Stable childhood may lead to healthy adult heart
A long term study in Finland found adults who had a “stable, healthy” childhood were more likely to have an “ideal cardiovascular health” in adulthood. In this observational study of more than 1,000 men and women, positive psychosocial factors in childhood were associated with healthier behaviors as adults which directly influence overall heart health. Certain behaviors, like eating habits, are developed in childhood and continue into adulthood. Researchers assessed children’s psychosocial upbringing, parents education/income level, alcohol/smoking use and general life satisfaction. When they reach adulthood, researchers looked at an index developed by the American Heart Association which defined ‘ideal cardiovascular health’. This included a healthy body mass index, moderate physical activity, healthy diet, not smoking, and healthy levels of blood pressure, cholesterol and fasting blood sugar. The larger number of positive psychosocial factors in childhood correlated with better cardiovascular heart health in adults. Parents were advised to spend time with their children, pay attention to mental illness which is linked with cardiovascular health, and lead by example because children develop important behaviors from what they see. What advice would you give parents to help instill healthy habits in children?
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Stressful childhood linked to heart risk in later life
A recent study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests that children who are more likely to stress at the age of 7 were more apt to have cardiovascular disease later in life. This was especially prevalent in the females they studied. The good news is that children who are better at paying attention and staying focused have reduced heart risk when they got older. This study illustrates that stress management plays a big role on the overall health. How do you deal with stress in your life? What therapies do you suggest in your practice patients who are stressed?
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Stressed? Boost Heart Health by Smiling
A study to be published in the upcoming issue of Psychological Science, reports that smiling during stressful periods of time, as simple as it may sound, can reduce the intensity of the body’s stress response and protect the heart. Psychological scientists found that forcing muscles to express a smile after stressful activities would lower heart rate compared to people who held neutral facial expressions. How often do you recommend patients to smile to alleviate stress and help their heart?
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