What women should do
Until just a few years ago, doctors recommended HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to postmenopausal women as a heart protector. But in 2002, a U.S. study found that it didn't shield hearts at all and in fact raised the risk of blood clots in the first year or so.
Another study showed that women who took a combination of estrogen progestin--the most common form of HRT--had a 41% increase in stroke over a five-year period compared with those who took a placebo.
Talk to your family doctor about your own heart risk. Then, stop smoking if you are smoker, eat wisely, exercise--climbing stairs or walking instead of using the car counts as exercise---and try and reduce stress in your life, be aware of fluctuations in your weight, waist measurement, cholesterol levels and blood pressure---and discuss any worries with your doctor. This is good advice for men, too. So why do we all keep missing this simple truth?
from 30 minutes a day to a healthy heart
