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Menopause & Estrogen Decline · From Recovery to Wellness | Life After Heart Surgery, Aneurysm Repair & Cardiac Healing

• 0:07
  Hello and welcome back to From Recovery to Wellness.
• 0:11
  I'm Arnita, your host, and I'm so glad you're
• 0:13
  here. And again, just for new listeners, this
• 0:17
  season, which is season three, we're focusing
• 0:20
  on women's heart health. And we'll explore topics
• 0:24
  that affect women throughout every stage of life,
• 0:28
  including heart disease risk. Factors pregnancy
• 0:30
  and childbirth related heart risk menopause stress
• 0:34
  sleep nutrition and physical activity Emotional
• 0:39
  well -being and the unique ways heart disease
• 0:41
  can present in women now today we are Talking
• 0:47
  about we will discuss menopause and estrogen
• 0:51
  decline Now menopause is not only a reproductive
• 0:56
  milestone It is also a cardiovascular transition
• 1:02
  point in a woman's life. As estrogen levels decline,
• 1:09
  the protective effects that estrogen once provided
• 1:12
  begin to shift. Blood vessels may become less
• 1:16
  flexible. Blood pressure may gradually increase.
• 1:22
  Cholesterol levels may change in ways that influence
• 1:25
  long term cardiovascular risk. These changes
• 1:29
  do not happen overnight. They occur gradually,
• 1:34
  which is why they are often overlooked until
• 1:36
  later stages. However, what is important to understand
• 1:41
  is that menopause does not cause heart disease.
• 1:45
  Instead, it removes one layer of cardiovascular
• 1:49
  support that the body has relied on for decades.
• 1:54
  This is why heart disease risk rises after menopause.
• 1:58
  But this stage of life is not only about risk,
• 2:02
  it is also about opportunity. It's a time when
• 2:07
  prevention becomes especially powerful. Monitoring
• 2:12
  blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, sleep
• 2:17
  quality, stress levels, and physical activity
• 2:22
  can significantly influence long -term outcomes.
• 2:27
  Menopause is not a decline in health. It is a
• 2:31
  shift that calls for awareness and adjustment.
• 2:36
  So did you know heart disease risk increases
• 2:39
  significantly after menopause and becomes the
• 2:43
  leading cause of death among women? Now I have
• 2:47
  a question for you to reflect on as I close.
• 2:52
  I just want to ask, How has your body taught
• 2:55
  you to slow down, listen, or adjust your expectations
• 3:00
  over time? And just one more thing. I just want,
• 3:07
  I always like to mention a food of the week,
• 3:10
  a heart healthy food. And this week's food of
• 3:13
  the week are flax seeds. They support heart health
• 3:18
  through fiber, lignans, and Omega -3 fatty acids.
• 3:25
  Now, with that, I want to close and thank you
• 3:29
  for joining me for this season of From Recovery
• 3:33
  to Wellness. And next week, we'll talk about
• 3:37
  lupus and heart inflammation. And I just want
• 3:40
  you to know that I am honored to be a part of
• 3:42
  your wellness journey. And I hope today's episode
• 3:45
  has provided information, encouragement, and
• 3:48
  practical steps you can use to support your heart
• 3:52
  health. So until next time, take care of your
• 3:56
  heart, take care of yourself, and remember, be
• 4:00
  well.