If you're in the beginning stages of perimenopause, you may expect to experience a variety of symptoms that affect how you feel, behave and act, including hot flashes and sore breasts. But some of the issues you might not expect to go through are cardiovascular problems.

Your cardiovascular system consists of your heart and blood vessels. The hormonal changes and fluctuations caused by perimenopause can potentially raise the beating rate of your heart and the blood pressure and cholesterol levels in your arteries. These issues place you at risk for arrhythmia, heart disease and hypertension.

With the right information and precautionary tips, you and a cardiologist can keep your heart healthy during and after perimenopause.

Heart disease, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions can occur silently, which means you could potentially have a problem and not even know about it. Because of this, you need to take care of your heart and body during perimenopause.

Perimenopause occurs several months or several years before you experience full menopause, or the end of your menstrual periods. During perimenopause, your male and female hormones gradually begin to decrease. The reduction in hormones may affect how well your heart beats and functions.

Unless you become active, afraid or excited, your heart should beat at a steady pace or rhythm. The heart rate of most women and men fall between 60-100 beats per minute (bpm), depending on their overall health, weight and size. Arrhythmia occur when your heart rate exceeds 100 bpm or falls below 60 bpm.

Arrhythmia can also develop if your heart doesn't beat properly. Your heart may skip beats, or it may palpitate (beat strangely). For instance, some women experience fluttering or flip-flopping in their chest as their heart beats during perimenopause. The symptoms can be alarming, especially if they create excessive anxiety in your life.

Your heart and its blood vessels push blood throughout your body on a continuous basis. When you're anxious or stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol to combat it. However, too much cortisol in your blood system can damage your blood vessels, which may lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.

Although you can't prevent your hormones from declining during and after perimenopause, you can reduce the problems it causes with your cardiovascular system with the right steps.

Your diet can play a critical role in protecting your cardiovascular system during and after perimenopause. Be sure to add plenty of fresh leafy green vegetables, such as kale and spinach, to your daily diet. The vegetables contain calcium and vitamin C, which can help protect your heart and blood vessels from inflammation and disease.

Fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids are other healthy nutrients you can add to your diet. Legumes and nuts can help reduce your blood pressure and fight high cholesterol. The omega-3 found in salmon and other fatty fish can help steady or calm your heart rate and functions.

You can also see a doctor or cardiologist for an exam of your cardiovascular system. A specialist can test your heart to see if it beats too slow or too fast. A doctor may also check you for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. You may or may not show signs of these diseases, so an exam is critical at this point.

Finally, ask a doctor to examine your health overall. Perimenopause can cause other issues with your health, including osteoporosis and weight gain. Knowing more about your body now can help you get through menopause later.

You can keep your heart healthy during and after perimenopause by contacting the Amin Family Medical Center for an appointment.