An Attitude of Gratitude Is Good Medicine
Positive emotions like gratitude and compassion have many beneficial effects on the heart and immune system.

An Attitude of Gratitude Is Good Medicine

Do your heart a favor and take stock of the things you are thankful for.

Fostering a sense of gratitude is one way to counter negative emotions, such as anger and depression. There are plenty of studies linking these and other chronic forms of negative psychosocial stress to coronary artery disease. In the INTERHEART study, which included 25,000 people from more than 50 countries, individuals who experienced negative stress on a daily basis had more than twice the risk of heart attack than those without chronic stress.

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Featured Articles

  • 7 Egg

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    Are Eggs Healthy or Harmful?

    It depends on whom you ask. Here's what we know today.

    Eggs yolks may be cholesterol bombs, but egg whites are packed with healthy protein. "Egg whites are one of the best protein sources we have. I tell patients to hard boil a dozen eggs, shell them, throw away the yolks and add the whites to oatmeal, salads and soups. The protein...

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  • 5 strengthtraining

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    Should You Do Strength Training?

    The answer is yes, in addition to aerobic exercise!

    "There's no reason why a heart patient without contradictions to strength training shouldn't do both," says Erik Van Iterson, PhD, Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic. "Strength training improves musculoskeletal health, which helps slow the loss of bone and...

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  • 6 LDL

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    Low LDL Levels Do Not Cause Hemorrhagic Stroke

    A flawed study caused unnecessary alarm, experts say.

    PCSK9 inhibitors are so powerful that 10% of participants achieved LDL levels less than 20 mg/dL; 31% saw their LDL levels drop to 20 to 50 mg/dL. No safety concerns were seen in patients with these low LDL levels, and the rate of side effects was the same in the treatment and...

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  • dr pic nov19

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    Ask The Doctors: November 2019

    The duration of DAPT depends on the reason for stenting (stable heart disease versus acute heart attack), the type of stent used and the patient's clotting and bleeding risks. Because the clotting risk is high after a recent heart attack, in your case there is strong data to...

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  • 4 supplements

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    Don't Rely on Supplements and Vitamins to Benefit Your Heart

    You can get everything you need from a healthy diet.

    On a more hopeful note, there was some evidence that omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) were associated with lower risk of heart attack and CAD, and that folic acid may help protect against stroke. However, the primary study on folate that reached this...

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  • 2 bc

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    In The News: November 2019

    Low-dose dietary supplements of omega-3 fatty acids have little effect on lowering cardiovascular risk (see article on page 6). However, high doses of omega-3, either eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) alone or EPA plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), can significantly lower cardiovascular...

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  • 3 heartpain

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    What "Mild Heart Attack" Means

    When the grim reaper comes knocking, and you aren't home, does this mean you're in the clear? Experts say your future is largely in your hands.

    Nevertheless, it may take several hours to determine whether a heart attack has occurred and what kind of treatment is needed. When someone is unsure what their symptoms mean, the thought of spending several hours in the emergency department may deter them from seeking care. Dr....

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  • 1911_HA_Nov2019_cover

    Your Heart and Other Conditions

    Download The Full November 2019 Issue PDF

    It’s almost Thanksgiving, the iconic American holiday centered on food. The mere mention of Thanksgiving conjures up images of a juicy turkey with all its trimmings and a table full of pies.

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