Heart disease effects on mind and body

Between 20% and 30% of folks diagnosed with heart disease also contend with anxiety or depression, according to a study in Frontiers in Psychology. And in the first year after having a heart attack or stroke, for example, mental distress affects almost half of those folks. That’s not surprising. It’s troubling to contend with a potentially life-threatening condition.

The good news? If you get care for your emotional upset, your future risks from heart disease are reduced dramatically. A new study in the Journal of the American HeartAssociationrevealsthat when patients who have been hospitalized for coronary artery disease or heart failure receive therapy and medication for their anxiety or depression, they reduce their risk of future hospitalization by up to 75%. And over the three years of the study, their risk of death fell by up to 67%. Psychotherapy or medication alone helped reduce the risk but not as effectively.

We often say that managing chronic stress is one of the most effective ways to improve your mood and increase longevity, and this is one more example.

So, if you have heart disease, don’t overlook the enormous benefits of professional therapy — combined with stress-reduction techniques like physical activity (as recommended by your doctor), meditation and cultivating a posse of supportive friends. Learn about managing stress at LongevityPlaybook.com (free newsletter available). And check out iHerb.com’s blog “7 Easy Ways to Help Reduce Stress.”

But remember, if you have heart disease, talk with your doc before taking any supplement or over-the-counter medication.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook. com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb. com, the world’s leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively.