Women who have the fewest number of reproductive years during their lives have a higher than normal risk of heart failure, according to a new research article published by the American College of Cardiology. As well, women who never gave birth are also at an increased risk for heart failure.
It was also discovered that women who never gave birth had a higher incidence of a heart condition called mild diastolic dysfunction.
In those with this condition, the heart isn’t very good at the relaxation phase. It is actually stiffer than a normal heart would be and so cannot properly relax to allow appropriate filling with blood. With diastolic dysfunction, the heart is simply not performing in an optimal state. This is actually a sign of energy deficiency – the first step to developing overt and potentially deadly and disabling heart failure!
Why does this happen? The reason is obvious to me, though less clear to most!
It revolves around estrogen!!
Estrogen is a key player in the health of the heart!! Not having enough of it around, as with what happens when menopause begins, is inherently harmful to the female heart. All of the functions of the heart rely on the support of estrogen.
Pregnancy is a time of estrogen abundance and a pregnancy, it turns out, is very beneficial to heart health. Like it or not, women evolved to have babies and not having babies turns out to be detrimental to women’s hearts!
So ladies, try to keep your hormones as long as you can by staying as healthy as possible. Eating lots of vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruit is great for you!! The phytonutrients and antioxidants help to keep those ovaries humming!! And ladies, if you don’t have any babies, whatever the reason, be sure to do EVERYTHING you can to live a heart-healthy life!
