), resistance or strength training (like pushups, squats and weight bearing activities such as car- rying your 30 pound child around and setting them down only to pick them up 30 seconds later repeating for a few sets of 10) and stretching, flexibility and balance.


4.Quercetin helps reduce inflammation and response to allergies, boost immunity and help conditions of the cardiovascular system, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, bladder infections. Take as a supplement or saute red onions (from 415-1900+ mg of Quercetin).


5.Resveratrol found on grapes (that white stuff you try to wash off), in red wine, and dark chocolate or one may supplement it. A


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