Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Little boys are made of frogs and snails and puppy dogs tails. Even from the start, little boys and little girls are different. As we grow into adults those differences continue, including how our bodies react to a heart attack.

Heart attack symptoms displayed by men and women are considerably different. When a woman has a heart attack she may experience nausea, overwhelming fatigue and dizziness. Her warning signs of an impending heart attack could include shortness of breath, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is especially true for women and heart disease. Admittedly, some heart disease risk factors are beyond our control, such as family history and age. After menopause, a woman’s chance of developing heart disease soars because her body’s production of estrogen drops. But you can take an active role in preventing cardiovascular disease by managing your risk factors.

• Don’t smoke.
• Lower your cholesterol.
• Maintain a normal weight.
• Exercise.
• Manage your diabetes, if you have the condition.

Having just one of the risk factors for heart disease can be dangerous. But having multiple risks is even more serious because risk factors tend to intensify the effects of others and increase your chances of developing a heart condition. To learn more about your risk for developing heart disease, take the free, online Heart Quiz for Women at www.DoctorsHospitalDallas.com/HeartQuizforWomen.

In honor of National Go Red for Women Day, Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake is offering free red dress lapel pins to help raise awareness of women and heart disease. Call 866-764-3627 for your free pin today.

Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake
214 324-6100

www.doctorshospitaldallas.com

Each year Americans make their list of resolutions for the New Year, and each year many forget those resolutions within a short time. Since many of the most popular resolutions are health-related, Alexander Amby, M.D., family practice physician on the medical staff at Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake, offers tips for keeping your resolutions this year.

• Write it down. By putting the resolution on paper, you’re making it more concrete. It may help to post your list where you can see it every day.
• Keep it short. Don’t put too many resolutions on your list. A short and simple list is much more achievable than one that starts to look like the Gettysburg Address.
• Break it down. If you want to lose weight, break that resolution down into smaller goals that you can achieve. Most people tend to lose one to two pounds per week with dieting and exercise, so a sub-goal of losing six pounds in one month can be done.
• Make it personal. Your resolution should be something you want to achieve.
• Stay positive. Practice positive self-talk as you begin working to reach your goal. Tell yourself what you are doing to help meet your objective.
• Get some support. Ask your friends and family to help you achieve your goal. They can provide motivation when you need it and cheer you on from the sidelines.

“Regardless of your resolution, the process of taking the goal from thought to action is the same,” adds Dr. Amby. “If you need help, ask your doctor for advice on ways to stop smoking, lose weight, and other health matters.”

To help keep New Year’s exercise resolutions and achieve your best year of fitness, visit the free, online health library on the Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake website at www.DoctorsHospitalDallas.com/YearofFitness

Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake
214 324-6100

www.doctorshospitaldallas.com