Hormonal changes - as early as in your 40’s during perimenopause - alter several cardiometabolic and vascular health parameters strongly linked to a higher CVD risk.

It’s important to monitor your heart health during midlife, a critical window for implementing early intervention strategies to reduce CVD risk.

RISK FACTORS:

• STRESS 

    It’s a killer. Literally. 

The stress response kicks off a surge of cortisol, the “fight or flight” hormone. It’s the strongest hormone in our body’s arsenal because it’s linked to survival. Once this surge of cortisol allowed us to out maneuver a tiger, now it kicks in when we’re late for a social event.

• Sleep Disturbance

Sleep disturbance is a common and chronic complaint during the MT (menopause transition) and is linked to a greater risk of subclinical CVD and poorer cardiovascular health indexes in midlife women.

Also a lack of sleep inhibits a good diet often, and fatigue means skipping workouts. It’s a vicious cycle and it starts with not getting a solid 8 hours sleep regularly. 

• Depression and Mood Disorders

In healthy women 46 to 59 years of age in the SWAN Heart Study followed up for 5 years, having recurrent (greater than 3) episodes of depression lasting several weeks was significantly associated with elevated coronary artery calcification scores.

• Exercise 

Not only does the MT cause visceral fat to increase while lean muscle mass decreases, but a general sense of fatigue that many women feel working out would be virtually impossible. 

• Diet

You are what you eat and it’s never too early to start to minimize your CVD risk.