Silent Threats

What do the following generally have in common? 

• The holiday season
• Monday mornings
• Major sporting events
• Market Crashes

 Answer:  They are all times when ‘anxiety’ is usually at a high… and when heart-attack ratestend to increase.

Most of us are aware that eating healthy and exercising regularly are important ‘preventative steps’. 

But “stress” is a health factor that oftengoes overlooked and is the cause of many problems, even for people who live otherwise ‘healthy’ lives.

When we get stressed, adrenaline (the “stress hormone”) is released into the body. 

It sets-off the ‘fight or flight’ response, speeding up the heart rate and pumping more high-pressure blood in less time. 

The increased force of the blood can damage artery walls and increase plaque formation– leading to clogged arteries and consequently, heart-attacks.

Adding to this problem is the fact that during some stressful times (like the holiday season) people also tend to fall into bad habits – eating more of the things they ‘shouldn’t’ and skipping out on healthy routines. 

Finding ways of managing stress or decreasing anxiety in our lives is just as important asregular healthy eating and exercise.