Know Your Risk Before It Strikes
Your arteries could be hiding early disease. Find out today.
You may have heard the saying, “What’s good for the heart is good for the brain.” A new study suggests that may be especially true for women. Mayo Clinic scientists reported that women with cardiovascular disease or its major risk factors were at much greater risk for declines in their memory and cognitive skills during midlife than men with these conditions.
Conversely, heart-healthy habits dramatically reduce risk for cognitive decline and dementia in men and women, as well as offering powerful protection against heart attacks, strokes, and chronic diseases. Here is a closer look at the heart-brain connection, with key takeaways from the BaleDoneen Method.
How was the study conducted?
Published in the journal Neurology, the study included 1,857 men and women in their 50s and 60s who were participating in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. At the start of the study, they received nine tests to evaluate their memory, language, executive function and spatial skills, with the results combined to yield a global cognitive score.
Participants’ medical records were checked for cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, peripheral artery disease and arrhythmias. They were also checked for CV risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and past or current smoking.
The volunteers, all of whom were free of dementia at the start, were tracked for up to eight years, with the cognitive testing repeated every 15 months. The goal was to look for links between midlife cardiovascular health and mental acuity and to find out if these links differed in men and women.
What did the study reveal about men and women’s risk for cognitive decline?
Overall, 79 percent of the participants had at least one CV disorder or risk factor. Men had more risk factors than women, 83 percent for men vs. 75 percent for women.
Yet almost all the conditions and factors studied had a much greater impact on women’s brain function than men. For example, the annual decline in global cognitive function was more than twice as great in women with heart disease than in their male counterparts.
Moreover, the team found that diabetes and high levels of blood fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides were linked to declines in language skills in women, but not men. However, congestive heart failure was only associated with declining language skills in men.
While the study did not prove that cardiovascular conditions and risk factors cause cognitive decline, greater understanding of sex differences is important to enhance the health of middle-aged adults. Lead study author Michelle Meilke, PhD stated that while all men and women should be treated for cardiovascular conditions and risk factors, additional monitoring of women may be needed as a potential means of preventing cognitive decline.
What are the best ways for women to protect their heart and brain health?
Also known as cardiovascular disease, heart disease remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in women. The BaleDoneen Method is striving to change that by empowering women with the facts they need to take charge of their health. Follow these crucial steps to protect your heart and memory health and please share them with women you care about.
Understand the facts
Every 40 seconds, someone in the US has a heart attacks or stroke, and every 65 seconds someone develops dementia. The culprit is cardiovascular disease and rates are soaring in younger, seemingly healthy people. Another alarming fact: 64 percent of women who die suddenly from a heart attack were not previously aware that they had CVD, which often develops silently.
Early detection and optimal treatment are the keys to prevention. As discussed more fully in the BaleDoneen book Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain, keeping your arteries healthy helps prevent many conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart failure, diabetes, vision loss and kidney disease. These findings also highlight the importance of healthy heart women’s memory strategies that protect both organs at once.
Be aware of female-specific red flags
Alert your provider if you have any of these red flags: polycystic ovary disease, lupus, psoriasis, migraine headache with aura, a history of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, depression, high stress, rheumatoid arthritis, bleeding gums or a family history of heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Any of these concerns suggest that you would benefit from a BaleDoneen assessment of your cardiovascular health.
Risk-factor analysis may leave women unprotected
A recent study reported that providers are less likely to assess women’s heart health than men’s and often underestimate women’s risk. The BaleDoneen Method does not rely solely on risk factors. We also use laboratory and imaging tests, such as a painless 15-minute FDA-approved ultrasound scan, to directly check for hidden signs of arterial disease.
Get checked for root causes
Root causes include conditions that lead to plaque buildup and inflammation in the arteries. One of the most common is insulin resistance, the root cause of 73 percent of heart attacks in women and nearly all cases of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is also linked to memory loss. A recent BaleDoneen paper identified oral bacteria from gum disease as a contributing cause of CVD.
A healthy lifestyle lowers risk by 88 percent
Protect your health with daily aerobic exercise, a nutritious eating plan and mindfulness practices. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and nicotine. Average 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.
Lifestyle changes not only support cardiovascular wellness but also provide the best heart health memory tips, lowering risk for dementia by 35 percent. Adding memory exercises such as puzzles and learning new skills further strengthens the brain.
Healthy gums help prevent heart attacks
Poor oral health is strongly linked to heart attacks, strokes and dementia. Recent studies show that people with gum disease are more likely to die from cardiovascular causes.
Regular dental visits and home care are powerful prevention tools. For women, this may be one of the best lifestyle heart memory steps since oral-systemic health supports both heart and brain protection.
FAQs
What is the key to keeping the mind sharp into old age?
A combination of best foods for heart and memory, regular exercise, quality sleep and stress control helps protect memory.
What are 5 things that keep your heart happy?
Daily aerobic exercise, balanced nutrition, mindfulness for women’s heart stress memory relief, good sleep and dental care all protect the heart.
What is the key to a healthy heart?
Prevention. Following a heart-brain connection approach with diet, fitness, and screenings helps avoid heart failure and memory decline.
What are some facts about a woman’s heart?
Women face unique heart disease risk factors. Many do not experience typical symptoms. Protecting heart health is essential for long-term memory.
About the Author: Ed Price
