January: highest month for Heart Attacks

More people have heart attacks in January than in any other month of the year. If this doesn’t pertain to you… keep reading.

Heart attacks can happen to anyone: young, old, middle aged, man, woman, transgender, ethnicity and even out of shape or if you think you’re in okay in fitness. We should all know how to decrease the risk in the future.

First heart problems may not show up until the attack but often people, especially younger people tend to ignore them. The risk increases for women over 45 and men over 55. (And) the rise in Obesity in the United States has seen a spike in the numbers of heart disease and heart attacks among younger people.

Back to why the most Heart Attacks happen in January.

I’ll list the most common causes then go back and get into them.

Lack of Sleep
Flu
Air Pollution
Distress aka stress
Overweight/Obese
It isn’t Acid Reflux
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT)
Hypertension

SLEEP -If you don’t get enough sleep you prompt a slew of problems that affect your overall health, including overeating, and stress.

FLU – the flu causes a lot of inflammation in the body and if you have heart disease flu-related inflammation on the internal lining of arteries which can cause plaque that has built up in the arteries to rupture, leading to a heart attack.

Heart attacks in 2018 were six times higher within the first week of testing positive for the flu.[1]

AIR POLLUTION - Air pollutants increase in the winter months, especially in the big cities and can be somewhat responsible for the seasonal rise of cardiovascular diseases.

ACID REFLUX IT AIN’T - Left over boxes of Christmas Chocolates, candy, gifted bottles of wine and other spirits, and left- over ham, turkey, mashed potatoes and othe

r holiday meal foods plus the extra junky food you eat while watching the January football games can trigger acid reflux, hence -chest pain. Many people often mistake this pain for gas and overeating when really they’re having a heart attack.

DEEP VENOUS THROMBOSIS (DVT)

Less physical activity just before and after the holidays reduces blood flow in the lower limbs and decreased fibrinolysis (dissolution of blood clots) which are associated with the increase of DVT in winter.

AORTIC RUPTURE/DISSECTION

Several studies have reported more aortic dissection and rapture in winter time than summer. An increase in blood pressure through increased heart rate can cause arterial dissection and rupture of the aorta.

HYPERTENSION Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures show a seasonal peak during winter. The risk factors include cold weather, less physical activity and less sun-provided vitamin D,

PREVENTION

·Weight lifting and at least 90 minutes of interval cardio a week. Physical activity

In both sexes, overall levels of physical activity are significantly higher in summer than in winter.[3] Physical inactivity is strongly positively associated with CVDs. Exercise causes increases in blood flow leading to flow-mediated dilation of vessels.
Stop overeating! Our portions are ridiculously big in this country. A 2000 study of heart-attack survivors hints that the two-hour period after a heavy meal is risky. Diverting blood from the heart to aid digestion may also spur angina, or heart-related chest pain.
Grape juice or red non-alcoholic wine may lower blood pressure
low-cholesterol low refined-sugar diet is more important than low-fat
Cut the cookies, cakes and pies! Refined sugar can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, too much body fat, and plaque
If you have the FLU, and in the first week you have persistent chest pain not related to muscle-aches from coughing, call or see a doctor right away and ask to be checked for a heart attack.
if you feel any symptoms, go medical help fast! Too many people wait, hoping the pain will go away.