Last Updated on 5 November 2024 by Brisbane Livewell Clinic
You may be surprised by some of the facts surrounding how Cardiovascular Disease affects women differently to men. With Cardiovascular disease (CVD) being the leading cause of death in Australian women,(1) it’s time to address the clear differences in the causes and treatment of heart disease for females compared to males.
Worldwide, over seven million women die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) annually.(2) Here in Australia, the underuse of screening for CVD risk may be a significant issue. One large Australian study indicated that women were screened for CVD risk factors 12% less than men. (3) There are, of course, some well established cardiovascular risk factors common to both men and women such as: (4) (5):
- smoking
- diabetes mellitus
- hypertension
- elevated total cholesterol
- unhealthy diet
- hypertension
Hormones In a Heartbeat
Yet there are also several elements seemingly exclusive to women in relation to CVD risk which appear to relate to reproductive hormones. The risks that are more unique to women appearing to be influenced by hormones include: (1)(4):
- early menarche
- early menopause
- menopausal hormone therapy
- history of hysterectomy
- use of hormonal contraceptives
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Findings show that there are also several pregnancy-related risk factors for CVD which can involve: (1)(3):
- pre-term delivery
- pre-eclampsia
- gestational diabetes
- early age at first birth
- history of miscarriage
- history of stillbirth
What makes women tick
It’s important to educate women about some distinct differences relating to how they may experience a Myocardial Infarction (MI) – otherwise known as a heart attack. Emotional distress appears to be the more likely trigger of MI in women (compared to physical exercise for men). (3) More specifically, women seem to be more prone than men to experience certain symptoms of MI like: (3):
- shortness of breath
- nausea and/or vomiting
- back, shoulder or jaw pain
- anxiety
At the Heart of the Matter
Lifestyle choices are significant when it comes to keeping your heart healthy. One study cohort found that among women, a very low risk of coronary heart disease could be attributed to adherence to lifestyle guidelines alone. Diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking resulted in low risk in the women, while 82% of coronary events occurred when these practices were lacking.(6)
A message from the Heart
It appears that in Australia, women with heart disease, diabetes and hypertension are less likely to seek out Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). (7) We’d like to see that change. With much of the research being done close to home, it’s time for Australian women to get serious about their heart health. Get a check up with your GP and then check in to see our Naturopaths for some tailored advice.
These Wellness Blogs may also interest you. Click HERE or HERE or HERE
Our Amazing Naturopaths at Brisbane Livewell Clinic
Shella Hall (Sunshine Coast and online)
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- Heavy Metal Toxicity: Strategies for Detoxing
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- Heavy Metal Detox Australia
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- Save Your Sleep with What You Eat
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- Solving Insomnia: Naturopathy’s Five-Step Solution
- 5 Ways Insomnia Can Affect Your Life and What You Can Do About It
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Mental Health
- The Gut-Brain Connection to Mental Health
- The Gut-Brain Connection: How to Feed Your Brain
- Treating Depression with Naturopathy: What You Should Consider
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- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): How a Naturopath Helps
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- Hormonal Imbalance
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- Women’s Health Week: It’s All About Women’s Wellness and Wellbeing
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- Painful Periods and Naturopathy
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- Pregnancy
- Pre-Pregnancy Fertility Care with Naturopathic Nutrition
- Fertility Naturopath Brisbane
- Acupuncture and Naturopathy for Pre-Conception Care
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- Maximising Nutrition Before and During Pregnancy
- Getting Quality Sleep in the 3rd Trimester of Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Wellbeing and Naturopathy are Great Partners
- Naturopathy for the Management of Constipation During Pregnancy
- Prenatal Naturopath
- Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
- Keeping Calm About Colic
Men’s Health
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- The Sperm Health Decline
- Better Prostate Health with Natural Medicine
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Food Intolerances and Allergies
- 7 Useful Strategies for Overcoming Food Intolerance
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- Naturopathy for Weight Loss
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- A Naturopathic Approach to Achieving an Ideal and Healthy Weight
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- Weight Loss Naturopath
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- Combining Therapies for a Healthy Weight
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Nutrition and Mineral Deficiencies
- Nutrition and Naturopathy: Healthy Diet
- Optimising Nutrition for Skin Health
- The Seriousness of Sugar
- The Importance of Mindfulness and Meditation in Natural Medicine
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- Helping Cardiovascular Disease in Women
- Sports Nutrition and Your Ideal Protein Requirements
- Creating a Healthy Diet for Good Health and Wellbeing
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- Nutrition and Naturopathy: Healthy Diet
- Combining Therapies for a Healthy Weight
- Intermittent Fasting: A Naturopath’s Guide to Success
- Iron Deficiency and Anaemia: When Things Go from Bad to Worse
- Naturopathic Medicine: What You Need to Know
- National Herbal Medicine Week
- The Role of Nutrition and Naturopathy in Wellbeing
Parasites
- Natural Parasite Cleanse Australia
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- Clean Your Body of Parasites
- Parasite Cleanse
External References
Naturopathic Care for Anxiety: A Randomised Controlled Trial PLOS ONE
Global Naturopathy Research as Reflected by Scopus (2000–2019) – Emerald Insight
Selenium and Naturopathic Treatment of Hashimoto’s Disease – PubMed
Global Strategy for Traditional and Complementary Medicine – World Health Organization (WHO)
Naturopathy for Mental Health: Approaches to Anxiety and Depression – Journal of Integrative Medicine
Naturopathic Research Resources – World Naturopathic Federation
World Naturopathic Federation – Naturopathic Research Resources
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies – Overview of International Naturopathic Practice and Patient Characteristics
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) – Evidence-Based Naturopathy for Chronic Disease Management
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine – Naturopathic Research Capacity in Clinical Practice
PubMed – Clinical Evidence for Selenium and Naturopathic Treatment of Hashimoto’s Disease
World Health Organization (WHO) – Traditional and Complementary Medicine Strategy
Journal of Integrative Medicine – Naturopathic Approaches to Anxiety and Depression
National University of Health Sciences – Resources for Naturopathic Research
Cambridge Media Journals – Naturopathy in Clinical Practice Guidelines
The American Journal of Medicine – The Integration of Naturopathy in Chronic Disease Management
External Resources
– National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
– Australian Government: Department of Health
– World Health Organization (WHO) – Traditional Medicine
– National Institutes of Health (NIH) – MedlinePlus: Complementary and Integrative Medicine
– Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM)
– British Medical Journal (BMJ) Complementary Medicine
– Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS)
– University of Sydney – Complementary Medicine Research
– Australian College of Natural Medicine
– Natural and Traditional Medicine Program at the Australian National University
