HWA – SEX AFTER A HEART ATTACK IS HEALTHY

Resuming Sex Soon After a Heart Attack Might Be Healthy

Many heart attack survivors worry that resuming sex too soon afterwards might trigger another attack. But new research suggests the opposite may be true.

Research out of Israel finds that resuming a normal sex life in the months after a heart attack may actually boost survival.

Lead researcher Yariv Gerber believes part of the benefit could lie in a person’s mindset.

“Sexuality and sexual activity are markers of well-being,” said Gerber, head of the School of Public Health at Tel Aviv University. “Resumption of sexual activity soon after a heart attack may be a part of one’s self-perception as a healthy, functioning, young and energetic person. This may lead to a healthier lifestyle generally.”

In the study, Gerber’s team collected data on nearly 500 sexually active people aged 65 or under who were hospitalized for a heart attack in either 1992 or 1993.

During a median follow-up of 22 years, 43% of the patients died. But the study found that those who’d maintained or increased the frequency of sex during the first six months after a heart attack had 35% lower risk of death, compared with those who had not.

The survival benefit of having more sex appeared tied to reductions in non-cardiovascular deaths — for example, fewer deaths tied to cancer — the researchers noted.

Of course the findings can’t prove that a return to sexual activity soon after a heart attack directly improves long-term survival — only that the two appear associated.

The new study was published Sept. 23 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

As the researchers explained, sex is a form of physical exercise that increases heart rate and blood pressure. And although vigorous physical exertion can sometimes cause a heart attack, regular physical activity can also reduce the risk of heart problems over time. Likewise, sex can trigger a heart attack, but your risk is lower if you exercise regularly, Gerber’s team noted.

“For this and other reasons, some patients [including younger ones] hesitate to resume sexual activity for long periods after a heart attack,” Gerber said in a journal news release.

He also theorized that a quick return to bedroom activity after a heart attack may be a sign of a better overall recovery.

“Improved physical fitness, stronger spouse relations, and a mental ability to ‘bounce back’ from the initial shock of the event within a few months are among the possible explanations for the survival benefit observed among the maintained/increased group,” Gerber said.

“On the other hand, patients who perceive their health as poor might be less likely to start having sex again,” he said. “They may also be less likely to adhere to cancer screening tests and other prevention practices during follow-up. This may explain the strong inverse association between resumption of sexual activity and cancer mortality that was seen in our study.”

In any case, the new findings “should serve to reduce patients’ concerns about returning to their usual level of sexual activity soon after a heart attack,” Gerber said.

Dr. Guy Mintz directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. He wasn’t involved in the new research, but said it should help counter “an old taboo that sexual activity after a heart attack is dangerous.”

Mintz said that the Israeli study did have its limits, however: “This study looked at a younger population, median age of 53, and this does not translate to older patients or women. Women were poorly represented, as 90% of patients were men.”

And he said that following a heart attack, patients should have a frank discussion with their physician about a return to sexual activity, since it “increases heart rate and blood pressure, which can have an effect on the heart.”

Still, for many people, “normalization of sexual activity improves a patient’s sense of self-worth, health and vigor,” Mintz said. So, “an important message here is that re-engaging in sexual activity is not dangerous and will be helpful long term,” he said.

• We are in this Together!-

  -People Start to Heal The Moment They Are Heard-

  Health and Wellness Associates

  EHS Telehealth

  REVIEWED BY DR Kris Yu

  

Sleeping Pills are NOT Safe for Anyone

Health and Wellness Associates

EHS – Telehealth

 

 

 

Sleeping pills are not safe for anyone! Not for people with congestive heart failure (CHF), Blood Pressure or any cardiac problems and not for healthy adults with insomnia. We are not talking about minor issues; we’re talking about problems leading to hospital re-admissions, death, or an increased risk for developing cancer!

According to information presented in May of 2016 at the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology in Athens, Greece, the risk for a major cardiac event in patients discharged from the hospital with CHF is increased 8 fold. And, because patients with CHF often have insomnia, they are usually given prescriptions for sleeping pills!

In another article published in the February 2015 issue of the British Medical Journal, adults using sleeping pills that included Restoril, Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, and some antihistamines such as Benadryl, had a 3 fold increased risk for early death and a 35% increased risk for developing cancer. Wow! People using as little as 1-2 sleeping pills per month had a 360% increase in these risks and those taking just one pill every 3 nights had a 530% increase in these risks.

This points out how important it is to find out why someone is not sleeping and to treat the cause rather than just suppressing the symptoms of insomnia.

If you have any questions call us at

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

312-972-WELL

healthwellnessassociates@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/HealthAndWellnessAssociates/

 

Simple and Cleansing Kichadi

 

Simple and Cleansing Kichadi

Serves 6-8

 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee

½ Tbsp. cumin seeds

½ Tbsp. mustard seeds

½ Tbsp. coriander seeds

½ tsp. ground turmeric

1 cinnamon stick

1-2 Tbsp. minced ginger (to taste)

1 large tomato, chopped (optional)

2 medium yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 small / 250g sweet potato (or other seasonal root veggie), chopped

1 cup / 200g brown rice

½ cup / 110g mung beans or brown lentils

1 tsp. fine grain sea salt

1 cup / 140g green peas, frozen or fresh

4 cups / 1L water (or more, as needed)

a couple handfuls finely chopped cilantro

lemon to garnish

 

Directions:

1. If possible, soak the rice and pulses together overnight, or for 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse very well.

