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Love good
for the Heart, Says Vanderbilt Cardiologist
Newswise — If you are in love this
Valentine’s Day, you have more than one
reason to celebrate. Being involved in a
healthy, loving relationship is good for the
heart, says Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular
Institute cardiologist, Julie Damp, M.D.
“There are a couple of different theories
behind why that might be,” Damp said.
Most of the theories seem to be related to
the fact that people who are married or who
are in close, healthy relationships tend to
be less likely to smoke, are more physically
active and are more likely to have a
well-developed social structure.
Along with that, they are more likely to
have lower levels of stress and anxiety in
their day-to-day lives.
“There is a theory that people who are in
loving relationships may experience neuro-hormonal
changes that have positive effects on the
body, including the cardiovascular system,”
she said, explaining that there are certain
hormone levels in the body that vary
depending on the level of an individual’s
stress and anxiety.
“This has not been proven, but the idea is
that being in a relationship that is
positive may have positive effects on your
cardiovascular system over long periods of
time,” Damp said. In fact, studies have
shown that relationships that involve
conflict or negativity are associated with
an increase in risk for coronary artery
disease.
Giving your loved one a box of dark
chocolates and a bottle of red wine won’t
hurt either. Studies suggest they are good
for the heart, as well.
Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which
are antioxidants. Antioxidants have proven
positive effects on many different body
systems including the cardiovascular system.
The high concentration of cocoa in dark
chocolate is what offers the flavonoid
benefit.
“Dark chocolate has been compared directly
with flavonoid-free chocolate and has been
shown to be associated with lower blood
pressure, lower blood sugar levels and
improvement in the way your blood vessels
dilate and relax,” Damp said.
Flavonoids are also present in red wine.
Multiple observational studies have shown
that moderate alcohol consumption, which is
one drink a day for women and one to two for
men, is associated with lower rates of
cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.
However, Damp cautions that there is not
enough evidence that alcohol has a direct
positive effect on the cardiovascular system
to encourage people who don’t currently
drink to start drinking.
There are potential negative health effects
of long-term alcohol use, and the flavonoids
found in red wine can be found in other food
and drink like fruits and vegetables and
grape juice, she said.
“I think a good message is that these things
should be done in moderation and in
conjunction with your physician’s plan for
you to lower your cardiovascular risk,” Damp
added.
There is no reason to limit the amount of
love you give this Valentine’s Day, however.
“The data suggests that being involved in
any type of healthy, close relationship may
have a lot of positive health benefits,”
Damp said.
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