Keeping your heart in tip-top shape is no small task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. An understanding and appreciation for the wonders of the heart and how it functions can be especially helpful when deciding what steps you need to take to keep it healthy. Discovering effective, natural ways to achieve this goal is part of this process.
Female versus Male Heart
Men and women are different in many ways, and this applies to their hearts as well. For example:- The female heart and some of its chambers are smaller by ratio than the male heart.
- Women’s hearts pump faster than men’s, but the male heart sends out more blood with each pump.
- Some of the chambers of the female heart are thinner and the veins are narrower than those of males.
- When under stress, the female pulse rate rises and results in more blood being pumped. Among males, however, stress leads to constricted arteries and a rise in blood pressure.
- Accumulation of plaque causes heart attacks. In men, the plaque is usually hard and affects all three heart arteries. In women, the plaque is usually softer and blockage occurs in one or two arteries. Softer plaque tends to break away and travels in the bloodstream, leading to a heart attack.
- Women’s hearts are affected by estrogen. When estrogen levels drop in perimenopause and beyond, the heart-protective power of the hormone declines, and the risk of heart disease climbs.
- Heart attacks in men typically involve a crushing pain in the chest, but women often feel acute pain in the back or upper abdomen, sweating, shortness of breath, and nausea.
- Sudden cardiac death is more common in men.
- Women are more likely to have heart palpitations.
- Heart attacks typically affect men at a younger age than women.
- Women usually take longer to recover from a heart attack than men.
Resting Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability
Perhaps you’ve heard these terms from your doctor. If you have a fitness tracker watch or other devices, you may have heard them as well. But what are they and what do you need to know about them?Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest. This is when your heart is pumping the least amount of blood to provide your body with the oxygen it needs. According to the Women’s Health Initiative, a heart rate ranging from 60 to 100 beats per minute is normal, and women with rates at the lower end of the scale may be more protected against heart attacks.
