While at Mom's yesterday by accident I caught the Dr. Oz show. Did you know the three days of the year that there are the most heart attacks are Christmas Day, December 26th, and New Year's Day? Heart attacks are now the leading cause of death among women. And most of the holiday heart attacks are suffered by women. According to Dr. Oz there are four steps to take during the holiday season to maybe prevent a heart attack. Those four things are:
Decrease the intake of booze. Never have two drinks in a row. Alternate drinks with a glass of water.
Don't eat fatty foods. Quoting Dr. Oz "A high-fat meal can lead to dysfunction in artery lining for six to 12 hours after eating."
Know your feelings. Part of the reason we need the comfort food is because of holiday stress. Relatives are hardwired to get on our nerves. Stress comes from the financial pressures of purchasing gifts, decorating, travel, interaction with family, and entertaining. Depression and grief can break your heart. For some people the holidays magnify loneliness and sadness. So know the stress and the physical symptoms they cause. Call and check on those alone. Reach out if you are alone. Instead of eating and drinking, call someone in pain.
Either tube the fire place or stay a good distance from it. Particles that the fireplace emits can cause spasm of the arteries.
Remember also women often do not get chest pains as a symptom of a heart attack. Watch for indigestion, shortness of breath, and sweating. Men are more likely to have chest pains. If you think you are having a heart attack take an aspirin and call 911.
You can read all about Dr. Oz and the holiday heart attacks here:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/dr-mehmet-oz-tips-preventing-heart-attack-holidays/story?id=9329383
I was surprised by a number of things. Mostly that the holidays were such a magnet of heart attacks and also that a fire place could have such an impact on the heart. This wasn't in the article but I think it is really important, we have a tendency during the holiday season to quit exercising. Make sure you continue to walk or run, take a deep breath, enjoy your relatives instead of letting them get to you, and remember the holidays will be over soon and everything will be back to normal. Please pass the above link along to your women friends or if you want pass along this post.
What about the above surprises you? Anything?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Like you, I was surprised by the fireplace caution. On the rare occasions I use mine, I'm usually across the room from it, so I guess I'm okay. I also never heard of having a glass of water between drinks. I guess that's just to dilute the effect?
Otherwise, I'm not surprised that holiday stress increases heart attacks. I've also heard that suicides increase during the holidays. It's too bad that what should be all warm & fuzzy generates so much stress.
Hi Pat
You do have to wonder where the love is during the holiday seasons. Maybe we need to get back to the old fashioned ways of celebrating them. No gifts. Just togetherness.
The booze thing makes me wonder also. Are maybe it is just a way to slow you down. If you alternate booze and water you won't drink as much. He also said in the article that one reason you have hangovers is dehydration and the water might help with that.
Bill
I knew holidays saw a rise in suicides, but wasn't aware of the heart attack connection. I'm not surprised the holiday attacks are mostly women. Statistically, women are responsible for making the holidays happy, juggling family obligations and politics, cooking, decorating and such. There are societal expectations and our expectations of ourselves and what we perceive to be others expectations. It boils down to boundaries and deciding what you *want* to do, versus what you think you *should* do, I suppose.
I think the "know your feelings" advice is the most critical. There are Christmases when I'm "up" for the holidays and thoroughly enjoy decorating from stem to stern and planning the meal and baking and all the other stuff. THere are others when it's all been an effort and I'm not sure for whom. I've learned to just kind of go with what I want, when I can. When Mom was here, I decorated big time and we alwyas had her here for Christmas. Some years I wanted to, some years I did it 'cause I thought I should. This year, we're very minimalist and that's fine for the two of us. At first I felt guilty, then I got realistic. Still, the bottom line is that women are generally (not always) responsible for making the holidays a success and that often involves family politics and budget crunches, both guaranteed to create stress.
I was surprised by the bit about the fireplace. We seldom use ours, but it isn't far from our recliners.
I agree wholeheartedly with your comment on exercise. It's known to reduce stress, but when your to-do list is longer than your arm, you're the first priority to move to the bottom of the list.
Pat,as to your comment, I end up back at the media, to some extent. All we see are happy families, enjoying bountiful meals, children unwrapping untold gifts and everyone laughing and smiling. That's not reality for a lot of people. Some, because the families are geographically separated and can't all get together, so there's a single person, an elderly person, a couple with no family nearby. Some because they simply can't afford all the gifts. Some, because they don't have a large number of folks to celebrate wtih.
Uh oh... we've had a miserable weather day, windchills of 14 degrees (this is the South?) due to gusts, rain and now rain/sleet/ice. Combine the wind with ice and the fact the ground is saturated and it's a recipe for power outages from fallen trees. My lights are flickering. My backup (the RV with generator, gas furnace, gas stove and oven) are parked 135 miles south of here at a hunting camp and Illustrious Himself, my Able Rescuer, is with the rig. Cross your fingers the power remains on, please! Otherwise it's candles, flashlights, my snowmobile suit and hard boiled eggs!
Hi DR
I didn't know about the holiday-heart attack connection either!
I also think it boils down to what you want to do and what everyone else wants you to do!
Mostly I loved the holidays when I was young but lately haven't looked forward to them at all. However, I am kind of looking forward to this one since this is the first one in about five years that all siblings will be together.
Make sure you move the recliners at least 8 feet from the fire place.
You are getting the weather we had last week!
I sure hope to hell you don't lose your power!
Don't forget water!!!!
Bill
I have looked at many sites on this subject and not come across a site such as yours which tells everyone everything that they need to know. I have bookmarked your site. Can anyone else suggest any other related topics that I can look for to find out further information?
Thank you for posting this information, it will help a lot of people.Can you tell me of other source of this information?
I love reading your posting. It really interest me. What are the other suggestions you can give to us?
It's been a long time that I am looking for the post the same as what you have right now. I want this because it gives all the information that i need to know and it is complete. Can you recommend any source about it?
Post a Comment