Tis the Deadliest Season For Heart Attacks

More people die from heart attacks during these days than any other time of the year

A study published in Circulation, the flagship journal of the AHA, reported more cardiac deaths occur on December 25^th, followed by the second largest number on December 26^th. The dubious honor taking third place for cardiac deaths is January 1^st.

Interrupted schedules, overindulgence in food and drink, stress, and not enough sleep are believed to be some of the factors believed to lead to this depressing statistic.

Keep the season jolly- with a little prevention

1. Celebrate in moderation.

Don’t deprive yourself of holiday goodies, use moderation, and choose healthy options when available.  Limit or avoid alcohol altogether, opting for sparkling water or other alcohol-free alternatives. Alcohol lowers immunity, is inflammatory, and is a depressant.

2. Prioritize self-care

 Reduce stress whenever possible by maintaining your regular routine and taking time out when your day gets too hectic. It is especially important to continue your regular exercise routine as exercise is a great stress reducer.

Remember to take your supplements and medications.

For some, the holidays can bring on feelings of loneliness, missing family, or traditions gone by the wayside. Reach out to family, friends, or support groups for support.

3. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

This may be difficult, given travel, celebrations, and other holiday activities. Sleep is when your body has the best chance to rejuvenate and restore damage done throughout the day. Prioritize sleep to keep your immune system, cortisol levels, and mental health in top shape.

4. Keep finances in check

Overspending during the holiday season leads to post-holiday stress.

Experience the synergy

Our signature series Healthy Heart - reformulated

Maintaining cardiovascular health and reducing inflammation, one of the key markers in cardiac health. This clinical grade, research backed reformulation can help you through the holiday season and beyond with a unique blend of ingredients that promote heart health.

   A synergistic blend of clinical grade, research-backed ingredients that include:

Taurine(2)

• Reduces inflammation, a key factor in cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• Helps lower blood pressure
• Taurine supplementation has been shown to reduce myocardial infarct size

Beetroot (3)

• Beetroot is rich in nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide, promoting vasodilation and improving blood flow and blood vessel function.

  Grape Seed Extract (4)

• Significantly lowers systolic blood pressure and heart rate
• Antioxidant Properties: It may help reduce oxidative stress, a risk factor for CVD.

Selenium (5)

• Supports heart function by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation through selenoproteins.

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) (6)

• Helps lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, reducing the risk of CVD

Folate (7)

• Breaks down homocysteine, an amino acid that can damage arterial walls.

Biotin (Vitamin B7) (8)

• May prevent hyperlipidemia by promoting lipid metabolism

Vitamin B6 (9)

• May help lower levels of homocysteine

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) (10)

• Protective against myocardial ischemia ( oxygen deprivation)

    Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) (11)

• May reduce homocysteine levels

Key Takeaways

Dramatically reduce your chances of being a statistic by

• Practicing moderation in diet
• Make self-care a priority- don’t skip your supplements or medications
• Maintain a regular sleep schedule
• Reduce stress through exercise, yoga, meditation or prayer
• Avoid overspending

And above all, find joy in the holidays

References

1. American Heart Association. (2024). About the American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/
2. Chen, T. C., Chen, L. W., Chang, Y. C., Hsieh, P. C., & Huang, S. Y. (2024). Insights into the cardiovascular benefits of taurine: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Journal, 23(1), 93. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-024-00995-5
3. Webb, A. J., Patel, N., Loukogeorgakis, S., Okorie, M., Aboud, Z., Misra, S., Rashid, P., Miall, P., Deanfield, J., Benjamin, N., MacAllister, R., & Hobbs, A. J. (2008). Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite. Hypertension, 51(3), 784-790. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.103523
4. Feringa HH, Laskey DA, Dickson JE, Coleman CI. The effect of grape seed extract on cardiovascular risk markers: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Aug;111(8):1173-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2011.05.015. PMID: 21802563.
5. Shimada BK, Alfulaij N, Seale LA. The Impact of Selenium Deficiency on Cardiovascular Function. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 2;22(19):10713. doi: 10.3390/ijms221910713. PMID: 34639053; PMCID: PMC8509311.
6. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2024). Pantothenic acid: Fact sheet for health professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/PantothenicAcid-HealthProfessional/
7. Moat SJ, Lang D, McDowell IF, Clarke ZL, Madhavan AK, Lewis MJ, Goodfellow J. Folate, homocysteine, endothelial function and cardiovascular disease. J Nutr Biochem. 2004 Feb;15(2):64-79. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2003.08.010. PMID: 14972346.
8. Very Well Health. (2024). Biotin for hair growth. https://www.verywellhealth.com/biotin-for-hair-growth-89236
9. Minović I, Kieneker LM, Gansevoort RT, Eggersdorfer M, Touw DJ, Voerman AJ, Connelly MA, Boer RA, Hak E, Bos J, Dullaart RPF, Kema IP, Bakker SJL. Vitamin B6, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Outcome in a Population-Based Cohort: The Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-Stage Disease (PREVEND) Study. Nutrients. 2020 Sep 4;12(9):2711. doi: 10.3390/nu12092711. PMID: 32899820; PMCID: PMC7551483.
10. Linus Pauling Institute. (2024). Micronutrient information center: Vitamin B6. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/book/export/html/129
11. WebMD. (2024). Riboflavin: Uses, side effects, and more. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-957/riboflavin

 Written By Brooke Lounsbury