Campaigns like Go Red from the American Heart Association have raised awareness about women and heart disease...and that has translated into a decrease in deaths over the last decade. Heart disease is preventable 80 percent of the time if you know exactly how to stay healthy. I recently spoke to cardiologist Jennifer Mieres and learned that the damage we do to our hearts actually starts in our twenties. She offered some tips for how young women...and all women...can jumpstart a healthy heart.
((Katie and Dr. Jennifer Mieres, cardiologist))
EXCERCISING, 30 MINUTES MOST DAYS, COMBINING THAT WITH STRENGTH TRAINING TWICE A WEEK AND IMPORTANTLY DEFINITELY CHANGING YOUR EATING HABITS, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AVOIDING PROCESSED FOODS, AND TWO NEW THINGS, THE TWO S'S OR THREE S'S... IF YOU SMOKE, QUIT OR AVOID SECOND HAND SMOKE. CONTROL STRESS, BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE NEW RESEARCH THAT SHOWS WOMEN WHO DO NOT MANAGE THEIR STRESS VERY WELL ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO DIE FROM HEART DISEASE AND STROKE AND SEVEN HOURS OF SLEEP EVERY NIGHT. DIFFICULT TO DO, BUT LIVING A HEART HEALTHY LIFESTYLE STARTS IN YOUR TWENTYS.
My takeaway from the conversation with Dr. Mieres is...start early. It inspired me to have a conversation with my daughters...and to take a closer look at my own diet. Here's to good health! I'll see you next week...and you can see the premiere of my new daytime show "Katie" on September 10th.
Courtesy: Katie Couric