THIS Skyrockets Your Risk of a Heart Attack 90%?!
The shocking risk factor you need to get under control
There are plenty of factors that increase your risk of a cardiovascular event like a heart attack, stroke, or even high blood pressure.
But this one takes the cake.
A recent study found that this one risk factor alone increases your risk of a major cardiovascular event by a shocking 90 percent.
It’s especially problematic for people under 60.
It’s not red meat or not exercising enough.
It’s stress.
It’s so pervasive in our society that most people don’t even realize just how much stress they’re really under… or how badly it’s affecting their health.
But this study should put it into perspective.
Previous studies have looked at the impact that stress has on high blood pressure… and consequently on your heart.
But this study was different because it evaluated the impact of stress in people with normal blood pressure levels.
Researchers followed 412 adults from 48-87 years old with normal blood pressure for 13 years. They measured their urine levels of certain stress hormones several times during the study period.
They found that doubling levels of the cortisol, more commonly called the “stress hormone,” was associated with a 90 percent increased risk of a major cardiovascular event.
Ninety percent!
And each time the following four stress hormones doubled—cortisol, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine — the risk of developing high blood pressure rose up to 31 percent.
This effect was especially notable in the younger individuals in the study.
Hormones like these control factors like your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
Anything from work stress to relationships to traffic can increase these hormones in your body. In the short term, these increases are helpful and beneficial.
Over time, they take a toll, as this study clearly showed.
You’re probably not going to run out to get your stress hormones tested (although it’s not a bad idea).
But chances are you already know if you’re dealing with chronic stress.
If your fuse is shorter than it used to be, or if you get easily overwhelmed and have trouble making simple decisions… you’re under too much stress.
Take steps to lower your stress levels now… before it’s too late for your heart.
Keep following my weekly emails for practical tips on how to manage stress.
