Positive Outlook Linked to Reduction in Cardiac Events Such as Heart
Attacks
July 25, 2013
Story at-a-glance
People who reported being cheerful, relaxed, satisfied with life
and full of energy had a one-third reduction in coronary events
like a heart attack, according to new research
Those with the highest risk of coronary events enjoyed an even
greater risk reduction of nearly 50 percent
All of your feelings, positive or negative, create physiological
changes; stress, for instance, is increasingly being viewed as a
cardiovascular risk marker
It’s not always easy, but you actually can choose to be happy
and more optimistic -- and enjoy significant health benefits as
a result
By Dr. Mercola
Having a positive outlook and a cheerful disposition isn’t only a
happier way to live your life – it’s a healthier
way as well.
The connection between optimism and other positive emotions and
good health has been firmly established by scientific research, and
the link appears to be particularly strong when it comes to
heart health. Being
lighthearted, it turns out, is one of the best ways to protect your
heart.
Positive Well-Being Reduces Heart Attack and Other Coronary Events
by One-Third
In a study of nearly 1,500 people with an increased risk of
early-onset coronary artery disease, those who reported being
cheerful, relaxed, satisfied with life and full of energy had a
one-third reduction in coronary events like a heart attack.
Those with the highest risk of coronary events enjoyed an even
greater risk reduction of nearly 50 percent. This was true even when
other heart disease risk factors, such as smoking, age and diabetes,
were taken into account. The study’s lead author noted:1
"If you are by nature a cheerful person and look on the
bright side of things, you are more likely to be protected from
cardiac events. A happier temperament has an actual effect on
disease and you may be healthier as a result."
This is but one study to find a strong connection
between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular (and
overall) health. Separate research has similarly found:
Positive psychological well-being is associated with a
consistent reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)2
Emotional vitality may protect against risk of CHD in men
and women3
Cheerful heart disease patients live longer than pessimistic
heart patients4
Very optimistic people have lower risks of dying from any
cause, as well as lower risks of dying from heart disease,
compared to highly pessimistic people5
Why Is Positive Well-Being Protective to Your Heart?
Every one of us will encounter personal tragedies in our lives.
Applying the inverse paranoid principle, as taught by W. Clement
Stone, has been a guiding helpful principle for me for many years to
help address life’s challenges. Admittedly, it isn’t always easy,
but the benefits are profound.
Unlike a conventional paranoid who believes the world is out to
get him, an inverse paranoid believes the opposite: that every awful
tragedy that befalls you ultimately is for some purpose that will
benefit you far more than you can possibly imagine, even if you are
unable to see it at the time.
There are several theories why a positive outlook is protective
for your heart, including that happier people may take better care
of themselves and be more likely to lead healthier lifestyles
overall. However, at least one of the studies above accounted for
these differences and still found optimism to be
protective.
It’s likely that positive mood exerts some type of beneficial
biological changes in your body, but researchers aren’t yet sure
exactly what they are. At least part of the answer likely has to do
with stress, or rather, lower levels of it in people who are more
optimistic.
All of your feelings, positive or negative, come with
corresponding physiological changes. Your skin, heart rate,
digestion, joints, muscle energy levels, the hair on your head, and
countless cells and systems you don't even know about change with
every emotion.
Stress plays a major role in your immune system, and can impact
your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, brain chemistry, blood
sugar levels, and hormonal balance. It can even “break” your heart,
and is increasingly being viewed as a cardiovascular risk marker. So
regular stress relief is
imperative to protecting your heart health.
Extreme Stress Is Linked to Heart Problems
Mounting research shows that people exposed to traumatic and/or
long-term stressors, such as combat veterans, New Orleans residents
who went through Hurricane Katrina, and Greeks struggling through
financial turmoil, have higher rates of cardiac problems than the
general population.
Several such studies were recently discussed at the 2013 American
College of Cardiology conference in San Francisco. In one study,
which involved nearly 208,000 veterans aged 46 to 74, 35 percent of
those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) developed
insulin resistance in two years, compared to only 19 percent of
those not diagnosed with PTSD.6
Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes and hardening of
the arteries. PTSD sufferers also had higher rates of metabolic
syndrome — a collection of risk factors that raise your risk of
heart disease, such as high body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure
and blood sugar levels. More than half (about 53 percent) of
veterans with PTSD had several of these symptoms, compared to 37
percent of those not suffering with PTSD.
Extreme grief, regardless of the cause, can actually "break" your
heart as well. In comparing how grief affects your heart disease
risk within a period of time, researchers found that losing a
significant person in your life raises your risk of having a heart
attack the next day by 21 times, and in the following week by 6
times.7
The risk of heart attacks began to decline after about a month had
passed, perhaps as levels of stress hormones begin to level out.
Positive Attitude Is One of the Top Seven Steps to Improve and
Lengthen Your Life
The featured study’s author suggested that you are born with a
certain temperament, and if you’re not naturally a positive person
it can be difficult to change your personality into someone who is.
I tend to disagree, however. It’s not always easy, but you can
choose to be happy, and in the vast majority of circumstances
there’s no one who can stop you except for yourself.
David Kekich, founder of the Maximum Life Foundation, recommends
the following seven steps to increase the quality and quantity of
your life. I invite you to listen to my interview with David, above,
for more details.
1. Appropriate diet
2. Exercise
3. Sensible supplementation
4. Lifestyle habits such as quitting smoking and maintaining
a healthy weight
5. Seeing an anti-aging physician
6. Stress management
7. Attitude/positive thoughts
22 Secrets of Happy People
The truth is, happiness doesn’t come from wealth, perfect looks
or even a perfect relationship. Happiness comes from within.
This is why, if you truly want to be happy, you need to work on
yourself, first. And the health benefits mentioned above, like a
significantly reduced risk of heart attack and other cardiac events,
should provide ample motivation for doing so. Those who are happy
tend to follow a certain
set of habits that create peace in their lives; if you learn to
apply these habits in your own life, there’s a good chance you’ll be
happier too.