In today's world, stress has become a force to be reckoned with.
Whether it's rushing to get to a work meeting, an unpleasant fight with your significant other, or dealing with a family crisis, stress has crept its way into your life, creating damage to your health.
When you are experiencing stress, your body produces high levels of cortisol and adrenaline to help prepare yourself for the "fight-or-flight" response it's about to take.
Doctors have believed that chronic stress could lead to cardiovascular disease; however, the exact mechanism had not been identified until now.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted a study to investigate this correlation.
What they found was this: stress causes an overproduction of white blood cells, which defend the body against diseases but can also cause problems when produced in excess. These extra cells can stick to artery walls, causing restrictions in blood flow and aiding in the formation of clots that can cause blood vessel blockages throughout your body.
Is there a way to reduce your stress?
If you've ever been stressed, the last thing you want to hear is to "just relax and breathe." Wouldn't you be doing that if you weren't stressed? One thing you can do, however, is evaluate your current lifestyle and see if there's room to make any changes.
You also may want to schedule a doctor's visit and set up some testing to see if everything in your body is currently okay... and evaluate further options if you need to.
You can also incorporate nutrients and supplements for inflammation support, building a strong immune system to help promote a healthy heart.
What else can you do to lower your stress levels and avoid your risk of a heart attack later in your life?
Dr. Beverly Yates joins Dr. Mike to discuss the recent Harvard Medical Study, why prolonged stress can cause heart attacks and ways you can reduce your stress levels.
Thursday, 18 September 2014 14:33
The Bridge Between Stress & Heart Attacks
A recent Harvard Medical School study implicates white blood cells as the bridge between stress and heart attacks.
Additional Info
- Segment Number: 4
- Audio File: healthy_talk/1438ht4d.mp3
- Featured Speaker: Beverly Yates, ND
- Guest Website: Dr. Beverly Yates
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Guest Bio:
Dr. Beverly Yates, ND, is a California licensed doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and a 1994 graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR.
She is also a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she earned her undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and minored in bio-electrical engineering.
Patients appreciate Dr. Yates' strong problem-solving skills and ability to explain complicated health problems in plain language.
She is equally comfortable with complex health problems and simple, straightforward situations. Dr. Yates was the lead supervising doctor for the first ever fully accredited Naturopathic and Integrative medical residency in the state of California.
She has been appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the state's Naturopathic Medicine Committee for the 2010-2014 term. The Naturopathic Medicine Committee is the regulatory body for the practice of Naturopathic medicine in the state of California.
Dr. Yates is also serving as a National Media Representative for the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), appearing as an expert in natural medicine in select metropolitan areas. She is on the Scientific Advisory Board for BSP Pharma, Inc. and is a past member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. and Integrative Therapeutics, Inc.
Recently, in response to Dr. Yates' contributions to community health, she provided testimony for the Tri-Caucus of the California legislature concerning the growing impact of diabetes in communities of color around the state and the country. -
Transcription:
- Length (mins): 10
- Waiver Received: No
- Host: Mike Smith, MD
Published in
Healthy Talk w/ Dr. Michael Smith
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