Submitted by Jeanette Barcus, Certified Natural Health Consultant, Herbs ’n Whey

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States – not just men. Often women’s symptoms aren’t the same as a man’s. Because the symptoms can be missed for women, often the first heart attack is fatal.

Symptoms that might be missed include heart palpitations, anxiety for no apparent cause, sudden extreme fatigue, light headedness, cold sweats, pain in the leg, arm, or jaw, stomach pain, shortness of breath, nausea, chest pressure (like an elephant on the chest), chest pain, or heartburn.

Any one of these symptoms can be caused by any number of other issues. When more than one of these symptoms occur together, they may be symptoms of serious issues with the heart.

There are seven things women can do right away to help the heart.

(If you are taking medications, please talk to your physician about any changes you want to make.)

1) Take magnesium. There are many different forms of magnesium on the market. I like a blend of citrate and malate that is easily used by the body with less of a chance for bowel disturbance.

Magnesium is an essential mineral in cardiovascular tissue. More than 40% of people who have heart attacks have low blood magnesium levels, as do most Americans. Higher magnesium levels decrease your risk of heart attack. Magnesium also helps with stress, sleep and muscle cramps. For more on magnesium go to http://www.herbsnwhey.com/?sn=1859.

2) Get at least 6 hours of sleep each night (7-8 is better). During deep sleep, your body does a lot of repair work along with reducing inflammation and stress which are risk factors for the heart.

3) Find emotional balance. Taking time for you will help take stress off your heart.

4) Stop smoking

5) Cut back on sugar. Sugar consumption is a major driver of heart disease. It contributes to inflammation and artery-blocking plaque, weight gain, diabetes, and other heart attack risk factors. Replace sugar and refined carbs with healthy fats like olive oil, wild salmon, eggs, or grass-fed beef.

6) Try an herbal supplement that contains hawthorn berries and ginkgo biloba. Hawthorn has the reputation for strengthening the heart and ginkgo biloba, for improving circulation.

7) Also consider capsicum herb. It has been reported to stop a heart attack in progress (but don’t use if you are taking a blood thinner.)

Get started today, don’t wait for symptoms. The life you save may be your own.