Take good care of your heart

Benjamin Franklin once said, “The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.” So, I hope you take the following words about heart health to heart — and let them make you wise about your future.

1. A study has identified the risk factors that make women age 55 and younger vulnerable to acute myocardial infarction or heart attack. Yale researchers found that diabetes was their No. 1 risk — followed by current smoking, depression and high blood pressure. The good news: Diabetes can be controlled or reversed; quit-smoking programs work; high blood pressure responds to medication, dietary changes and exercise; and medication and talk therapy may banish depression. Make sure you’re not one of the 40,000 younger women who are hospitalized annually for AMI.

2. An Australian study finds that anxiety, depression and panic disorders damage your heart as well as your spirit. The researchers say anyone with mental health issues should be monitored for high blood pressure and insufficient heart rate variation, which indicates that the negative effects of stress (inflammation, heart disease) are amplified for you. So if you’re dealing with emotional issues, call your doc for a cardio checkup.

3. If you have a stroke, a new study says a cardio-rehab plan that includes medically supervised exercise and psychological, nutritional and educational support, along with management of risk factors, like smoking and diet, can slash your risk of dying within the year by 76%. You or your family should insist on that full range of post-stroke care.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@ GreatAgeReboot.com.