February is the time when many of us have hearts on our minds. Valentine’s Day celebrates love, and February is the federally designated American Heart Month. It is the perfect time to remind ourselves of the importance of maintaining healthy relationships and healthy hearts. As a matter of fact, they often go hand in hand.
Dr. Suhar, MD, a cardiologist and director of Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, says “One theory why love is good for the heart is that blood pressure responds to calmness and peace. If you are calmer and more at peace, this can translate to lower blood pressure.”
Men gain more than women, but on a whole, marriage helps us live longer, possibly from having love in your life or having someone who is vested in you to take care of you. Married people recover better from heart-related procedures than single people.
Surrounding yourself with people who love you can make you more inclined to follow medical advice and take an active part in your care which can improve your recovery.
Research has proven that even our four-legged friends, both cats and dogs, provide positive, healthy benefits to our hearts. Pet owners survive longer after heart procedures. Dr. Suhar believes it’s because of the unconditional love that pets give.
On the flip side, broken heart syndrome (aka takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is a very real medical disorder. Typically it is a temporary condition where the heart wall suddenly enlarges and becomes ineffective at pumping. It is usually reversible, often normalizes after the stress is reduced or resolved, but this can take a few weeks to months.
Stress, in general, can increase your risk of heart problems and should not be ignored, as we discussed last month in our article on stress management.
So this month, share some love by hugging your pet, writing a love note to someone, or phoning a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.
Your heart will love you for it!
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About the author: Tracy Backer is a Registered Nurse who has worked in the medical field for 39 years. Her specialty is critical care nursing. She is employed by Habersham Medical Center in Demorest. A University of North Georgia Nursing School graduate and Habersham County native, Tracy recently returned home to Northeast Georgia from California. She joins the Now Habersham team as a medical columnist for Your Health Matters. She can be reached at [email protected].
