Welcome to Nobody Told Me. I'm Jan Black.

And I'm Laura Owens. Heart disease is the number one killer of women outpacing all types of cancer, diabetes, and stroke.

And while men and women face the same classic risk factors for heart disease, like high cholesterol

and high blood pressure, women often manifest heart disease in different ways than men.

And our guest on this episode, Dr. Mark Meno-Luchinoino has been on the front lines of cardiac research for most

of his professional career and believes the institution of medicine hasn't treated women's heart

health with the same care and investment as men's. He wants to change that and has written a new

book called Heart Solution for Women. Dr, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you for having me.

Your background is extensive.

Tell us a little bit more about it so we know more about where you're coming from.

Well, when I was a senior in high school in Omaha, Nebraska, I saw Dean Ornish institute his

heart disease reversal program, and he showed that lifestyle medicine, how you eat, how you

exercise, and how you deal with stress worked better than a bypass surgery for heart blockages.

So I saw early on that lifestyle medicine was the key, and I wanted to gather all the tools they

teach in med school and out of med school to bring that toolbox to my clients.

What are some common conditions that can indicate heart disease in women?

Well, we think it's all about cholesterol.

And the reality is half the heart attacks happen in people who have normal cholesterol.

The problem for women is that two of the three women that are friends of ours will have heart disease.

The first warning sign in half of them is sudden death.

They don't get a second warning.

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