Heart of Gold

Women often ignore early symptoms of heart disease until a heart attack strikes. Find out how to spot the warning signs and take steps to increase overall heart health

By Jake Laub
CTW Features

How do women most often respond to early signs of heart disease, the number one cause of death among women in the United States? They ignore them.

“Women often do not experience the crushing pain that men feel from a heart attack,” says Denise Barnard, director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program at University of California San Diego Medical Center. “Women’s symptoms of heart attack are sometimes more subtle and often dangerously dismissed for less serious ailments.”

The most common signs of heart attack for women are chest, mid-back or shoulder pain, deep aching in one or both arms, breathlessness, clamminess, dizziness and anxiousness. Other symptoms may include swelling of the ankles or lower legs, a fluttering heart, gastric upset or a feeling of heaviness in the chest.

Susan Iliff, 59, a retired UC San Diego Medical Center nurse, was working on a stroke awareness TV commercial when she started feeling out of breath, but she attributed it to her hectic work schedule. Two days later she felt a shooting pain in her jaw. It was a heart attack. Illif now works as a leader of a support group for women heart patients.

“Somehow we have this idea in our head that we’re desperately needed by everyone around us – except ourselves. Yes, our kids need us. But more importantly, they need us to take care of our own health so that we can be there for them,” Iliff says. “Believe me, it’s easier to treat the early signs of heart disease than it is to wait and have a heart attack.”

Here are five ways to maintain a healthy heart at work, according to University of Virginia WorkMed, Charlottesville, an occupational health clinic:

1) Engage in exercise bursts

Even if you have a desk job, you can accumulate 20-30 minutes of activity daily by exercising in short “bursts” all day. Walking briskly between your car and office can serve as two bursts. Taking the stairs can provide another burst. Walking 10 to 15 minutes at lunchtime can work wonders for your energy and mental acuity throughout the afternoon.

2) Drink water throughout the day

Proper hydration improves your body’s metabolic efficiency. Substitute water for soft drinks, tea and coffee.

3) Stand and stretch frequently

Stretching decreases the “peripheral resistance” of muscles, helping you relax. Stretches that target the upper back, neck, forearms and shoulders are particularly effective for those working at a desk.

4) Eat a “light” lunch

Large, heavy meals require substantial blood flow to digest and can make you feel tired. They also decrease the volume of blood readily available to your brain, making cognitive function less efficient. Recommended light foods include: Lean meats (fish, turkey, chicken), whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables and nuts.

5) Maintain perspective

As overwhelming as work can be, learn to categorize its role as part of your life. Don’t let work preempt other aspects of life that nurture your heart and soul: family and friends, hobbies, community and social activities, etc.

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