Heart Health as You Enter Menopause

More than one million women in the United States enter menopause annually. The transition comes with insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. Unknown to many, menopause also comes with heart disease, the number one killer of women. The condition causes 1 in 3 deaths annually, according to data by the American Heart Association (AHA). It should therefore be high on the list of menopause-related health concerns for women.

Why Does Menopause Affect Your Heart Health?

While menopause doesn’t cause cardiovascular diseases, it increases certain risk factors as follows:

• Blood pressure: Estrogen loss and aging result in less flexibility in the blood vessels. As the arteries become stiffer, they increase the risk of higher blood pressure, which contributes to heart failure, heart disease, and stroke.
• Belly fat: Menopause leads to weight gain in the abdomen, signaling an increase in visceral fat that contributes to elevated blood cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• Cholesterol levels: The bad cholesterol can increase during menopause while the good type decreases. That can increase the chances of the arteries clogging, reducing blood flow to the brain, heart, and legs.
• Blood glucose levels: Research shows a link between estrogen loss and increasing blood sugar levels early in the process. Women who reach menopause before 40 years are four times more likely to get type 2 diabetes by age 55.

Your Health History Matters

If you had certain complications during pregnancy, for example, pregnancy loss, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, or high blood pressure, you’re more likely to develop the cardiovascular disease during menopause. Other risk factors are:

• Having a sister or mother who had heart disease before age 65
• Having a father or brother who had a heart attack before age 55
• Polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis diagnosis
• Being treated with radiation therapies or chemotherapy drugs

Striving for Heart Health in Menopause

Observing a healthy lifestyle and keeping up with it at menopause reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. A plant-based diet low in saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium is the best way to check blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.

It also helps to exercise on most days of the week for at least 30 minutes. You must get enough sleep, reduce stress, attend resistance training sessions weekly, and avoid smoking during menopause.

You don’t have to enter the next phase of your life with worries about your heart health. At CleopatraRX, we don’t want the side effects of menopause to weigh you down. We have a patented formula of expertly balanced hormones to help you enter menopause as your best self. Contact us to schedule an appointment