Love strengthens the heart
The Augusta, GA Chronicle reports on a new study that says having a loving relationship improves health and especially the heart:
One study found that those who had a heart attack and no close confidante to rely on had twice the risk of further cardiac problems. It is something Dr. Gentry sees all of the time.
"And because we know that they tend to do worse than people who have a good support system, we absolutely talk to them about trying to find somebody, some sort of confidante, whether it is somebody at their church or a neighbor, somebody that they can count on to help them get through stuff," she said.
It's not just social -- feeling isolated and alone can trigger stress in the body that can cause physical changes that worsen cardiovascular disease, Dr. Gentry said.
"Higher blood pressure, higher heart rate, more strain on the heart itself," she said. "So having a good support system, a good partner is important to help blunt some of those effects."
Read more here.
H/T to epiScope.
