7 healthy habits for a STRONGER HEART

A woman's risk of heart disease increases after menopause but there are some simple measures you can take to protect yourself they may even save yout life

- TANYA PEAREY

Heart disease is all too often seen as a 'man's' disease. But women are at risk too, particularly during and after menopause. Twice as many women die of coronary heart disease each year than of breast cancer, and 30,000 women are admitted to hospital in the UK every year due to a heart attack. Research suggests that survival rates are lower for women than for men.There are more than 800,000 women in the UK living with coronary heart disease.

'Changes to a woman's body during menopause, such as fallen oestrogen levels, are linked with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease,' says consultant cardiologist Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF). After the menopause, the chance of a woman having a heart attack is drastically increased.

As we women approach menopause, it is a perfect opportunity to reassess our risks of future cardiovascular disease and to take steps to protect our hearts.

WHO KNEW!

Around 80% of us over the age of 30 have a heart older than our actual age***. Uncover your heart age with the NHS and BHF heart-risk calculator.

Visit bhf.org.uk and type in 'heart age' to take the test.

TAKE A HIKE