One of the things that makes a woman a woman is the presence of the female sex organs and the particular hormone cocktail that is heavy on the estrogen and light on the testosterone. Estrogen and related hormones govern an amazing number of bodily functions, from ovulation to skin clarity. By menopause, estrogen levels in a woman's body have dropped by about 80 percent, causing many changes in the body, from hot flashes to osteoporosis.

Estrogen is the reason why women have a lower rate of cardiovascular disease than men. Estrogen has a protective effect on the heart. After menopause, men and women have about the same risk of heart attack, and women are more likely to die from their first heart attack than men.

But during periods of stress, estrogen levels drop temporarily because the adrenal glands are busy pumping out stress hormones instead of estrogen. These estrogen dips cause little windows of menopause-like cardiac vulnerability. Studies have shown that when subjected to stress, estrogen levels drop; during that period, the arteries in the heart immediately begin to build up plaque, leading to a higher risk of heart disease.

Stress may actually cause damage to artery walls in addition to plaque buildup. Little nicks and tears from cortisol can speed up the accumulation of plaque on artery walls. Keeping estrogen levels constant by keeping stress in check is just one more reason to manage stress during your childbearing years.