"Stress hormones can cause an increase in cortisol which causes an increase in visceral fat (fat around your organs) which directly impacts heart health,"
"Increased blood sugar is where it starts (leads to oxidative damage to arteries, endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and eventually plague and cholesterol buildup/blockages,"
"Always allow enough time to sleep 8 – 9 hours each night,"
"Keep track of your eating habits to see if you are eating out of boredom or to ease stress."
"The best exercise for your heart is the exercise you will actually do,"
"Fortunately, coffee is still OK and even somewhat protective for heart disease and diabetes,"
"The most important dietary stress leading to heart disease is a deficiency of B12 and folate. A deficit in either of these causes an increase in the cellular waste product homocysteine,"
"For packaged foods, the nutrition fact panel may be useful in identifying lower sodium products, and for menu items, diners can request sodium content information,"
"Over time, smoking contributes to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries) and increases your risk of having and dying from heart disease, heart failure, or a heart attack,"
"Regular or high alcohol use can hurt your heart and lead to diseases of the heart muscle, called cardiomyopathy,"