Diabetes and heart health have close relations, and women face various challenges due to the hormonal imbalance, genetic variations and changes in their lifestyle. Women need to pay some extra attention as they may be at higher risk of getting heart disease. Here are a few reasons why women need to be extra cautious about their heart health while managing diabetes.
1) Higher risk of heart disease:
Women with diabetes are more likely to have high blood pressure , high LDL and obesity compared to men. Also mantra women with diabetes also have PCOS which is linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of heart diseases.
2) Atypical heart attack symptoms:
Although chest pain remains the primary symptom in both men and women. There are higher chance symptoms to be completely absent in women, such as sweating, shortness in breath, abdominal discomfort, and nausea.
3) Role of hormones:
Hormonal imbalance in women can worsen the heart rhythm disturbances.
Estrogen plays a very crucial role in heart health, but after menopause due to changes in the estrogen level, women could be at greater risk of getting cardiovascular diseases.
4) Increased risk of silent heart disease:
Since the symptoms of heart disease are absent in women, they may not realize that they have heart disease until they face serious heart failure or stroke.
5) Greater impact of stress and depression:
Women experience more stress and depression levels than men, and that would affect the blood sugar levels and heart health. Stress-related hormones can increase blood pressure and inflammation that could lead to increasing the higher risk of heart disease.
6) Importance of changes in lifestyle:
Women with diabetes should be more careful. It is very important for them to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
• Prefer taking a heart healthy diet such as whole grains ( brown rice, wheat, barley, raagi), lean proteins ( fish, chicken, yogurt, beans), healthy fats ( avocados, chia seeds, walnuts), and fiber-rich foods ( broccoli, lentils, almonds).
• Regular Exercise plays very crucial role
in regulating heart disease. It lowers the bad cholesterol, improves the heart’s efficiency, reduces inflammation and controls blood pressure. Allocate at least 20 minutes of your time to exercise regularly.
• Check blood sugar levels, cholesterol and blood pressure regularly.
• Manage your stress with yoga and meditation to lower the risk of heart disease.
7) Early detection and awareness:
Regular check-ups and care are very important for women since the heart disease symptoms in women are absent.
Women should monitor both blood sugar and cardiovascular health regularly.
Women with diabetes and heart disease face significant challenges due to the changing factors in women, such as hormonal imbalance, atypical symptoms, and changes in the metabolism. They should pay extra attention and change their everyday lifestyle; awareness about heart health can help them to manage the risk. Prioritizing heart health is not just an option; it’s a necessity for women with diabetes.
Dr Archana Batra, Dietician, and Certified Diabetes Educator