Published: Oct. 5, 2010 Updated: Oct. 5, 2010 One of the main
issues surrounding menopause is that it coincides with a steady
increase in heart disease among women -- it is often said that
women have a “protection” from heart disease that they lose,
seemingly along with their estrogen, around the time they
undergo menopause. But Duke cardiologist Kristin Newby, MD,
notes that the exact link between the two has not been proven.
“it could be that estrogen is an innocent bystander to a process
that we haven’t discovered yet,” she says. “In some ways I think
we do a disservice by perpetuating the idea that women have this
almost magical protection against heart disease up until
menopause,” says Newby. While estrogen debates may continue
indefinitely, there is no controversy about the fact that women
and men alike are developing heart disease at earlier ages than
ever before -- and that women should adopt heart-healthy
behaviors including healthy diet, regular exercise, stress
management, and regular well visits t