February is American Heart Month, and, beyond celebrating Valentine’s Day, it is a highly appropriate time to focus on heart health in the workplace and at home.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and one in four American women will die from heart disease — but women tend to wait much longer than men to get emergency care for heart attacks, and, when they do get to the hospital, their symptoms are often misdiagnosed.

It is thus particularly important that women know the signs of a heart attack and get treatment – and also to remember that most heart disease can be prevented. 

First, here are some of the most important signs of a heart attack in women – most are the same as for men, but some symptoms can differ: 

· Chest pain (heavy ache or pressure) 

· Pain in your upper body (arms, neck, jaw, back or upper stomach) 

· Shortness of breath 

· Breaking out in a cold sweat 

· Unusual or unexplained tiredness

 · Feeling dizzy or light-headed 

· Feeling sick to your stomach.

While the risk for women having heart attacks increase with age, women can have a heart attack at any age, notes Misty Taylor, a nurse who  is the Senior Vice President of Clinical Quality at BrightStar Care, an in-home senior care provider.

Second, prevention.  

The standard tips for women are:  

1. Eat a heart-healthy diet.

 2. Manage any and all health conditions, and get checked regularly. Health issues, such as diabetes, can increase the risk of heart disease.

3. Know the facts about aspirin; last year, there was a major change in recommendations. Both the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) now caution against routine use of low-dose (81-mg) aspirin in people older than 70 who don’t already have heart disease and haven’t had a stroke, or in people of any age who have an increased risk for bleeding.

In addition to all of this conventional advice, here are some additional tips. 

When trying to add more fruits and vegetables, frozen fruits and vegetables – without added sauces or sodium – are versatile and convenient, and may even have more nutrients. You probably already know to choose whole grains, but nuts can also be a healthy choice.

And then there’s the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan, which is a flexible and balanced approach to heart-healthy menus.

It is particularly important to remember to eat healthily when you are stressed; women are even more likely than men to report they ate a less healthy lunch when they had a stressful day at work (40% to 32%). Even public school lunches are becoming healthier.

Beyond diet, your quantify and  quality of sleep are critical but are often overlooked, points out Renee Metzger-Butler, a certified personal trainer who works at Point Performance Therapy in Maryland. Lack of heart-healthy sleep of 7-8 hours each night and/or interrupted sleep patterns can contribute to an unhealthy heart.

And then there’s breastfeeding, which protects both moms and their children. According to Washington, D.C. pediatrician Jenny Tender,  breastfed infants have lower rates of hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes when they get older. Plus, recent large-scale studies have shown that mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease. 

Misty recommends additional steps and activities that can help to reduce heart attacks — and that are just plain good for living a heart-healthy life:

• If you use over the counter medication for pain relief, check with your doctor on what dose is safest for you to take when needed. 
• Make time daily to meditate and breathe. Just sitting quietly for 5-10 minutes and practicing deep breathing can help.
• Stay hydrated! Drinking water and eating a balanced diet rich in “water-rich” vegetables and fruit can help! 
• If you have high blood pressure (the “silent killer,” because you may not know you have it), then get help from your physician to decrease your risk. It is a major risk factor for a heart attack.
• Walking 30 minutes a day can be helpful. The American Heart Association even has a beginning walking plan.
• You should notify your doctor if you have unusual muscle pain between your shoulders, chest, arms, feel more fatigued than usual, are short of breath during simple activities or have unexplained indigestion. 

And my favorite? Reduce stress, increase de-stress activities that bring you joy, whether that is surrounding yourself with family and friends, or traveling or running or reading!