Cholesterol in Women: The Hidden Heart Health Shift No One Warns You About

If you're tempted to skip this because you're "not there yet" with perimenopause or menopause… this is exactly the episode you need to hear.

Heart health and the changes that occur around menopause aren't things you suddenly start caring about at 50. The habits, blood markers and risk factors that show up in midlife are shaped by what you're doing now in your 20s, 30s and early 40s. Getting onto this early puts you in the best possible position to minimise your risk later on. So even if you don't feel like you're in the "heart disease" age bracket, please don't sit this one out.

Off the back of my mum's recent high blood pressure reading, she's now also come back with high cholesterol, despite being health conscious her whole life and having no overt risk factors. She has never smoked, she's pescatarian, grows her own veggies, walks and gardens daily, cycles with a local club and strength trains ... so she felt pretty caught off guard.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, but so many of us don't see ourselves as "the type" it could happen to. In this episode, we unpack why that is, what actually changes around menopause, and practical steps you can take to protect your heart and your future self.

In this episode:

• Why cardiovascular disease risk increases after menopause

• The role of estrogen in protecting your blood vessels, and what happens to cholesterol, visceral fat and inflammation when levels decline

• How pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure can flag higher heart disease risk later on

• The "perfect storm" of midlife: hormone shifts, changing body composition, stress, sleep, alcohol, exercise and the neverending mental load

• Key markers to keep an eye on in your blood tests

• Practical nutrition strategies to support healthier cholesterol:

  • Using foods like psyllium husk, oats, barley and legumes for soluble fibre

  • Plant sterols, omega-3s and extra virgin olive oil

  • Red meat, processed meats, saturated fat and what to swap instead

• Taking a holistic approach with key lifestyle changes

If you've noticed your body reacting differently with age and aren't sure why, this episode breaks down what's really happening, and the steps you can take today to reduce your risk and regain a sense of control.

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