12 simple ways to prevent a heart attack
"There are studies to show that stress is comparable to other risk factors that we traditionally think of as major, like hypertension, poor diet, and lack of exercise," says Dr. Kathi Heffner, assistant professor of psychiatry at the Rochester Center for Mind-Body Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.
Here, from our friends at Health.com, are 12 steps you can take to fight stress and protect your heart.
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Focus on relaxation
In one study, people who practiced yoga regularly experienced a decrease in some of their body's inflammatory responses. Inflammation is emerging as a key culprit in heart disease, among many other chronic conditions.
"Dedicating a certain time of the day to focus on your body and on actually relaxing, (not) caring about the other things that are going on your day, is very useful," says Dr. John Simmons Jr., assistant professor of family medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
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Connect with friends
According to one study, women in particular were more prone to angina, a heart-disease-related chest pain, and other problems if they had little social support when they were recovering from a heart attack.
So get out and about. However, make sure you're connecting with true friends. "If you have a lot of friends but they're all mean to you, that won't be beneficial," Heffner says. And that's backed up by research.
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Forget perfect
So play nice and think nice thoughts about the future, as optimism has also been shown to protect the heart.
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Don't hold grudges
"You would be amazed at how strongly they can take root in your psyche and how long they can gnaw at you. Getting that monkey off your back psychologically is very important, and allows you to move on and quit perseverating," Dr. Simmons says.
So be quick to forgive. This is also likely to lead to better social relationships, another boost for the heart, Heffner says.
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Lighten up
And fewer calories, as we all know, mean a better chance of staying slim, which is one of the best ways to protect your heart for the long-term. Mirth also increased heart rate and, in a 2010 study in the American Journal of Cardiology, was shown to improve vascular function. So laugh a little or, better yet, a lot. The first study found that the more you laugh, the more calories you use up and the harder your heart works.
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Don't drink (too much) alcohol
If you don't drink, this isn't a reason to start, according to Dr. Simmons. "But if you have always enjoyed a glass of wine and want reassurance, it's perfectly fine," he says.
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Cut the caffeine
Elevated stress hormones contribute to inflammation. So cut down on your coffee or tea habit. And even your diet soda habit. Preliminary studies have linked diet sodas to an increased risk of diabetes, a major risk factor for heart disease.
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Limit emotional involvement
For example, researchers recently linked football team losses with a greater risk of heart attack. In Los Angeles County, deaths from heart attacks and just deaths in general (mostly in elderly people) spiked after the Pittsburgh Steelers routed the Los Angeles Rams 31-19 in the 1980 Super Bowl. But when the Rams pounced the Washington Redskins 38-9 in 1984, deaths in the county declined. So don't sweat the small stuff and remember that it's all small stuff.
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Eat right
Healthy eating can help prevent or delay diabetes, a major risk factor for heart trouble.
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Seek help for depression
But ask your doctor if this is the best drug for your depression and make sure you know about any interactions.
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Get some sleep
However, quality of sleep is key. Sleep apnea - a condition in which you wake up periodically due to interrupted breathing - has been linked with cardiovascular disease.
People who awake in the middle of the night from sleep apnea are unable to complete normal sleep cycles, a time when the body naturally lowers hormone levels and blood pressure. This can lead to hypertension and heart disease.
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Exercise more
Study after study has shown the benefits of physical activity, even active housework or gardening. The reason? It pumps your heart, moving blood all around the body.
The American Heart Association recommends exercising aerobically at least 30 minutes all or most days of the week. But talk to your doctor before hitting the track.
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