Menopause causes a real hormonal upheaval, which has repercussions throughout the woman’s body. Skin, hair, weight, but also bones and the heart can find themselves impacted by the hormonal changes that occur. As the French Federation of Cardiology points out, menopause notably causes a deficiency in estrogens, and these female hormones play a role a major protective role for the heart and general heart health. During menopause, this barrier decreases and women find themselves more vulnerable facing cardiovascular diseases. Certain daily habits can then help prevent risks.
Adapt your physical activity and diet to strengthen your heart health
The menopausal transition is a period that puts a strain on the body, which is why you should be particularly attentive to your body. In order to best protect your heart health, certain measures can strengthen your cardiovascular condition, as Dr Louise Newson, a British doctor, explained to Yahoo UK. According to the health professional, “combine a healthy diet and regular physical activity“allows you to maintain a healthy weight and thus reduce the risk of high blood pressure. At the same time, practicing regular physical exercise will allow you to”make your heart and circulatory system more efficientwill reduce your cholesterol level and will keep your blood pressure at a normal level“, she adds.
When it comes to diet, Dr Louise Newson recommends finding a balance to ensure the right nutritional intake. “Think about colorful and fresh ingredients and avoid as much as possible processed foodswhich tend to be higher in salt and other additives“, explains the expert, who founded a clinic specializing in menopause. Finally, she advises considering food “like an anchor“during perimenopause and menopause, periods of daily tumult.
Sports to favor during menopause
Certain physical activities are particularly beneficial for heart health, as explained to Current wife Charlotte Auché, professor of adapted physical activity, during an interview. “Ideal physical activities are those which increase the cardiac frequencyeither continuously or intermittently (example: 30 sec. of effort + 30 sec. of rest)“, she explained. Providing a more or less intense effort increases the heart rate and causes the heart to beat more quickly. Thus, over the course of training, “the heart muscle will strengthen and become more efficient with each beat“, detailed the specialist. As examples, she cited running, active or Nordic walking, swimming, cycling, rowing or even dancing.
Practicing physical activity three times a week and gradually increasing the intensity of the exercises will provide optimal results. However, doing sports twice a week while being active the rest of the time will already offer its share of benefits. “You simply have to stay tuned to your body And respect a progressiveness in every sporting activity“, underlined the professor.
Sources:
- To protect women’s hearts, being informed is not enough, we must take action! – French Federation of Cardiology (FFC)
- How to look after your heart health during menopause – Yahoo UK