Breast Cancer. Ovarian cancer. Cervical Cancer. Endometrial cancer. Cancers of all kinds. Cancer is a word that strikes fear into any of us, but there are cancers that strike mostly women. Though much awareness, fundraising, and government intervention, we have come a long way in beating much cancer. Yes, we still have a long way to go. Women, often fear female cancers more than any other disease. Our worst nightmare is going to our doctor, only to be told, "You may have breast cancer (or another cancer)" and to be positively diagnosed. Yes, cancer has killed many women and still does. We should do all we can to eliminate the risk factors that we can control, such as our eating habits, and get check-ups and cancer screenings.
Yet there is something that we women should fear even more than all cancers put together, and more important, work to prevent and end.
What Should Women Fear More Than Cancer?
What is more of a threat to us than cancer? Heart disease! Did you know that heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined, once we women reach menopause? Yes. In our reproductive years, our estrogen protects us, in part, from heart disease. But when we finish menopause, our risk equals that of the risk that heart disease poses to men of all ages. We need to educate ourselves about heart disease and how it shows up in us women. At the end of this article are sources where you can educate yourselves and others, and spread awareness. Experts tell us that symptoms of impending heart attacks may look different is women than in men. Studies indicate that women are less likely to survive heart attacks.
My Story
In my case, heart disease prevention is something I have to pay attention to. I have a family history of heart disease. I believe that heart disease probably killed my biological father, and my mom is concerned with her heart because of her awareness of heart disease in women. Heart disease killed from maternal grandfather, and may have played a role in my maternal grandmother's death. They are not the only family members whose heart disease killed them, or is believed to. Myself, I was born with a genetic condition, Marfan's Syndrome, which affects the heart's aorta (the heart's largest artery). I'm not unique in having a family history of heart disease. I know that many, many others, including women, have this too. If heart disease is in your family history, it is something that you should not ignore.
Being Part of the Solution
Preventing heart disease is simple common sense. Yes, there are heart disease risks that many of us have no control over. We can't control family histories of heart disease or, as in my case, genetic conditions that cause or can cause heart disease. But there are many things we can do. To prevent heart disease in ourselves, we can increase our regular physical activity, eat healthy, low-fat foods, and avoid stress as much as humanly possible. We can educate ourselves. To fight heart disease as a public health crisis, we can raise awareness and support The American Heart Association. We should applaud the First Lady Michelle Obama's efforts to prevent future heart disease in children by encouraging schools to provide healthy lunches and promote physical exercise.
Yes, we should do all we can to fight cancer and prevent it, especially if it is part of our family history. But we women need to take heart disease every bit as seriously as cancer. With common sense lifestyle adjustments much heart disease can be prevented.
Go Red For Women
Womenheart
Women and Heart Disease
The first photo is courtesy of MorgueFile, is by "Borro" and can be found here. The second photo is courtesy of MorgueFile, is by "clarita" and can be found here.
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