As seen on David Wolfe, 43.8 million women are living with some type of heart illness and they also have a higher risk of dying from a heart attack (than from any type of cancer) than men. This may be surprising to learn as heart attacks are usually associated with men more than with women.
Although heart attacks are often portrayed as happening all of a sudden and being very dramatic, some people may experience subtler symptoms and often times, they may be dismissed because of confusing it with some health problems with similar symptoms, for example, the flu.
This being said, below, you can check out the major heart attack symptoms that may occur in women.
5 Symptoms of Heart Attack
- Shortness of breath and sweating
Breaking out in a cold sweat, similarly to what happens when you catch the flu, may also indicate a heart attack. If the sweating is followed by a shortness of breath without any exertion, as well as chest pain, make sure you seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Pressure in the chest
The chest discomfort in women due to a heart attack may not be as strong as that in men, but is still possible. It can be manifested as an uncomfortable pressure, ache in the chest’s center, extreme pressure or you may not feel anything at all. The discomfort and pain tends to come and go away.
- Tiredness
Feeling rather exhausted without an apparent reason should never be neglected. If you experience it together with some of the other symptoms, consult your doctor.
- Vomiting and nausea
Women may feel very nauseated and vomiting shortly before or during a heart attack.
- Ache in some other body parts
During or before a heart attack, one may not just experience pain in the chest area, but in other body parts like the jaw, back, or shoulders too.
How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Attacks
Minimize your sugar consumption-excessive intake of artificial sugar has a negative impact on the whole body and health. It can decrease the good cholesterol and elevate the triglyceride levels, thus, putting you at a higher risk of heart attacks.
Follow a healthy diet- make sure you add a variety of veggies and fruits to your diet, especially garlic because it is known to decrease the blood pressure. Garlic will also lower the inflammation in the body and high inflammation has been linked to a higher risk of heart attacks. Another great addition to your diet would be turmeric which is known to decrease arterial plaque.
Work out on a regular basis- moderate and regular exercising can be highly beneficial in lowering your chances for heart attacks.
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