Your health: Women and stress

Relax for your heart

Researchers have uncovered strong links between women's job stress and cardiovascular disease, according to Harvard Medical School.

Findings from the Women's Health Study show that women whose work is highly stressful have a 40 percent increased risk of heart disease compared with their less-stressed colleagues. The results, which were presented at an American Heart Association meeting in 2010, also showed that women who worry about losing their jobs are more likely to have high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels and to be obese.

The researchers used a definition of “job strain” that combines psychological demand and degree of control. Demand refers to the amount, pace and difficulty of the work. Control means the ability to make work-related decisions or be creative at work.

Take a CPR class

February is an ideal time to get your CPR training or update your certification. Not only is it American Heart Month, but it's also when we risk overexerting ourselves while shoveling snow or pushing cars out of snowbanks, according to The Washington Post.

William Suddath, an interventional cardiologist, says the combination of cold air and exertion is conducive to heart attack and sudden cardiac death.

Making matters worse, weather-related gridlock can prevent emergency vehicles from reaching victims in a timely manner, Suddath said. So keeping someone alive with CPR could really make a difference.

Find a class near you on the American Heart Association's website (heart.org). Do it for someone you love.

Banish dry skin

Skin moisturizers are the first step in combating dry skin.

In general, the thicker and greasier a moisturizer, the more effective it will be, according to the Harvard Medical School. Some of the most effective (and least expensive) are petroleum jelly and moisturizing oils (such as mineral oil). Because they contain no water, they're best used while the skin is still damp from bathing to seal in the moisture.

Other moisturizers contain water as well as oil, in varying proportions. These are less greasy and may be more cosmetically appealing than petroleum jelly or oils.

Also, try using a humidifier, taking shorter showers and using soap-free cleansers.