Your Cardiovascular Health After 50

Heart disease and stroke are among the leading causes of concern for men and women age 50 and over, according to our poll. Cardiovascular disease begins to affect men in their 50s, while women in general won't see a spike in risk until their 60s. But no matter your age or gender, you can take steps to protect yourself. Check out the answers to your ticker-related questions.

Most of my elder family members died of heart disease. Am I doomed?

Absolutely not. “You can't change your genes, but you can change your lifestyle,” says cardiologist Jennifer H. Mieres, a professor at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., and coauthor of Heart Smart for Women. Now is the time to schedule a yearly physical with your general practitioner or a cardiologist to establish baselines for all your relevant stats. Also ask your doctor if you're a good candidate for a CT scan that screens for atherosclerosis. It takes minutes, uses low doses of radiation, is relatively affordable and has been found to accurately identify people at high risk for the condition.

Should I start to eat less red meat?

Probably. Studies show that high consumption of red meat is associated with increased levels of TMAO, a chemical marker produced by gut bacteria that has long been linked to heart disease. Great news: Limiting red meat can decrease elevated levels of TMAO within a month. Mieres recommends going meatless one day a week and getting more protein from beans and fish.

 Will watching cable news give me a heart attack?

It depends. Do the hyperventilating anchors make you laugh or growl? Stress — from sources as varied as PTSD, chronic sound pollution or an infection — is associated with heart disease risk, perhaps because it taps into the amygdala, the reptilian hindquarter of the brain. In one study, brain scans showed that people with high amygdala activity were more likely to develop heart disease than those whose emotional centers were quieter, possibly because it stimulates an inflammatory response in the arteries.

Is whole milk OK?

Yes. A recent study has shown that consuming full-fat dairy products is associated with a longer life. In a 2018 study of more than 130,000 adults in 21 countries, those who ate two or more daily servings of whole-fat dairy had a 22 percent lower risk of heart disease and 34 percent lower risk of stroke than those who ate less dairy.