February is Heart Health Month

Cambridge, Mass. –– Whether it’s from everyday deadlines, financial struggles, or the COVID-19 pandemic, stress shows up in life. Your body reacts to it and your health suffers – especially your heart. 650,000 Americans die from heart disease every year.

“Stress plays a critical role in heart disease. Stress can contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes, atherosclerosis, all of which can hurt your heart,” said Kyle Pond, MD, Chief of Cardiology at Mount Auburn Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. One in nine Americans have been diagnosed with heart disease. Pond says some symptoms of heart disease are:

· Chest pain

· Nausea

· Shortness of breath

· Sweating

· Dizziness

· Heart palpitations

How can you protect yourself? Pond says getting your stress under control - meditating, deep breathing and exercising - helps. He also recommends partnering with your doctor. “Talk with your doctor about your stress level and how it may affect blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and your overall cardiovascular risk. There are steps you can take to impact your risk; such as exercise, weight management, salt avoidance, smoking cessation to name a few.”

The American Heart Association suggests as little as 60 minutes of exercise a week, in ten-minute increments, can help (more is better, of course). They also suggest adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, cooking with less salt, limiting intake of high fat, high cholesterol foods, and sleeping 7-8 hours a night.

Also, understand when there is more than just stress going on in your life. If you are feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope, are using drugs or alcohol more frequently, or are having suicidal thoughts, seek professional help right away.