A little known fact: heart disease is the number one cause of death for women in the United States. In the US, about 1 in 4 women die of heart disease EVERY SINGLE YEAR. The good news is that there are things that you can do to reduce your risk, including diet, exercise, and controlling your blood pressure.
While admittedly my primary reason for being vegan is to reduce animal suffering– health consideration/disease prevention is a not-so-distant second. Studies after studies show that adopting a plant based diet drastically lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease. This is because a) plants have less saturated fat (according to American Heart Association, saturated fats lead to higher cholesterol levels which put you at higher risk for heart disease); b) a plant based diet increases your fiber your body gets, which will decrease absorption of “bad cholesterol” absorbed in your body; c) eating meat increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, which makes you TWICE AS LIKELY to experience heart disease or stroke, according to AHA; d) a vegan diet can dramatically help lower your blood pressure; e) plants bring omega 3s to the table, and according to experts, eating omega 3 fatty acids reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and it can also lower your cholesterol. For me, considering the rate at which heart disease is hurting women, a plant based diet is a no-brainer.
Speaking of heart disease awareness and prevention, a lot of you have asked me about the Healthy Heart Fest I attended earlier this week. I had such a great time meeting a few of you there (yay! I always love that!), but in case you weren’t able to make it I wanted to fill you in on the event and the awesome sponsor, Doctor On Demand.
The venue was decorated to the nines, with a DJ playing tunes while people took their turn in a spin class. There were vendors set up selling coconut-oil-based soaps, vegan cheese products, and other wholesome goodies. Cherry was set up there as well, offering manicures. And Doctor On Demand was there to give blood pressure screens and to educate attendees on heart health.
As I know I’ve mentioned before, Doctor On Demand graciously sponsored the whole event. I really love this company– and living in Texas, which is one of the top five states in the country whose residents did not see a doctor in the past year due to financial constraints, I really appreciate the need for services like this. With Doctor On Demand, you can visit with a doc (medical, psychology, or psychiatry) over video on your phone or computer, no matter where you are, at affordable rates. All you need to do is download their app or visit their website and share your symptoms… Then, within a matter of minutes, you will be connected via video with a board-certified doctor. You can also get prescriptions and lab work through Doctor On Demand! You can reach them 24/7, and they also do accept insurance. Seems almost too good to be true, right?
Heart Health is a topic that needs to be addressed more often as it pertains to women’s wellness. A big thank you to Doctor On Demand for caring to spread awareness! Go check them out, you guys!
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