Hearts: For Loving and Living

In a recent Strong Hearts Healthy Women class, we discussed the connection between stress and heart disease.  We discussed that often we have not been taught productive ways to deal with our emotions or stress.  Coincidentally, my mom and I were recently talking with a friend about her parents and their health.  I never met my maternal grandfather, Fenton Burgess, because he died of a heart attack at age 50.  Mom said one day he told my grandma he wasn’t feeling well and thought he’d go see Dr. Buker at the clinic.  He was sitting in the waiting room when he dropped over and died from a heart attack.  The family knew of three other heart attacks that he had, but his autopsy showed enough scarring in his heart to indicate that he had perhaps had several more prior to the final one.  I know Grandpa Fenton smoked, which is a contributing factor, but while my mom was telling the story, she added a piece I had not heard before about Grandpa.   She said, “He struggled with his temper.” 

Studies have shown that people with a quick temper are at greater risk of suffering a heart attack or dying from heart disease.  Quick anger, or hostility, may increase blood pressure and contribute to the hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis.  How emotional and physical changes in the body are linked is a fascinating area of research. Physical changes based on emotions, such as anger, can cause damage to the cardiovascular system.

Years ago, when I first moved to Teton County, I had the pleasure of attending a class in Browning, where I listened to an eloquent and wise women talk about disease in our society.  She broke down the word, “dis-ease,” and reminded us that any time your mind was not at ease, the body would find a way to manifest the situation and often it was in the form of disease.  In addition to temper, depression is found to have links to heart disease.  Depression is reported more in women. 

One of the natural ways to manage both anger and depression is through exercise.  Our Strong Hearts class participants thought of many positive mechanisms to cope with negative emotions.  The list included finding a walking partner or exercise companion, or volunteering to reduce social isolation and bring meaning to life.  Pets have long been recommended as a therapy for depression.  Yoga, Tia Chi, meditation and prayer also made the list.  Purposeful stretching and breathing can be beneficial.  There are many breathing exercises available, but one we tried in class was inhaling through the nose for a four-count beat and exhaling through the mouth for a six-count beat. 

We talked about some of the unhealthy responses such as overeating, over-consuming alcohol and smoking. Some newer negative tendencies may include binge consuming media, whether video or social media. Some concerns were raised about constant interruptions our devices and our world provide and how regaining purposeful focus can be so instrumental in reducing stress. In order to reduce stress, we may need to set boundaries as to when and where we respond and how often we take a break from social contact. Perhaps you’ve heard of FOMO, or the Fear Of Missing Out. In a March 2014 post, Forbes author Kristi Hedges put it this way, “You might have FOMO if you constantly check social media and email. This isn’t about logging into Facebook a few times a day; this is feeling antsy if you can’t be connected at all times. We like to blame our work cultures for forcing us to always be available on email, but in my experience, it’s more often a choice the person makes. After all, we train people how to treat us.” I think, in addition to exercise, meditation and breathing, we will need to learn how to disconnect to reduce stress. At the beginning of the year, I took four days to renew and refresh, and probably most importantly, to disconnect. I didn’t leave my house, didn’t answer any phones or emails and minimized my interaction with others. Sometimes, we just need to recharge for our mental and physical health.

This photo of Grandpa Fenton was on
display in our home.  It always made me
wish I had known him.  

As you think about the mind and body connection, you may want more techniques for dealing with the stress in your life.  The MontGuide, “50 Stress Busting Ideas forYour Well-being” may be a good resource for you.  I wish my Grandpa Fenton would have found some better ways to cope with his stress, so I might have been able to meet him. It is best to get a handle on your stress, not just for your heart, but for those you love, some of whom you might not have even met yet.