Heart Healthy Woman program

More women die from heart disease than any other cause, and 90 percent of women ages 40-70 have at least one risk factor for heart disease.

To make matters even worse for women, the signs of a serious problem like a heart attack are not always as apparent as they are in men.

That’s why Lancaster General is committed to educating women about ways to improve their cardiac health, and how to look for the warning signs that there might be a problem. Lancaster General’s Heart Healthy Woman program hosts lectures, provides educational materials and promotes activities that are designed with your heart in mind.

“Our program is for women of all ages, because it’s never too early to start taking care of your heart,” says Holly Shaffer, Women’s Heart Health Educator at Lancaster General. She says adopting healthier heart habits is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease.

“A lot of women don’t know that they are at high risk, and many don’t know how to reduce those risk factors,” Holly says. “That’s where our Heart Healthy Woman program comes in.”

Four Heart Healthy Goals

Heart Healthy Woman stresses four major points that women should consider to reduce their risk of heart disease:

1. Know your numbers. Have an annual check-up that includes evaluation of your cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, and if at risk for diabetes, your glucose level. Call your doctor, or call (800) 341-2121 to find a doctor that’s right for you
2. Improve diet and exercise. Be sure to include the nutrients your body needs in your daily diet, and set a goal to build up to 30 minutes of activity a day. Heart Healthy Woman will be offering healthy shopping tours and label reading classes at local Weis markets in June. There are also healthy recipes available that promote good health without sacrificing flavor. For those women interested in losing weight we offer L.E.A.R.N, a 12-week class that focuses on healthy eating strategies for life and ways to lose weight sensibly and keep it off.
3. Quit smoking. Smoking increases the risk of heart attack particularly in younger women, who are smoking in growing numbers. Our Freedom from Smoking classes can help you get on the road to a smoke-free lifestyle.
4. Clear your mind of stress. Finding ways to cope with stress has benefits that reduce risk for heart disease. Yoga, Tai Chi, and even a journaling class are offered by Lancaster General as effective ways to reduce stress. A new stress management class is also available.

“Remember that it’s the little everyday things – like choosing a bagel for breakfast instead of a donut – that can have a big impact on your health in the long run,” Holly says.

With heart diseases claiming the lives of one in three women, more are recognizing the need to keep heart health in mind. “Women’s symptoms of heart attack can be different than traditional symptoms and women may not realize it could be their heart,” Holly says.

Women often experience shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, lightheadedness, nausea, pain in the back, neck or arms, and an overall feeling of anxiety or doom during a heart attack… sometimes without any of the chest pain or shortness of breath that would suggest a cardiac emergency.

Heart disease support

Lancaster General will be offering a support group for anyone with a heart condition later this fall. The support group will meet regularly and will have a smaller discussion group just for women with heart disease.

“Women often feel alone and isolated once they’ve been diagnosed,” Holly says. “They really need that support.”

All women who have been a heart patient at Lancaster General receive a Heart Healthy Kit. “It includes information about programs Lancaster General offers to heart patients to make them aware of what we offer and what they can do to improve their health.”

The library at the Wellness Center in the Lancaster General Health Campus includes a Heart Healthy Woman resources area, featuring magazines, books, videos and other educational material on heart disease, nutrition, prevention, exercise, stress management, relaxation and more.

Heart Healthy Woman will also take part in the HeartCaring program. Sponsored by Spirit of Women, they will be visiting physician practices in the Lancaster General Medical Group to provide current information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in female patients.

 

 

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