Tips To Make Your Heart Stress Free

STRESS AND THE HEART

Stress may be defined as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand. It can be eustress (being agreeable or healthy) or distress (disagreeable or pathogenic) the way in which, a certain stimulus will be received depends on its intensity and particular receptiveness of the affected persons. This diversity depends primarily on conditioning (production of hormones). Coronary artery (Heart attack) disease is more common in “stress seekers” or the “race horse” type as opposed to the easy-going “turtle type” individuals. Type A, a personality who is most likely to develop Coronary disease is characterized by:

1. An intense sustained drive to achieve self-selected but usually poorly defined goals.

2. Profound inclination and eagerness to complete.

3. The persistent desire for recognition and advancement.

4. Continuous involvement in multiple and diverse functions is constantly subject to time restrictions.

5. Habitual propensity to accelerate the rate of execution of many physical and mental functions.

6. Extraordinary mental and physical alertness.
   

How does emotional stress cause coronary heart disease?

Emotional stress enhances sympathetic activity through the brain resulting in the liberation of hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones result in the mobilization of free fatty acids (FFA) from fatty tissue which ultimately get converted into triglycerides and cholesterol. Finally, triglycerides and cholesterol are incorporated into atheroma (blockade in coronary artery). A blocked coronary artery causes a reduction in blood supply to the heart.

Emotional stress further causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure thereby increase in myocardial oxygen demand. An imbalance, therefore, exists between the supply and demand ratio which ultimately results in angina and heart attack. If untreated death ensues.

Prevention & Management

A holistic treatment approach to stress management and to promote a new model of wellbeing called “wellness”. Wellness includes – a higher level of health, which is derived from spiritual, mental, and emotional growth, education, and self-actualization.

Certain ways to reduce stress

• Do not suppress the stress.

• Try to diminish distress and facilitate eustress.

• Increase general resistance by performing physical exercise to combat strong stressors.

• Change in activity – deviation or diversion of efforts

• Self-control over emotional stress by performing Yoga. Yoga Nidra and Meditation.

• Practice time-honored wisdom of the ‘Golden rule’ – Love thy neighbor as thyself.

• Precautions to prevent coronary heart disease.

• Decrease the total intake of the saturated fat content of food to less than 30%.

• Take a drive to maintain the blood cholesterol level within the normal range.

• Mass education to create awareness of the need for physical exercise and normal body weight.

• Stop smoking.

• Effective treatment of diabetes and hypertension.

• Reduce stress by avoiding stressors and performing mind-relaxing exercises, such as Yoga.

• Nidra and Medication.

Regards,

Dr. (Prof.) A. K. Srivastava MS, M.Ch., FAMS, FACS Consultant Heart Surgeon Chairman & Founder President Divine Heart & Multispecialty Hospital Gomti Nagar, Lucknow