 

2. Melt the oil in a large stockpot. Add the cumin and mustard seed and fry just until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the remaining spices, stir and then add the tomato and ginger (if you’re opting out of the tomato, simply use a few splashes of water). Fry for a couple minutes until fragrant.

 

3. Add the onion, carrots, sweet potato, brown rice, mung beans, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, until the rice and beans are soft. About five minutes before serving, add the peas whether fresh or frozen, and cook until they are warm. Add more water for a stew-y consistency, or if the pot becomes dry while cooking.

 

4. Serve kichadi hot, garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Give thanks and enjoy.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

312-972-9355

HealthWellnessAssocaites@gmail.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/HealthAndWellnessAssociates/

 

 

Sweet Potato Fudge

Sweet Potato Fudge

 

 

2 cups sweet potato, cooked and puree

 

1/2 cup raw, unsweetened, shredded coconut

 

1/2 cup coconut oil, gently melted

 

1/2 cup cocoa powder

 

1 tsp vanilla

 

dash of sea salt

 

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor.

 

Line an 8×8 casserole dish with parchment paper or wax paper.

 

Press fudge into pan.

 

Sprinkle shredded coconut over fudge and press into place with the back of a spoon.

 

Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

 

Cut into squares.

 

This recipe is also good with one walnut or pecan pressed into each square before it sets.

 

 

 

Happy Holidays

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

312-972-WELL

HealthWellnessAssocaites@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/HealthAndWellnessAssociates/

 

 

Surviving Heart Attack Often Means Leaving Job Behind

Surviving Heart Attack Often Means Leaving Job Behind

 

Recovering from a heart attack can be a long, painful process, and now a new study finds that almost one-quarter of those patients who returned to work ultimately left their jobs over the following year.

 

The findings suggest that “even though patients return to work after a heart attack, they may still require individual adjustments at their workplaces in order to stay employed,” said study author Dr. Laerke Smedegaard Petersen. She is a graduate student at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.

 

An estimated 676,000 people in the United States survive heart attacks each year, according to the American Heart Association. Many survivors are of working age: The average age of heart attack is 65 for men and 72 for women, the association says.

 

The new study examined the medical and work records of over 22,000 patients in Denmark who were employed before suffering heart attacks between 1997 and 2012.

 

Of those, 91 percent returned to work within a year. But within a year of going back to work, 24 percent of the patients had left their jobs. That’s three times the normal rate of leaving a job, the researchers reported. It’s not clear, however, whether the heart attack survivors quit their jobs, or were fired or laid off.

 

Patients aged 30 to 39 and 60 to 65, and those who had heart failure, diabetes or depression, were especially likely to leave their jobs. Workers with higher incomes and more education were more likely to stay on the job, the findings showed.

 

Petersen said the percentage of heart attack patients who return to work and then leave their jobs may be even higher in the United States.

 

“In Denmark, all citizens have equal access to health care and all patients receive treatment free of charge,” she explained.

One U.S. expert said the findings are sobering.

 

“The study is an important reminder that recovery is often measured in months and years, not just weeks,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, director of the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

 

“To understand the impact of a heart attack requires that we fully understand people’s roles and function. We should study how best to help people fully resume their prior activities and have the choice as to whether they want to continue working,” Krumholz explained.

 

Karina Davidson, executive director of Columbia University’s Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, said fatigue and an inability to perform manual labor are some of the reasons why heart attack survivors leave their jobs.

 

“Patients after a heart attack do indeed have a long road to recovery, and cardiac rehabilitation, strong family support and follow-up with their medical care are important components to ensure the best recovery possible,” she said. “Returning to work full-time will be realistic for some patients, but not for all.”

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

Dr C Carney

312-972-Well

 

https://www.facebook.com/HealthAndWellnessAssociates/

healthwellnessassociates@gmail.com

 

Avoid All Alcohol Helps the Heart Beat Better

Avoiding All Alcohol Helps the Heart Beat Better

 

The longer you refrain from drinking, the lower your risk of a common heart rhythm disorder.

 

That’s the message of a new long-range study examining alcohol use and atrial fibrillation, or Afib. This is when electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart are chaotic and cause an irregular heartbeat, which increases the risk of blood clots that can cause stroke or heart attacks.

 

One in four adults older than 40 is at risk for Afib, and nearly 6 million people in the United States could have the condition by 2050.

 

But the researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found that every decade of non-drinking decreased the risk of Afib by 20 percent, regardless of the type of alcohol.

Women who drink in any amount before conception and during pregnancy will cause a higher risk of problems for your infant.

 

The study included heart-risk data generated over 25 years on more than 15,000 American adults

 

Past drinkers were at increased risk for Afib, the researchers found. Every additional decade in which alcohol was consumed in the past was associated with a 13 percent increased risk of Afib, and every additional drink per day during former drinking was associated with a 4 percent increased risk.

 

“For a disease that affects millions and is one of the most important causes of stroke, identifying modifiable risk factors is especially important,” study senior author Dr. Gregory Marcus said in a UCSF news release. He directs clinical research at the university’s division of cardiology.

 

“Future research may help identify patients particularly prone to alcohol-related [Afib], and, when done, targeted counseling to those patients may be especially effective,” he added.

 

“Our finding suggests there may be chronic cardiac remodeling effects from alcohol that don’t rely on alcohol as an acute trigger, and further research into why this occurs is needed,” Marcus concluded.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

Dr C Carney

312-972-Well

 

https://www.facebook.com/HealthAndWellnessAssociates/

healthwellnessassociates@gmail.com