Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
By Molly Knudsen, M.S., R.D.N.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.
Image by Ivan Gener / Stocksy
July 6, 2023
Chances are heart disease doesn’t cross your mind very often. Until you hear that you—or a loved one—are at risk for the disease, it may not factor too much into your day-to-day life. But heart disease is actually the leading cause of death worldwide1. And for women approaching their 50s, it’s particularly relevant since women who have gone through menopause are more likely to struggle with their heart health than women who haven’t (even if they’re the same age).
Low levels of sex hormones 2(primarily estrogen) during postmenopause are linked to numerous heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and weight gain. But your habits can counter these shifts.
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According to new research, postmenopausal women should prioritize five key health factors to lower their heart disease risk.
It’s not just one thing: how a healthy lifestyle can support heart health
- Waist circumference (a way to identify abdominal fat accumulation)
- Cigarette smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Diet quality
- Leisure-time physical activity
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They collected data on each of these factors for over 40,000 women ranging from 50 to 79 years old who had a healthy body weight, had no history of heart disease, and weren’t on menopause hormone therapy. Their lifestyle practices were ranked (individually and collectively) as low risk or high risk for heart disease.
Not surprisingly, having healthier behaviors across the board—like having a smaller waist circumference, not smoking, not drinking in excess, and eating healthfully—were linked to a significantly lower risk of heart disease including strokes and heart attacks.
Why are we so excited about a study that seems to state the obvious?
Well, women as a whole are underrepresented in scientific research3, especially when it comes to heart health. So a large-scale study like this that focuses solely on women is a huge win.
And menopause isn’t an overtly known risk factor for heart disease. For women who are entering their postmenopause years (decades really) in good health, this study shows that it is still imperative to prioritize habits that support maintaining a healthy weight. Especially since the physiological changes of menopause may make things like weight and cholesterol management more challenging than before.
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How to support your heart health during (and before) menopause
Let’s dive a little deeper into specific recommendations that fall into those five broad categories. (The benefits of not smoking cigarettes4 are vast and well documented, so we won’t focus on that one now.)
1. Strength train to build muscle.
Undesirable changes (aka the favor of fat storage and muscle loss) in body composition commonly follow the menopause transition. Strength training and actively working to build and maintain muscle is an essential component of metabolic and heart health—which are closely intertwined.
A large study of over 12,000 people (men and women) around 47 years of age found that participating in strength training even once a week or for less than an hour weekly was linked to a 40 to 70% lower likelihood of heart disease5—even in the absence of cardio exercise.
While some resistance training is better than none, more is better than some. It’s generally recommended to get two or three days of strength training in a week to work all major muscle groups (like chest, abs, back, legs, etc.).
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2. Focus on fiber.
3. Eat more omega-3 fats.
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4. Get more quality sleep.
5. If you choose to partake, only drink alcohol in moderation.
For women, moderate alcohol consumption is considered no more than one drink daily. Occasional drinking is actually linked to improved heart-health outcomes for some12, whereas excessive consumption and binge drinking are associated with poorer heart health.
There’s no reason to add alcohol to your routine if you don’t currently drink. But if you do, consider limiting yourself to the recommended one drink or less per day.
The takeaway
After menopause, women have a higher risk of heart disease and associated risk factors like high cholesterol and excess weight. A new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association reinforces the necessity of taking a holistic approach to preventing chronic disease. While habits like strength training, sleeping well, and eating fiber and omega-3s are important for women at every life stage, they are habits that are worth picking up—even 50+ years into life.