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Show: April 29, 2012:
- Antibiotics in Healthy Livestock
- Positive Outlook Good for Heart Health
- Tobacco’s Impact on Farmworkers
- The Case Against Big Tobacco
- Trans Fat Consumption Linked to Aggression
- Doc Chat: Are Sleeping Pills Dangerous?
- Depression Affects Heart Function
- View all topics for the week
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Did You Know?: Positive Outlook Good for Heart Health
Host: Jeremy Shere, PhD
Did you Know? is presented by Wishard Health Services, becoming Eskenazi Health in 2014.
I'm Jeremy Shere.
Feeling happy is good for you psychological well being. But did you know that having an optimistic outlook may also help protect against heart disease?
According to a recent Harvard study, people brimming with optimism had about half the risk of having a first heart attack compared to pessimists. This may be because stress caused by negative feelings can damage arteries and even the heart.
The study also found that positive people tend to have healthier blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight, and are more prone to exercise, eat well, get enough sleep, and not smoke.
It will take further research to determine if with a strong sense of wellbeing are more likely to make healthier lifestyle choices, or whether healthier living makes people feel more positive.
But either way, a happy outlook seems good for the heart.
And now you know.
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Did you Know is presented by Wishard Health Services, becoming Eskenazi Health in 2014.
Additional Resources:
- Read about the Harvard research findings that being optimistic protects against heart disease.
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