Lifestyle essentials for a healthy heart

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According to the World Heart Federation^®, 80 percent of cardiovascular disease can be prevented through a healthy diet, physical activity, avoiding tobacco and knowing your numbers such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, Christa Moore knows what it’s like to be part of the 20 percent who can’t.

Christa has worked at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Des Moines, Iowa, since August 2021. She’s a wife and mother of three rambunctious boys. She not only enjoys being active and outdoors but has never had any heart-related issues or a history of heart disease in her family.

One day changed Christa’s life forever

It was a typical morning. Christa was finishing her coffee and helping her boys get ready, just like any other Sunday. Then suddenly she experienced pain, burning and pressure in her chest that radiated down her arm, to her wrist and into her upper back and neck. She was having trouble moving and talking and experienced shortness of breath.

The next thing she knew, her husband was driving her to the hospital. A heart attack was the last thing on their minds. When they arrived, Christa was placed in a triage room. Tests found her troponin levels, an enzyme your heart releases when cardiac damage has occurred, weren’t immediately concerning.

"As a 35-year-old healthy female, I was confused and had no idea why this was happening,” Christa said. “I didn’t have high blood pressure, cholesterol or heart disease in my family history, and the angiogram didn’t show any plaque blockage or buildup."

Christa’s heart attack diagnosis and recovery

During her hospital stay, her troponin levels increased dramatically and began to point to a heart attack.

Although it was unexpected for Christa, a heart attack can happen at any time to anyone. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the the leading cause of death for women is heart disease. This is why it’s important to know the signs of a heart attack in women, which include jaw pain, back pain, shortness of breath and nausea or vomiting.

After recovering in the hospital, Christa’s cardiologist told her that the heart attack was caused by a condition in the MINOCA category. Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) is a type of heart attack that isn’t caused by plaque obstruction and predominately affects women. The symptoms of MINOCA are the same as those of a classic heart attack.

In many MINOCA cases, doctors are unsure about what causes the heart attack or how to prevent another one, since there are no blockages. In Christa’s case it was later determined that her heart attack was caused by Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), which is under the MINOCA umbrella.

In the time since her heart attack, Christa has been focused on staying in tune with her mental and physical health. She gets in daily at home workouts and follows a heart-healthy diet to the best of her ability, although her heart attack was not directly correlated with her diet.

Lifestyle and heart attack prevention

Knowledge is power when it comes to preventing and treating heart attacks. Women, like Christa, make up between 40 and 60 percent of all MINOCA heart attack victims. However, staying informed and making heart-healthy lifestyle changes can drastically improve those numbers.

Christa’s lifestyle after the heart attack changed in a variety of ways. She prioritizes movement and loves being outside, going hiking, river kayaking and fishing with her family. Initially following her heart attack, she went to a local CrossFit^® gym four days a week and now chooses to get her daily physical activity on the treadmill.

The American Heart Association^® recommends recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly and practice moderate- to high-intensity muscle training.

She also meets with a nutritionist weekly to review her food journal, which helped her become more in tune with her body, made stress more manageable and improved her sleep.

According to the CDC, diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products make for great heart-healthy meals. Avoid foods with high salt, saturated fat and sugar when possible.

Life after her heart attack

If Christa has learned one thing from her heart attack, it’s that every part of her life relies on her having good health.

If you’re looking for recipes and tips to improve your heart health, be sure to check out heart healthy content right here on Blue.