Research over the years has shown a spike in heart attacks and other cardiac events during the winter holiday season. In fact, a 1999 study found that more people die from heart attacks between December 25 and January 01 than any other time of the year. This trend has been linked to the eating behaviours of most people during the festivities as well as reduced physical activity in colder weather and emotional stress.
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Cautious merry-making
A study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in 2000 found that an unusually heavy meal may increase the risk of heart attack by about four times within two hours after eating. After questioning 1,986 male and female patients about the meals they had eaten just prior to their heart attacks, their analysis show that eating a heavy meal may act as a trigger for heart attack.
And as the festive season is often marked with food, the risk of getting a cardiac event increases around this time. Donald Lloyd-Jones, volunteer president of the American Heart Association said:
The holidays are a busy, often stressful, time for most of us. Routines are disrupted; we may tend to eat and drink more and exercise and relax less. We also may not be listening to our bodies or paying attention to warning signs, thinking it can wait until after the new year.
Moderate celebration
The risk of suffering a heart episode is particularly high this year as this might be the first time in the last three years that many families will be gathering for the festivities. And because the season is typically characterized by unhealthy changes in diet and higher alcohol consumption, you need to pay extra attention to the food you eat. According to the charity, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada:
Eating healthfully during the holidays doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself, there are still ways to eat smart. Look for small, healthy changes and swaps you can make so you continue to feel your best while eating and drinking in moderation, and don’t forget to watch the sodium.
Sources used:
American Heart Association: Heart attack deaths more likely during winter holiday season than any other time of year
Heart and Stroke: Don’t fall victim to the holiday heart attack
Science Daily: Heavy Meals May Trigger Heart Attacks
