The name Barbara Streisand is widely known. The singer, who is one of the most successful music artists ever, is also famous for her political views and charitable work. A few of years ago, the famous person combined the two by openly discussing and battling a life-threatening disease that she knows very well.

The Women’s Heart Alliance was established in 2014 by the Academy Award-winning actress and vocalist and millionaire Ron Perelman. Streisand stated that she was “completely surprised” to observe the continued presence of bias at the hospital emergency department, which was caused by the difference in heart health between genders. Upon the establishment of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, the singer of Evergreen made a commitment to support research on women’s heart health at the center.

“I came across an article about disparities in heart health between genders in The New York Times fifteen years ago,” adds Streisand, who is 79 years old.

“I was surprised to discover that women do not receive equal attention in diagnosis and treatment compared to men, and that cardiovascular disease causes more deaths in women than all types of cancer combined.”

“I’ve always found it difficult to understand why men and women shouldn’t be treated equally.”

Many individuals are not aware that females have a higher likelihood of dying within a year after experiencing a heart attack compared to guys.

The actress mentioned that because heart disease is often seen as a condition that mostly affects males, doctors tend to be less attentive when women report symptoms that might be related to heart problems.

“For many years, heart disease was believed to primarily affect men, and women with similar or more uncommon symptoms were often misdiagnosed as having digestive problems or being emotionally distressed,” the Grammy Award winner added.

Nevertheless, Streisand has a personal link to the subject of heart health since she experienced the loss of her mother Diana to the ailment at the age of 81.

The actress states that misunderstandings about the illness were causing women to die prematurely in an interview with InStyle magazine on her mother’s health and the necessary bypass surgery she needed.

The illness is often misdiagnosed because many people are unaware that women’s symptoms are often different from and less obvious than men’s. “Instead of the way Hollywood shows it with severe chest pain, which is more common in men, our initial signs of a heart attack might involve feeling nauseous, having backaches, feeling extremely tired, or experiencing difficulty breathing,” she clarifies.

Streisand has initiated a number of initiatives to encourage women to regularly have cardiac examinations, particularly if they are experiencing symptoms and wish to take proactive steps to lower their risk, in an attempt to question these traditional ideas.

Heart disease was called the “woman killer” in one ad by The Women’s Heart Alliance, while another effort from the previous year encouraged young women and women of color, in particular, to be mindful of the signs.

In relation to the disparity in heart health between genders in the UK, the British Heart Foundation has also provided remarks. The Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, said: “Years of research have altered the chances of someone surviving a heart attack.” However, the chances are varied if you’re a woman.

The Bias and Biology briefing disclosed that women have a 50% higher chance than males of receiving an inaccurate first diagnosis for a heart attack. Women are also less inclined to be prescribed medications after a heart attack to aid in preventing another attack.

The organization states that although heart attack symptoms may vary from individual to individual, the following are the most common indicators:

Unexpected and persistent chest pain or discomfort. It may be experienced as compression, force, or constriction.
Pain may occur in either your left or right arm, as well as your neck, jaw, back, or stomach.
experiencing discomfort, sweating, lightheadedness, or shortness of breath.

As to the NHS, cardiac illness is a major cause of heart attacks. This occurs when there is an accumulation of fatty substances in the coronary arteries, which leads to a blockage or interruption of blood flow to the heart.

These fat deposits might cause the walls of the arteries to become coated over time. The fatty deposits are referred to as atheroma, and the process is called atherosclerosis.

Individuals can make certain lifestyle choices to enhance their well-being and lower their chances of experiencing a heart attack and the buildup of atheroma. These are composed of:

Keeping a well-rounded, nutritious diet
Engaging in exercise giving up smoking managing blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Streisand has apparently exercised with the same trainer for over 30 years and pays careful attention to her nutrition. She supports the idea of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“I incorporate fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens into most of my meals,” she added. I like consuming fish and chicken, but sometimes I’ll substitute meat with plant-based protein.

“I really enjoy eating, and it doesn’t take much to distract me from my intentions,” she jokingly commented.

Additional health benefits of maintaining heart health include reducing the likelihood of experiencing a stroke and developing dementia.